Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-04-24

iditional Law Judge Of the district to re-
side in Lawrence county. Greer and
Bredin, two of the defeated candidates
at that time. made an unsuccessful ef-
fort to disfranchise Lawrence county
a fact that some of the Republicans Of
that county remembered in 1892.
Judge McMichael died after serving
about seven years of his term, and the
Governor appointed Norman Martin Of
New Castle to serve until his successor
could be elected, as the law required,
for term of ten years.
In the Spring of 1892 Messrs Bowser,
Galbreath and Goucher were candidates
for the Republican nomination for
Judge, but they all Withdrew on the
strength of promises and pledges made
by Greer and his close personal friends
Just as we stated in our article enti-
tied Some Political History" published
March 20th, last.
| Mr.. -Bowser has told a number of
men as TO Greer's pledges to him; and
since Greer became a candidate for re-
| election has said: II was taken over to
Charley McCandless' Office and the
whole matter was talked over, and
agreed upon, and all but put in writ
| ing"
To Mr.. Goucher, Greer made plea
of financial distress, and ssid that one
term would relieve him, and that he
would be satisfied with that.
To Mr.. Galbreath Greer pledged him
self not to be candidate again whether
successful or defeated.
All the promises and pledges made at
that time were in regard to term Of
ten years, and in view of these facts the
following letter by Greer IL of interest
as showing the character of the man
BUTLER, PA, April 18th, 1902.
Mr.. Jos. G. HEPLER,
Ekastown, Pa
Ny DEAR SIR-The Butler CIT
IzEN in late issue published an editor
ial in which it alleges that when | was
a candidate for Judge ten years ago i
promised Mr.. Galbrsath and other can
didates that would not be in the field
at the expiration of my term, if elected
This statement is incorrect. Imade no
such promises.
Mr. Galbreath came to me on the
street one day and said that he would
not>be q candidate, that he would let
me have a clear field / thanked him
for it, and he turned to go away but
turned and came back and said: But
how will IL be should you fail to get the
nomination in Lawrence county, or
should not be elected this fall2 Will
you be candidate in two years from
now when Judge Hazen's term expiresf"
/ promptly answered, mo, IL am not
elected this time / will never be in the
field again" Not one word was said
about my being candidate at the ex-
piration of my term, il elected, and no
promises were made more favorable to
Mr.. Galbreath than to any other candi-
date
We had two counties in the district,
Butler and Lawrence. Judge Hazen
was President Judge and the law com
PEELED him to reside in Butler Judge
McMichael had been the Assistant Law
Judge and the law compelled the Assis-
tant Law Judge to reside in New Cas-
tie; therefore as / was taking the place
of Judge McMichael as the Assistant
Law Judge, it became and was my duty
to take up my residence in New Castle,
Lawrence county. could not have re-
mained in Butler county. Had there
been no change of the law / would have
been living in Lawrence county now,
and 1t would not seem reasonable that |
would promise not to be candidate at
the end of my term when / would be
living in Lawrence county and DIR. Gal
breath in Butler county. This itself
contradicts any such allegation.
Moreover Mr.. Galbreath has talked 10
me about our candidacy perhaps doz
en- times and he never once said that |
had made such q promise. had such n
promise been made by me ii would
seem natural that Mr.. Galbreath would
have made some mention Of it in these
different conversations Had / failed
to be elected in 1892 ] certainly would
not have been a candidate in two years
thereafter or at any other time
/ write this to coreect the mis-state-
ment published in the CITIZEN. IL is
not good thing for party or candi-
dates to have newspaper contests pre-
ceding nominations. 1t weakens the
ticket and injuries the candi-
date nominated. This ought not TO be
and therefore take this way Of reply
ing and making a. personal contradic-
ton of the statements published in the
newspapers.
Respectfully yours,
JOHN M. GREER.
Greer took his seat on the first Mon
day Of January. 1893, and for q few
months passed part Of his time in New
Castle, and then as Little Lawrence
mad acquired population Of 10000
and was entitled, under the Constitu
tioD to be made n separate district the
Legislature passed an act to that effect.
assigning Greer to Butler county and
Hazen to Lawrence county (act OF April
25, 1S93)-alI OF which had been taken
into consideration previous to the cleo
tion-and even IL the law had not been
changed Greer would have become
President Judge by virtue Of priority n
commission when Judge Hazens term
expired in 1894.
The other point that Greer makes
that Mr.. Galbreath never mentioned
the matter somewhat amusing Gal
breath probably sized mp his man better
than TO take any chances of bsing told
to ''shinter for himself" and besides
thar it is rather impolitic for lawyer
to remind the Judge that he is practic-
ing under that he (the judge IL acting
dishonorably.
Az to newspaper contests preceding
nominations. that is the proper time
for them, no true party man will wait
until after an unfit man has been foist-
ed upon his party ma it's nominee to tell
the truth about him. That should be
done in time to prevent a nomination
that will weaken the whole ticket.
This two-year, Lawrence county,
bugaboo Of Greer's is. we believe, an
after thought a subterfuge, lately
conceived idea. fiction Of his imagina-
tion--to which a harsher term IL usual
ly applied
JOHN ELKIN received tremendous
ovation from bis neighbors when he ar
rived Mt his home town Of Indiana, last
xuaaL. and ba upd hia fr;apda QUAR- fbo