The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-08-26
BEN COLBERT Interviewed
SAYS NOT A SINGLE ALLEGATION
AGAINST HIM is TRUE.
Claims the Charges Are the Direct
Result Of Personal Enmity Aris-
ing over Indian Pollties--Hss
No Fear Whatever.

thlteu STATES MarShal Ben H. OOi-
bert. against whom charges have
been filed recently in the department
OF justice. was seen this morning by
an Ardmoreite representative and
shown newspaper report Of the
charges filed against him.
Mr. Colbert said he had received
no official notice OF the matter from
the department ana was IN no way ap-
prised Of the charges until he read
the newspapers this morning Mr.
Colbert stated that the fling Of the
charges was the direct result Of per
sonal enmity arising over Indian poll
tics and that not a single allegation
made against him was true.
With reference to taking Indians
out OF Jail to Oakland for the purpose
OF voting them, MIR. Colbert said that
he never had gone on an Indians bond
and secured his release for any pur
pose and that ANY sane man would
know that he had not attempted by
force of any kind to compel Indians TO
vote the ticket he preferred seeing
elected
81 am an Indian" said the marshal.
"and it's only natural that / should
have been interested in the campaign
for governor one year ago was Gov
ernor Johnston's private secretary
held the Office of national secretary
and also served the administration as
tribal collector. believed that the
! principles of government contained In
the Mosely platform were better for
the Indian and as citizen Of the ma
ton had a perfect right to my own
views In the matter With reference
TO the charges that | used my office
to further the interest OF my candl-
date want to say that did nothing
more than | was instructed to do by
the attcrney-generaI of the United
states and that was afterward COM
mended by the department for. the
cousre 1 had pursued"
Mr. Colbert stated that at the cleo
ton held the 18th of this month he
was not interested enough to go to
the polls and vote
With reference to his membership
in the Tribal Development company
Mr.. Colbert said that he was absent
at the organization and that some Of
his friends who had gone into the
company reserved some stock for him
and that he feared complications
might arise from his being a member
Of the company and that four weeks
after the organization he surrender
ed his stock
Mr. Colbert stated that Ben C. Col
Inns was appointed a deputy in the
regular manner, that his name togeth-
er with a statement of the position
he had formerly held was sent to the
department and his appointment was
approved
Mr.. Colbert said that he was diff
ferently situated than other Federal
officials, that this is bis home and
that he had acquired different busi-
ness interests here beiIre being ap-
pointed to office, but thd, since his
appointment he had devoted his time
exclusively to the duues of his Office,
aud that there is not one word Of truth
in the statement that he had used
his Office TO further his interests in
private enterprises or that he had
neglected his duties. MIR Colbert dii
not take the matter seriously and
does not believe that The filing Of the
charges will amount to anything