The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-04-27


western road from Watertown to
Gettysburg was on motion Of Mr..
Lockhart raised to s., 500; and
Governor Lee said, Mote my
valuation at 50, 600 per mile.
Last year we assessed the line
of the Northwestern road from
Watertown to Gettysburg at
$3846.
To THE VOTERS OF GRANT
COUNTY:
In the last issue of the Grant
County News, the personal or
gan of L. H. Bentley, appeared
an article written by himself but
unsigned, wherein he charges
me with having entered into a
conspiracy to compel the county
officers to buy Office supplies of
William F. Rabbit. He says
among other things, "For coer-
cion of the other county officials
in Grant county into giving him
their work, he, (Rabbitt) had a
resolution prepared and passed
by the county commissioners ap.
pointing Mr.. Pinckney purchas-
ing agent for Grant county. The
resolution forms a part of the
official records of the county,
and any voter can see it. The
resolution was so iron clad in
character that no officer in the
court house could purchase a
pencil or postage stamp except
Mr.. Pinckney." When Mr..
Bentley wrote the article refer
red to, he was guilty of willful
and malicious falsehood, which
he well knew, for at least two
reasons; first, because Mr.. Rab.
bitt was not in the employ of any
blank or blank book house at the
time the resolution was passed,
and, second, because Mr.. Bent
ley prepared the resolution re-
appointing me purchasing agent
for the county and requiring the
other officers to purchase their
supplies through me. If there
was any wrong done or decep-
ton used in the matter, he alone
was to blame for it. One can
plainly see at this time that if
there was any ulterior object in
the resolution it was to give all
county printing to the Grant
County News. The only coer-
cion ever attempted was on the
part of Mr.. Bentley to compel
every county official to give all
the patronage to his newspaper.
He assumed the role of absolute
dictator IN all matters as soon as
he got into Office. When the
county officers would give print
ing to the Herald-Advance and to
the Grant County Review, he
would find fault and protest
against it. He had forgotten the
services rendered him by the
Review and wanted everything
turned his way to build up his
own personal organ. l would
feel that my word ought to stand
against the word Of Mr.. Bentley,
but there may be those who are
unacq TAINTED with him and his
methods and if there are any
who doubt my statements, I
would be glad to have them re-
fer to Sheriff Murray, Register
of Deeds Nixon, Clerk of Courts
Liggett, Judge Lockhart and
Treasurer Englund. AS to the
supplies purchased from Mr. !.
Rabbit, I would say that the 10
tai amount is 1858. 43. while those
purchased from other houses
amounts to Sl431. %, not includ-
ing supplies purchased from our
local printers. The pri c s
charged by Mr.. Rabbit for such
supplies were the same as those
charged by other houses, and
when Mr.. Bentley talks about
graft he is not telling the truth.
/ purchased the ballot boxes for
the primaries from Mr.. ]. s.
Farley at the same prices / could
have bought them from Mr..
Rabbit and at all other times
have had all work done and pur-
chased all supplies locally that I
could. Our local newspapers
with the exception Of the Grant
County News, are q credit to the
county and have always given
them oil the county work they
could do.
dislike 70 have any newspa-
per 81 other controversy with
~. Bentley, and thus far have
| mot replied to the vilification
/ and ahuee that he has peddled
out a91inet me In nearly every
issue Of his paper. / also feel
VI Vi - ~~~s1- L. an =,