Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-10-25
LansdOwn Secures a Change
of Venue and is Fight
for an Official
WhitewdSh.

ert Lansdon, republican candidate
for secretary of state, was short
several thousand dollars in his ac-
counts as tax assessor and collector
of Washington county. ]. A. Pur-
till, who exported his books after
his term of office expired, says this
is not fact; that he failed to turn
over a small amount of money col
lected, and neglected to collect
many personal taxes, aggregating a
large sum. Mr.. Purtill never
heard until recently the story that
Lansdon's uncle made good for him.
Regarding the latest charges brought
against this Gooding nominee, OF
doctoring records to cover up his
defalcatIons, press dispatch from
Weiser, dated Tuesday, says:
The climax was reached in the
Robert Lansdon affair yesterday
forenoon about II O'Clock when Cor
oner d. w. Farmer placed Lans-
don under arrest Immediately after
his arrival in the city on the de-
layed westbound train, which ar
rived here about 10 80, several
hours late. MIR. Farmer went to
Boise Saturday morning on the
Pony where he expected to get his
man, who followed him into Boise
on the evening train, but states he
failed to locate him there and con-
cluded to return home. The two
returned here about the same time,
Mr. Farmer arriving on the Pony
and Lansdon on the through train
a few minutes afterwards. Lans-
don was evidently expecting TO be
arrested any moment, as he in
formed Farmer that he knew he
had a warrant for his arrest and
he surrendered without waiting for
its contents to be read to him.
Farmer was much surprised to be
unable to locate Lansdon in Boise
and he is at a loss to account for
it. Lansdon and his attorneys
will, it is said, ask for a speedy
hearing.
At 2 O'Clock that afternoon a
special from Weiser stated that the
preliminary was continued over to-
morrow morning in order that F..
M. Brown, the sheepman, who paid
the tax in question, may be secured
from Meadows as a witness, and to
secure the presence of County Clerk
Smith, who is out campaigning.
County Attorney George p. Rhea
appears for the prosecution and B.
S. Varian for the defendant.
The Capital News of Monday
said: Lansdon arrived in Boise
Saturday afternoon and registered
at the Idanha. Later Coroner D.
". Farmer arrived armed with q
warrant for Lansdon's arrest,
charging him with embezzlement
and defacing the county records.
When the coroner stepped in at
one door Lansdon stepped out at an
other. A search was made all
over town, but Lansdon could not
be found. Mr.. Farmer then went
to Lansdon's room to await his
return to the hotel, but he was
made aware of the situation anc
instead of going to the room he lef'
on the midnight train for Weiscr
The coroner followed on the Pony
Sunday morning.
While in town Lansdon met will
Chairman Brady and members o
the state committee. He was giver
to understand that other candidates
on the ticket demanded his with
drawal. Some were severe in theii
criticism and said they would de
nounce Lansdon from the stump i
he did not get off the ticket. 1t il
reported that Mr. Lansdon said i
Governor Gooding should reques
his Withdrawal from the ticket h
would comply, otherwise he woul,
stand pat.
Wednesday morning there will
be a meeting of the state commit
tee, when it is expected Governo
Gooding will be present. The fat,
of Mr.. Lansdon will be final
decided at this meeting.
A press dispatch from Weise
dated Tuesday says: The attorne
for Robert Lansdon has made appli
cation before County Judge Ayre
for change of venue- and tn
change vas granted. Such procra:
tination is unknown to the Idah
practice and the cry of ''whits
wash" is frequently heard froi
those who comment on the cas-,
Lansdon was about to be given
preliminary hearing on a felor
charge, when his counsel argued thu
he could not have fair hearing c
account of the bias and prejudice