The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-04-04
A BAD RECORD
Mr.. Bentley Called Upon 10 Elk.
plain an Unaltractive Record
i'm the Day County Cir.
cult Court.
Charged with Fraud by Twelve
Good Men aud True.

Good Men and True.
When a man presents his
name as a candidate for public
Office, expecting the support of
a great political party, it is but
just to the party that the candi-
date for that support should
have a record that will stand the
scrutiny of the public and the
opposing candidates and political
opponents. This is but fair to
the party whose support he pur-
poses to demand as it's chosen
candidate, it is but fair to the
people of the state whose suffrag-
es he is seeking, and it is but
fair to the Individual and person
al friends whom a man is sup.
posed to enlist in his canvass.
No republican has a right to load
his party with an incubus that
will handicap and may possibly
drag the whole state ticket down
to defeat, and we believe that the
repub licans of Grant County
when they present a name for
the support of the republicans
of the state will see that that
name is above reproach. W.
owe it to our party associates
throughout the state who must
rely upon us to vouch for our fell
low citizen, and we owe it to the
the people of the state irrespec.
tive of party, who look to the
associates and home of a candi-
date for Endorsement as to char
acter and competency. Now in
all fairness, without malice or
personal enemity, we desire to
put the above test upon The can
didacy of L.. H. Bentley who is
seeking the nomination of rail
road commissioner upon the re-
publican state ticket, and demand
that he purge himself of the
serious charges brought against
him by the public records of the
courts. before he foists himself
upon the republican party of the
county and the state. That the
public, and particularly the
members of the republican party
of Grant county may Judge where
Of we speak, we copy from the
records Of the last term of circuit
court in Day county the COM
plant and verdict of a case in
which L. Fl. Bentley was one of
the defendants. AS seen by the
reading of the complaint the
defendant l.. HI. Bentley was
charged with being in a con
spiracy to fraudulently obtain
possession of a farm belonging
to an orphan girl, who because
of her tender years when her
father lost his life in a blizzard,
was not aware of her rights, and
that by the verdict of the jury
he was convicted of this base act.
A verbatim copy of the complaint
is as follows:
State OF South Dakota, county of Day,
In Circuit Court-Fifth Judicial Cir.
cult.
Jenneie Rabek formerly Jennie Howe,
We. Plaintiff,
LIZ Bentley and Flour City Nation
Bank OF Hennepin county, Mime
sofa, q corporation, Defendants.
Plaintiff complaining OF the above
named defendants respectfully shows
to the court and alleges:
/. That the said plaintiff is the
owner In fee simple OF the following
described real estate situated in the
county Of Day in the State Of South
Dakota, viz: lots 4 and 5 in section
/, and lots / and 2 In section 2, and
lot ] il section IL, all in township 122,
range IS.
2. Said plaintiff further shows to
the court in regard thereto, that the
said plaintiff Is the only heir OF Page
F. Howe, and Jennie A. Howe, deceas-
ed, said Page F. Howe and Jennie A.
Howe being her natural parents, and
that she 10 the only issue from said
Page F. Howe and Jennie A. Howe.
3. That said plaintiff as the issue
Of said Page F. Howe, her father, and
Jennie "A. Howe, her mother, was born
on the 22d day Of June, A. D. 1881.
4. That during the winter 1881 and
1882 said plaintiffs father departed
this life by being frozen to death in q
blizzard In said county.
5. That at the time of his death the
said Page F. Howe was possessed Of
the above described premises under
and by virtue Of the presumption laws
Of the United States, he, the said de-
ceased, having then and there 8 pre-
emption filing thereon.
6. That thereafter on about the 24th
day OF October, A. d. 1882, the said
Jennie A. Howe, the mother of this
plaintiff, made final cash proof to said
lands as administrative OF r. f. Howe
Of Day county, Dakota Territory.
7. That Jennie A. Howe, the moth
or OF this plaintiff, departed this life