Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-04
OUR LETTER BOX.
Mr.. LesIie's Defense.


The Bee. In the columns Of your news
paper you have seen ht. both before
and since the primary elections, to attack
me by insinuation innuendo and dire0f
accusation, for the sole purpose Of graft
flying your personal malice against Judgo
Duncan NJ. vinsonhaler, present county
judge.
have remained silent, upon the assur-
ance Of some of your personal adherents,
that your conduct was not approved, and
II would tend merely to stir up factional
strife. and might hurt the ticket in gem
eral.
Judge vinsonhalers record is a matter OF
which the Judge himself can better speak
In fact. he has already. upon two memoir
able OCCASIONS, vindicated himself by large
majoritIes, and therefore I pass all mem
ton OF your cowardly attacks upon his
administration.
You have not ventured to attack my
personal character. my private life, or
criticized my habits or associates. pre-
sumo, therefore and the public may pre-
sumo. that my personal reputation in the
community Is not subject to criticism.
You have questioned my qualifications,
my competency and my experience, but
you have not told the people OF this COM
munity that have been an attorney of
record at the Douglas county bar for more
than twelve years. I am, therefore, legally
qualified for the Office AS to my Compel
ency prefer to have the attorneys at the
bar speak. They know me better than the
newspaper man, and are better qualified
to pass upon that question. I invite your
attention to the enclosed endorsement vol
unfairly rendered by forty Of the best
known lawyers in Omaha. As to my ex-
perionce, simply say that It would be
very stupid lawyer. indeed. who could
perform the duties I have performed in
the last six years, without acquiring
knowledge OF the duties, details and legal
requirements Of the ONCE. I beg leave TO
say that few men have ever gone upon the
county bench in this state with the expert
ence which II has been my good fortune
TO obtain My experience, therefore, cannot
be fairly questioned.
You claim to be a republican, and call
Tho Bee republican newspaper, and II my
personal conduct has been worthy, my
reputation good, and possess the requisite
! qualifications. ability and experience for
the Office, the only question open for a
| republican and a republican newspaper is
my title TO the nomination. You have not
attacked that. You cannot attack Il.
submitted my candidacy at a direct pri-
| mary to the republican voters Of the
county, in competition with three reputable
brother members Of the bar, and was the
choice of the voters No charge of i'm
proper conduct has been or can be made
| against me in the matter Of that primary
election. 1 hold the nomination fairly,
legally, and my right to It was gracefully
conceded by all my highly esteemed COM
petitors.
There Is but one excuse left you for OPP
posing my election and attacking my record
and insinuating that am intending to
cover up something wrong in the office.
, That Is personal malice-The meanest
most cowardly and most inexcusable Of the
| baser attributes OF the human mind.
You are not honest nor frank in your
method Of attack. BY inslnuation you init
mate that 1 am a CRATER. yet you have
said that IL I would withdraw as a candi-
/ date for county Judge. you would aid in
nominating me for register of Deeds, and
! would then support the entire republican
| ticket Surely you would not aid in trans
: planting a CRATER from a two-year official
position to a four-year term at the same
/ annual salary.
You know that the worthy young man
who has the distinguished honor OF the
democratic nomination, has not been a law
yer as many years as myself, and while
in every way competent, has not enjoyed
experience which has been mine, and yet
you maliciously attempt to make the public
| believe that am not equal to him in At
ness, experience and ability.
Has he agreed with you that The Bee
! shall have the publication of the county
! court notices7
| Has he agreed to take Bee building stock
as security for funds of widows and or
phans loaned to the owner Of the stock7
Has he agreed TO grant and refuse pro-
cesses for political reasons at your reduest7
Has he agreed 10 permit you to dictate
the clerical help that he shall employ in
his ONCE?
Has he agreed to support you for United
! States senator next fall, as have been
| asked to do?
| l know he is too manly TO make such
agreements. and yet your malicious attacks
upon my good name in this campaign over
| the head Of Judge Vinsonhaler, are the
result of the refusal of that honest ON
oial TO do your bidding and honor your
wishes in at least three Of these identical
matters.
A democratic lawyer has gathered pages
| OF items from the records OF this ONCE
and at the last stage of the campaign you
/
insinuations contained will reach the pub
lie in time TO correct the impression you
seek TO create against me. This is another
manifestation of your malice. The demo-
cratic lawyer who collected this informa-
ton. told me that every item. so far as he
knew. was strictly legitimate. That the
| democratic committee might not use IL, SO
manifestly unfair would II be to me, but
that you would. You had all these items
before the primary election. Then, why
did you spring them under a slug head
just before election? To crafty your
venomOus hatred against Judge Vinson-
haler and TO injure my candidacy.
| A statement explaining these items that
you maliciously call graft, could be made
and will be made by me to any one who
will call up this offioe, but It would be toe
long for this communication. l will how
ever, take up one or two items.
You refer to docket II, page 1928, the es'
tate of Richard Fickencher, s250 Nc
such entry appears in that case. YoJ
refer to docket II, page $50. the estate Of
John Walker, deceased. and would have
IL appear that realized 1850 from thii
estate, and that 1t was graft. The readers
Of your paper will remember this estate
| Inhn XVaiLar dlad anna two xraara II.