The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-10
MOORE ACQUITTED
Another Chapter in Western
Judicial Controversy.
Man Accused of Slandering Can
didate Goes Free.
HOPKINS LOSES POINT.
Attempt to Discredit His Sue
cessful Opponents Methods.
Case Sent to Judge LObdell on
Change Of Venue.

Larned, Kan, June 10.-After a trial
lasting for three days jury in the
district court returned a verdict ac-
quitting J. B. Moore of Ulysses Grant
county, of criminal libel, the plaintiff
in the case being Col w. R. Hopkins,
who was defeated for judge of the
Thirty-second judicial district by Judge
w. H. Thompson of Garden City.
Col. w. r. Hopkins is one of the
Oldest residents of Finney county and
for years was carefully groomed for
the race for judge of the district when
the time should arrive that Judge w.
E. Hutchinson, who was appointed to
fill the vacancy made by the resigna-
tion of Judge Theodosius Bodkin should
quit. After having held the office for
IS years Judge Hutchinson resigned
with the intention of making a race for
the nomination for congressman but
lost, the nomination going to E. H
Madison of Dodge City, who was after
ward elected congressman.
The plans of Hopkins and the Re-
publican politicians who have controlled
politics in western Kansas for the past
quarter of century were overturned
by w. H. Thompson, a young Demo-
crat who moved into the district about
a year previous to the expiration of the
term of Judge Hutchinson.
He was well liked wherever known,
ance over the district which comprises
nine counties, practically the entire
southwest end of the state. When he
informed some of his Democratic
friends that he would accept the judic- |
ial nomination the news was greeted
with applause in the Democratic camp. |
1t was an unusual condition to have
a candidate volunteer for the slaughter
x-I,ia tn hot n 1iGfr iot cd
inevitable and the nomination went to
Thompson by acclamat ton, though his
friends counseled with him and ex-
planned that it would be useless to ex-
would surely end in failure.
Thompson while new in western poll. |
tics had some ideas of his own and pro- |
ceeded to place them in operation with |
the result at the end of whirlwind
he found that he had won by |
a nice majority. The victory was a
surprise to about every one in the dis |
trict with the exception of Judge
and his wife, and they had |
counted on success from the first.
Judge Thompson. it was claimed, |
brought to life number of transactions /
duplicating Colonel Hopkins in ques-
tionable transactions and it was to this
that the opposition to Judge Thompson
took exceptions. J. B. Moore who was
acquitted of libel by a jury in this city
where the case was tried on change of
venue, charged that Hopkins had OBJ
tanned possession of a 800 acre tract of
land from him through fraud. He pub
lished the particulars with comments in
the newspapers as well as in affidaVits
which were distributed over the district
and to this as well as similar charges
was due in a measure the success of
Judge Thompson.
Never before in the history of the dis
trict has Democrat been elected judge
and the Democrats who are elected to
any of the offices are few and far be-
tween. After the election came the suit
against Moore for libel countenanced
defeated candidate, Colonel Hopkins.
and score of the lesser lights in the
political machine of this part of the
state.
Judge Thompson was disqualified for
a trial of the case and for this reason
it was brought to this city for trial be-
fore Judge Lobdell and the action of the
jury not ,ly clears Mr.. Moore of the
charge of criminal libel but vindicates
Judge Thompson and approves his cam
landed him in a judicial position which
has never been filed by a Democrat.
Colonel Hopkins attempted to prove
his position was correct in charging
Moore $500 for services but members of
the bar association to which he is a
member took the stand and testified
that $25 would have been reasonable
fee for the services rendered and for
which he exacted a 320 acre farm.
AS soon as the result of the election
was announced Colonel Hopkins
through his friends announced that he
would contest the election the
grounds of fraud but this matter was
dropped and no contest was filed. The
natter was taken up by the bar as
;ociation of the district at their meet [
ng at Syracuse and a committee of ,
he friends of Colonel Hopkins ap--
pointed to take steps to file a contest
1ut for some reason made more ap-
parent by the decision in the Moore |
,ase. this committee failed to take ac-
ion in the matter.