Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-05

gan al. once a clamor OF editorial and
yelping correspondence charging that
the entire story was a base and infa-
nous attack by political enemies upon
the memory OF a dead man and the po-
litical prestige of a living one. There
has been no denial of facts. None OIL
these papers that are charging the state
administration with having stirred up
the whole nasty mess thru envy and
hatred of Shaw have made denial of
solitary allegation except 10 deny that
Shaw granted Sherclife's freedom at
Judge Hubbard's request. None deny
the authenticity OF the Hubbard letter
and the rest of the published cores
pondence There is no denial OF Tom
Dennisons shameless statement. HIP
Well admits that he got money ana
diamond. Mcmillan conifesses his con-
nection with Tom Dennison and admits
receiving $500 for his services. Sec
Rotary Shaw protests that Judge HUB
bard wrote another letter recalling the
first, hence admits the receipt of the
first and published one. 1t is notice
able that these papers fought shy OF
Dennisons item of expense for nigsers
sent from Nebraska to vote in Iowa for
Gear that j. W. Blythe might lend his
Influence for the Shercliffe parole.
There has been no fair publication or
Investigation by these papers but ehey
have all been busy back firing against
blaze all inadvertently started
among combustibles left over from
previous administration.
| The rule of the present administra-
! ton has been that every record of state
business of whatever nature Is open to
anyone who can show a legitimate err
| rand c. a. Fay came to Des Moines
| 10 search the records of the Shercliffe
case. Fay's family had lost valuable
diamonds and he was seeking to reeoV-
er them thru Toni Dennison. He prov
ed to Pardon Clerk Garrett that his
errand was sincere and his request
| legi innate one. He had been to Dem
| nison on Frank Shercliffe's advice and
/ had been turned down without hope of
recovering his diamonds. The Omaha
chief of police had told him to go home
and attend 10 his business. Garrett
gave him access TO the papers as he
/ would any other. Fay uncovered sem
sation and as newspaper man he talk
ed to other newspaper men about II. He
got a statement of expense written to
Shercliffe's brother by Tom Dennison.
/ He got a confession out of Shercliffe
and brought about Tom Dennson's in
dictinent before the Harrison county
/ grand jury. With the indictment the
story came out. Newspaper men seek
ing copy to supplement- the Dennison
and Shercliffe story heard of the Hub
bard letter and It's undeniabiy scandal
lous revelation that 1t was possible
lonce in Iowa for a railroad boss TO ask
the parole of a notorious and unrepent-
ent criminal as the purchase price of
400 votes for a Nebraska eongre ssnlan
who had helped by his vote 10 pass a
bill 10 FIJI the Golfers of a railroad COM
Ipany. Ii was news story and a
news editor gave ii space. That Is
Ihow the Shaw .Shercliffe- H hubbard
Blythe Dennison- Mcmillan exposur.
came to light. An amateur detective
and an excellent reporter found the
story and an incorruptible editor pub
/ lished 1t. That is all there is to It.
Governor Cumnlins was outside the
state when the Hubbard letters were
embarrassed and annoyed by the pub
LEGATION seems to have been due to his
own fault or his pardon clerks forget
fulness. At any rate it was incidental.
The publication Of the public records
of a state case may scarcely be termed
malicious. If Secretary Shaw got in
the way Of the facts and was pinched,
a later and cleaner administration is
scarcely to be held responsible. Truth
4 like railway trains runs on straight lin
es and 1t is as dangerous to stand in
the way of one as OF the other.
1t is the duty of a sincere journal to
publish such letters as Judge Hubbard
wrote to Shaw. 1t is the highest obli-
cation of the publicist to stand between
the people and political venality. Their
is nothing fractional or malicious in all
this. The people have the right to
know. The best friend of the public is
a newspaper that dares print the truth
as its worst enemy is a venai and cow
ardly press. No one believes Governor
Shaw was offered or accepted money.
No one has charged him with anything
of this nature Governor Shaw pardon
ed Shercliffe, a notorious and uprepent-
ant criminal who refused to confess or