Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-23
IN UvNTTIoATcD oUTn1er

TWO years ago. lne OlutEs u D. otstl -
charged with personating In officer
while recently making an Investigation
Of the conditions prevailing upon the
winnebago Indian reservation. The at
tempt to place a stigma upon these men
is manifestly a deliberate effort on the
part of United States Attorney Sum-
mers to destroy their %credibility in or
der to shield himself and other federal
officials over whom charges are hanging
at Washington.
The spirit that animates the action
against Claiborne is so transparent that
no amount Of palaver can conceal It.
II Mr.. Claiborne were guilty of a crime
two years ago there is no valid reason
why he should not have been prose
cuted within reasonable time after the
alleged offense was committed. Two
federal grand juries have been In
session in the time intervening, but
neither Attorney Summers nor any one
else saw fit to present accusations.
Even without a grand jury, Mr.. Sum-
mers could have readily preferred his
charges before a United States COM
missioner and had the offender bound
over.
The true reason why Mr.. Summers
has suddenly awakened to the gravity,
of Mr.. Claiborne's alleged ofense Is
that an affidavit signed by Mr.. Claiborne
had been filed at the White House some
weeks ago relating an interview be-
tween himself and Summers on the
Sunday following the pardon Of BARLEY
from the penitentiary. In this inter
view Mr.. Summers boosted that he had
been instrumental in inducing Governor
Savage to grant the pardon; that in
his (Summers) opinion BARLEY was still
the great political power in Nebraska
whose influence would make itself felt
in the future. Incidentally Mr.. Sum-
mers admitted 70 Claiborne that he had
invited BARLEY to come up to Omaha
for a conference, which took place in
the wine room of Flynn's saloon at the
corner of Thirteenth and Douglas
streets, lasting from s o'clock in the
CNChlhS uhli ClOCh Ihc hSAI MUM
ing.
The facts set forth in this affidavit
were verified by direct and indirect
proof. 1t is a matter of notoriety and
has been a scandal that District At
torney Summers has been closely afili-
ated with the rottenest element Of the
republican party in Nebraska and he
made no bones Of his intimate rela-
tionship to and championship of BARLEY.
At the state capital lie has been given
the credit Of writing the lame and 'im-
potent explanation that was attached to
the pardon over the signature of Gov
ernor Savage. The conference in the
Flynn saloon as verified by affidavit
OF witnesses has, as we understand 1t,
been adEnitted, but with the assurance
that Y,r. Summers confined his thirst to
/ a%polinaris, while the liquors served were
consumed by his companion, and this is
not intended as a reflection on Mr.. Bart
ley. 1t is safe to say that had not the
/ Claiborne affidavit been filed with the
president the grand jury would never
have heard Of Mr.. Claiborne.
The case of Mr.. Best is II anything q
greater and more inexcusable outrage
Mr.. Best was dispatched to the Indian
reservation a few weeks G to run
down and verify reports of maladmln'
istration on the part Of the Indian agent
and abuses to which the Indians on the
WinnebagO reservation were being sub
jected by a land lease ring in collusioI
with the agent and trader. In the dis
charge of this duty Mr.. Best took pains
to get at the truth as well as he could
his way by the parties who have de
spoiled and debauched the Indians. Mr.
Best made no secret of his connection
with The Bee and resOrted to no decep
ton. To assure his informants who haC
been victimized and terrorized by the
ring that they would not be punished
for telling the truth, he said that theil
complaints and any disclosures made
would be forwarded to Washington.
For daring to discharge his duty as
reporter and to counterfeit the damaging
effects of the afidavits he gathered ant
the AFFIDAVIT he made he is to be perse
cuted and smirched by the misuse o
the power vested in the district attor
ney, who, while pretending to b.
anxious to punish the rascals who hav'
been robbing the Indians, is pursuing
course designed to protect them. For
tunately there is a higher authority thai
District Attorney Summers. That au
thority, we feel sure, will not be dis
tracted in its purpose to get at the tru
inwardness of affairs on the reservation
and to discharge the obligations tn
government has assumed toward it
wards regardless of the benehciarles.
The Bee has up to this time refraine'
from giving publicity to the facts in it
possession relating to the. ~discreditabl
conduct of Mr.. Summers in connection
with BARLEY and the r~ottenness on tn
Indian reservation, preferring to ALLOW
the department to right the wrong AM
deal with the recreant officers. WheI
the attempt is made to wreak persona
revenges on its reporters 1t Is compelled
however reluctant, to defend them an