Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-03-17
Damaging Exposure Madg By
Judge Bush At WaIlOnia.
Charge That Judge Cook Has Mis-
used Trust Funds Creates Pro-
found Sensation.

candidates LOT circuit Judge en-
gagged in a joint discussion here
this afternoon to good crowd of
voters. The sentiment had been
largely in favor of Judge Cook, as
our people were unacquainted with
Judge Bush, but there was a com.
plete revolution in sentiment and
all OF this portion of Trigg county
is now practically solid for Bush,
The discussion was a warm one
and Judge Bush in discussing
Judge Cooks record brought out
some facts of the most damaging
character, and in handling these
and other issues he clearly demon
strated that he is more than a
match for his opponent. It was a
singal triumph for the Christian
county candidate, who was greeted
with storms Of applause and as
sured of a strong and enthusiastic
support by the voters present.
Judge Bush spoke first and spoke
of the claim that Judge Cook had
been making in all of his speeches
i hat he should be reelected because
OF his splendid and unprecedented
record on the bench for the past
FIVE years. He said Judge Cook
had invited a critical investigation
OF his record, which he had par
TALLY made. This investigation re-
vealed the fact that out of 40 cases
appealed and decided by the court
of appeals from his district in five
years,31 had been reversed. Judge
Cook had claimed that a farmer
would not turn off an experienced
man and put an inexperienced one
his place, but Judge Bush said that
a hand who did two-thirds of his
work wrong should be discharged
and a competent man put in his
place. That is what farmer or a
business man would do and the
people should do the same in re-
gard to a public official.
He further said-and this charge
fell like a thunderclap from a clear
sky-that an inspection of records
in Trigg county showed that Judge
Cook had been guilty of violating
the only criminal statute applying
to his Office and had laid himself
liable to a fine OF 81, 900 in several
instances. He then produced the
records of the Trigg circuit court
showing the master commissioners
report of trust funds in his hands
and how invested for several years.
These disclosed the fact that Judge
Cook had on several occasions bor-
rowed trust funds from the COM
missioner and executed his notes
therefore, Judge Bush then read
section 1871 of the statutes, under
the Chapter of Crimes and Punish
mepts, as follows;
1871. Refusing to give place
to special judge-using money
custody of court.
If any Judge shall fail or refu
to give place to special j. Idoe !,
mediately upon his ele etion
shall be fined not Lee IS than .,
hundred nor more thu an one tho
sand dollars; and if any iude
of a court shall rec' 1--WE, use or bo
row. either directly or indirectl,
any money or Trust fund under til
management or control, or subiec
to the judgment or order of til
court OF which he is Judge, or u1
der the control of any officer of tn
court, he shall be fined for eac
ofense not less than one handre,
nor more than one thousand dol
lars"
His charge created a profounC
sensation and the people waited
with bated breath to hear Judg,
Cooks answer to the accusation.
Judge Cook took the floor laboriue
under great embarrassment. Tc
the surprise and CONSERVATION Of
the whole audience he admitted the
charge to be true, saying that he
did not know his action in the mat.
ter was a violation of the law. He
asked his hearers not to condemn