The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-11-03
lANDSON EXPLAINS.
Boise, Idaho, Oct. %, 1906

'diy VI state, charging miScOnduc
while Assessor and Tax Collector O
Washington County in 1904, has mis-
carried.
The charge was made about tw,
weeks ago that Mr.. Lansdon Will,
Tax Collector of that County had col
lected forty dollars and fifty cent
for which he did not account. Thi
charge was presented to the Board O
County Commissioners while Mr.
Lansdon was In the northern part Of
the State on campaign tour, ant
beyond the reach of telephone or tel
egraph messages. For this reason
he could not make answer in person
and indeed did not know of the
charges that had been made until
after the commissioners had instruct
ed the County Attorney to begin
complaint against him on a charge
OF embezzlement AS soon as he
learned this, he returned to Washing
ton County. and presented himself to
the proper officers asking for an i'm
mediate trial. This trial will be held
at the coming term of the District
Court.
Preliminary examination was held
before Democratic Justice of the
Peace, and after testimony had been
taken, the attorney for the State in
formed the newspapers that the evil
! dence he had been able to secure and
present did not show that Mr.. Lans-
don had committed any criminal of
tense, and that in his opinion Lans-
don could not be held for trial. How
ever. the succeeding day the Demo-
cratic Justice of the Peace, in pur-
suance of the conspiracy that had
been formed, bound Mr.. Lansdon
over for trail.
Lansdon fearing that his candi-
dacy might be Injurious to the party,
and to the candidates upon the Re
publican State ticket, at once ten
dered his resignation from the ticket
to the Republican State Central Com
mittee. The Committee, however. at
once advised him that his resigna-
ton would not be accepted, and fur
Their advised him that under a decf-
sion of the Supreme Court of the
State, he could not resign from the
ticket, nor by any act of his prevent
his name being printed upon the off,
cial ballots. He was further advised
by the committee that the candidates
upon the State ticket had without
exception expressed the intention of
standing by him; that no desire had
been expressed that he should retire
from the ticket, and that in the judg-
ment of the committee his vote
would be increased rather than re-
tuced by reason of the charge that
had been preferred against him.
Mr.. Lansdon at once prepared and
presented to Mr.. Brady, Chairman of
he Republican State Central Com
nittee. the following letter relative
o the matter:
To the people of the State of Ida
10: Charges of a serious nature
lave recently been preferred against
ne, and deem it proper at this time /
o offer a word of explanation to the
'oters of Idaho. The complaint filed
gainst me by my enemies states that {
bout two years ago there was $4,000
taxes collected by me, which did |
lot properly account for. Since that
line / have been elected sheriff of a
ny county, and have ever since serv- .
d In this capacity. No mention of s
his matter had been made until b
bout two weeks ago, while l was
ampaigning in a distant part of the v
tate.
/ fully realize that under such cir u
my candidacy for Secre- IL
Try of State on the Republican tick d
), while under such charges, whether "
Utility or innocent, will have a ten c,
ency to injure the rest of the candi- "
ates upon such ticket without
lch charges are refuted. A
l now desire to say that l am inno- d
mt of any criminal act, and that al
Ill fully establish my innocence at al
e trial, and ! ask of every fair &C
inded citizen not to PREJUDICE this 10
Sc against me and thereby become st
e unconscious tool of my enemies. to
am being made the victim of a con- tn
Tracy by vindictive, partisan, per- pr
nal enemies. whose principal object VI
to secure my defeat and cause the an
sction of my Democratic opponent. be
! have placed in the hands of the fir
publican State Central Committee
: resignation as candidate upon ST
ch ticket. Knowing my own inno- hi,
ice of the charges preferred. against su
}. and being aware of the object tn,
d vindictive hate of the instigators Co
the charges, l have been loath to Nc
re any step that would in any way
atty their desire, or in any way ca,
sgest that l treat such charges the
iOusly. huf I am nou, and olxyaxn /.