The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-04

O6I duS pun PObSuu6 W SOtuO
from the Leon Journal, as
printed In the Des Moines
News to day, and I desire to
say that I never authorized
any such statement and
that I intend now as here
tofore, to vote for w. L.
Eaton for speaker and A. 3.
cummins for United states
senator. B. L. ElKER.
The Gear bosses in Leon we're in high
glee yesterday morning when the Des
Moines News was received with the big
headlines announcing that DR.. Eiker
had deserted Cummins and would sup
port Gear, but they were doomad to dis.
appointment for yesterdays morning
Des Moines papers contained signed
statement from DIR. Eiker that he was
for Cummins and branded the alleged
statement telegraphed to the Des
Moines News by the Leon Journal as a
lie.
This statement from DR.. Eiker places
the Journal editor in rather unenvi-
able position, and shows to what des-
perate methods the Gear gang are going.
In spite Of DIR. Eiker's denial, some OF
the gang yesterday insisted that he
would finally be forced to support Gear.
The Des Moines Leader says:
A romance in political manipulation,
and revelation OF the methods to
which the managers Ex-senator Gears
campaign have been resorting, was fur
nished yesterday in the remarkable re-
ports which were published and circu-
lated by the Gear people in Des Moines
concerning the attitude of DIR. 3. L..
Eiker. representative from Decatur
county. The story in brief is that yes.
terday morning DIR. Eiker left for De-
catur county on private business. AT
the train he was met by a Gear agent,
who asked him to sign a statement
pledging himself to Gear and Bowen,
Mr.. Eiker refused to do so, and went on
to his home. At Leon he was again i'm.
portuned by Willard Stookey, editor of
the Leon Journal, and others, to au-
thorize like statement and again he
refused. Notwithstanding his refusal,
and in spite of his repeated declarations
that he was for Cummins and Eaton,
the statement which he had refused to
sign was sent to Des Moines and print.
ed in the News last evening, under i'm.
mense headlines. 1t was utterly I'M.
warranted, and sent in spite of the pos
tive statement of DR.. Eiker that he
would vote for Cummins and Eaton.
After DIR. Eiker had left Des Moines
the Gear people circulated the story
that he was won over. 1t was given
out in the Hobbies, with the statement
that Eiker had given the Gear men a
signed declaration Of his position.
When the evening papers appeared
there was sensation, and gloom set
tied over the Cummins camp. The
Cummins men could not believe the
story, but it was impossible to assume
that the Gear men would have sent out
such story, and circulated it all day
in Des Moines, unless they knew their
footing. A telegram was sent to DR..
IIiker, asking him to come back to Des
Moines Immediately. This reached him
at Decatur City, and decided him to
come back on the evening train. Ac.
cordingly he left Decatur City on the
afternoon Keokuk & Western train to
come to Des Moines. All this time he
was utterly ignorant of the stir IN po-
litical circles over his alleged action.
The first he realized of the fake was
when, at st. Charles, about twenty-five
miles south of Des Moines, the news
agent got on the train with copies of the
Des Moines evening papers. The first
thing that caught his eye was his own
name in immense black letters, followed
by the story of his declaration for Gear
He stepped off the train aud telegraph.
ed to Mr.. Eaton, the Cummins candi
date for speaker, that the story was not
true. Before the train got into Des
Moines, E. IL. Hunter entered the car
He had come to the outskirts Of the city
to meet him, and urge him not to &C
back on the Gear men. Hunter declar
ed it would be ruin to the Gear people
now, il Eiker should refuse to stand by
them, when they had the story in the
newspapers. But Eiker was firm. H,
would give no answer save that he Wal
for Cummins and Eaton. Arriving il
Des Moines, Mr.. Hunter tried to induce
him to come up to the hotels, but Mr.
Eiker would not do it. He said he wa
tired and would go at once to his room
Mr. Hunter insisted on going along, anc
finally got in a carriage with the repre-
sentative. and rode with him to his
room on East Capitol avenue. Here hi
remained for an hour, still laboring anc
begging the member to stand by tn
statement in the evening paper, anc
not ruin Gear by branding it as false
hood.
He finally asked him to sign state
ment which would say that the Leol
telegram was substantially as it wa
represented to him at Leon. This DR.
Eiker did. He gave MIR. Hunter cop.
of this statement;
4 "This statement was presented to M
together with the petition and letter
and is substantially correct as appear
in the News. But did not authoriz
its publication and in addition said tina
/ would do in the matter what con
sldered my duty to my nation, state ant
constituents.
:: This statement Mr.. Hunter brought
down town and furnished to the news
papers as evidence that the News stor,
was all right. Shortly after DR.. like
was called ON by DR.. Prentis of Ring
gold county, Mr.. Garrett of Leon, and
newspaper man. They asked for defin
lite statement which would set at rest al
doubt In the matter, and DIR. like
signed astatement, as follows:
ssDes Moines, Iowa, Jan. 2, 19O0.-
have seen the telegram purporting t
come from the Leon Journal as printe
in the Des Moines News to-day, and
desire to say that / never authorize
any such statement, and that inten
, now, as heretofore, to vote for w.
Eaton for speaker and A. b. Cummin
for United States senator.
"B. L. Eiker."
Two bours lotor nr pronf;s collo.l a