Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-03-30
horSerdCing And The Law.

tiOi oOi uoiiY iihu AHO 6uhs
1t had not been the intention of the
Herald to say anything further on the
recent ..farmers horse race in the
CITY of Lancaster. 1t was a matter
of no great Importance in itself. We
gave, without comment, brief state
ment of the facts at the time, with
holding at the request OF some of the
parties interested the names OF the
| gentlemen who had violated the city
| ordinance.
But the little matter has been so
carefully nursed and fondled, that
instead of being dead as it should have
been several days ago, is still alive
and apparently growing. False and
exaggerated stories have been put into
circulation intended to create preiu
dice against the city of Lancaster
among the farmers especially and to
! iniure the trade and business of mer-
chants and other business men OF Lam
caster Some of the attempted preiu-
dice has been stirred up by the men
who were fined and their families who,
no doubt, really think they were un-
| fairly treated. But the most of it is
the work of tricksters who hope TO
profit in political and other ways by
cultivating bitterness between city
and country. The most active agent
in fomenting discord has been the
Teller, whose editor never misses an
opportunity to cripple the city and its
interests, to lead his readers into err
ror and to repeat and re-iterate his
damaging statements and return To
them again again like a dog to its
vomit.
In view of these flcts and in the
interests Of right and justice to all
concerned it seems best TO review the
whole matter.
NOT NEW ORDINANCE.
The ordinance against fast driving
is not new one, it has been in force
ever since Lancaster was a city, and
fines have occasionally been collected
under it. To give either credit or
censure to the recent council or city
attorney for its existence Is foolish
ness. They found it on the records,
they left it in force just as they next
and all succeeding councils will.
Every city of necessity has such an
ordinance.
TEN DOLLARS, FINE AND COSTS, NOT
UNUSUAL.
On March p, 1898. Henry Behncke,
Jr, was fined S. and costs $6.37 ia
mounting to Sl1.37 for running his
horses on the streets of Lancaster.
On January %, 1899 Ernest Dim
mock, Grant Anderson and Arthur
Green (colored) were each fined s. and
costs of Sj03 more for horse race
they had in the city few days before,
The first two paid ten dollars each;
Green conldn't Day aud served short
sentence in Jail. II IS probably perth
nent 10 mention that when Mr. Dim
mick paid his fine friend who was
with him complained that the fine was
too high aud intimated the rich and in
fuential might drive as fast as they
pleased without interference. The
officers. Mr.. Wheeler and Mr.. Bud
worth, assured him that he was mis-
taken and that whenever the proof
of violation of the fast driving ordi-
nance was before them the offenders
would be treated as Dimmoek had
been treated no matter what their
standing, wealth or influence.
On Jan. 30. 1899. Henry Behncke,
Jr, was fined so and costs OF s., in
all S15. this being for second offense.
The marshal. Mr.. Budworth, made
the complaint in all these cases and
Justice 6. b. Wheeler assessed the fine
and costs.
On Feb. 2, 1899, at the request Of
Mr.. Budworth a notice was published
in the Grant County Herald warning
all readers that the streets Of Lancas-
ter were a not race-course and that he
had received instructions from the
city council to strictly enforce the law
in all parts Of the city.
| OThen came the big race about
which there has been much talk 1t
occurred Feb. %. When it began
there were fourteen teams in line
coming from the south. When they
got to the residence of X. Meyer Jr.