Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-10-31
Affidavit Of N. H. Harbaugh
Concerning the Sheriff's
Connection
With the Closing and Opening
Of Gambling a Year
Ago.
To the Editor of The Herald

To the Editor of The Herald:
AT your suggestion. we herewith
submit for publication the result OF
our investigation of the official career
of p. T. Mccartney as sheriff of La
Plata county for the last 81 months,
as evidenced by his official reports
and bills now on file in the office of
the county clerk and recorder of said
county and the same duly verified
by personal comparison of this copy
with the original record by Mr.. Frank
Gallotti, notary public, who was EN-
ployed to do this, that there might
be no further equivocation and deni-
ais upon the eve of election. as we
understand that Mr. Mccartney has
employed various labor union men to
go around and deceive their brother
workmen by stating that the charges
made against Mr.. Mccartney are en-
tirely groundless. and are made solely
for the purpose of defeating him at
the polls.
We also submit the affidavit of Mr..
N H. Harbaugh, former under-sheriff
for Mr.. Mccartney during last year,
in regard to the latter's connection
with the closing and opening of the
gambling houses of Durango. and we
desire to express our regret that two
persons who had made afiidayits cor
roborative of the facts set forth in
Mr.. Harbaugh's affidavit, and includ.
ing other facts in regard to the clos
ing and opening OF the gambling
houses. have come to us and request
I'd hot phn
davits at the present time. as they
did not desire to get into any further
trouble at this time on account of the
~--c,ffieial position of Mr. Mccartney.
We will add that these two aflidavts,
together with the former affidavit
made by Mr.. Harbaugh. were given
10 us with the express provision that
they should not be used by us fol
publication without the consent OF the
parties thereto, but should only be
held as u protection by the Republic
an central committee in case Mr. Me
Cartney became belligerant on ac-
count oil any statements originating
from this committee
We believe the persons who made
the aiiidavits above referred to would
have been willing to have the same
published together with that of Mr..
Harbaugh had it not been for the
threats made by the legal gentlemen
who are conducting the Democratic
campaign that they would immediate
ly arrest any one who dared make an
affidavit i'll regard TO his trying to ex-
tort money or receiving money from
the gambling houses.
These threats, OF course, were made
upon the theory that the person OF
persons making the afidayits mus
certainly have been interested in eth
er offering to give, or in giving money
TO Mr.. Mccartney. or the fact that
these threats have been made we are
certain, for the reason that on two
different occasions they were made in
our presence, as We suppose to pre-
vent us from using any affidayits we
may have.
We also assume the responsibility
of producing at the proper time the
original memoranda of the amounts
to be put up" by each saloon, in the
handwriting of Mr.. Mccartney him
self referred to in Mr.. Harbaughs af-
rather dilapidated appearance on ac.
count OF the many pieces into which
It was torn by Mr.. Mccartney after
he picked it from the waste basket
and threw it into the cuspidor.
However, we do not believe any
other evidence is necessary than the
many corroborative facts existing in
Connection with the closing of the
gambling houses last fall and the
opening again about the first of the
present year, and ON account of the
further fact that they are still run
ming at this time, although Mr.. Nc
Cartney has been deprived of none of
the official power with which he is
clothed as sheriff of La Plata county
We also call attention to the fact
that Mr.. Harbaugh in his affidavit re-
fers to three Democrats very promi-
nent in party counsels, who may be
called upon by their Democratic
friends to refute these allegations II
they are untrue.
For instance. Mr.. Harbaugh men
tions b. F. Houx, Esq. one of the most
honorable and upright Democrats in
the party and well known to the citi
zens of Durango and La Plata county
as an upright and conscientious mag
istrate of our city and prominent
member and leader of the NJ. E
Church. South.
Again, he refers to Curley Mcbride
one of the best and most favorably
known saloon men of Durango, and 9
lifelong Democrat.
Still again. he refers to having hat
conversation with Charles A. John
son. at that time chairman of The
Democratic central committee. and a
the present time, we believe, a mem