The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-10-22

In an open letter published in
several papers two weeks ago, J. A.
Rockford, prosecuting attorney and
candidate for reelection, advances
as a reason for his reelection that
he has, himself and alone, per-
formed all the duties devolving
upon the prosecutors office.
By intimation and also by ex-
press statement he charges that
his predecessor in office, at great
expense to the county employed
outside assistance to perform the
duties which should have been
performed by him alone. The
charge may have been made with
a knowledge of its falsity, Or it may
be the result of gross ignorance on
the part of M. Rockford.
Mr.. kirkpatrick has served the
county faithfully and we'll as pros
ecuting attorney for eight years.
His opponent has served but two.
He has tried and convicted more
men than perhaps any other prose-
cutting attorney in the state outside
OF the large cities. and as a prosecu-
tor his reputation extends through
oat the state. The record of his
cases shows an exceedingly large
number of convictions, while out
side of those pleading guilty the
present prosecutor can boast OF
only a very small percentage of
convictions.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick never caused
the arrest Of any man on a criminal
charge until it was highly probable
that he was guilty. Expensive
trials were thus avoided, and what
liz more no innocent man was COM
PEELED to bear the stigma of unjust
arrest and Imprisonment. Mr..
Rockford can lay no claim to such
a course of conduct. The records
Of the superior court will show that
many men have been arrested on a
criminal charge, kept confined for
varying periods Of time and then
released because the evidence would
not warrant trial. The policy
seems to have been, arrest on sus-
picion and investigate afterwards.
1t is safe to say that Mr.. Kirkpat-
rick was never compelled to move
the court to dismiss the defendant
in criminal action before the case
went to the jury, because the state
had failed to make case, as was
done by Mr.. Rockford in the case
Of the State VS.. Elliott.
As to the specific charge that
Mr.. Kirkpatrick employed outside
assistance, the records will show
that no assistance was ever given
Mr.. Kirkpatrick in the following
cases and under circumstances as
follows:
In the Lattin-Moody murder
cases, the brother of the murdered
man employed at his own expense
solely, assistance to the prosecutor.
In the famous Matte stealing
ease, the Northport smelter had it's
own regularly employed attorneys,
Chas. A. Voorhees,. of Spokane, and
His Honor Judge Carey, assist Mr..
Kirkpatrick, without one cent Of
expense to the county. Any prose-
cntor would always be glad to avail
himself of such assistance when it
it was furnished free of charge.
The Foster-Campbell murder
case came on for trial at the close
OF long and arduous criminal
term OF court. Judge richardson
advised the county commissioners
to employ an attorney to assist the
prosecutor in this case, for the rea-
son that he was worn out bv the
labor rendered in the other cases
The commissioners. despite the
strenuous objections of Mr.. Kirk
patrick, did employ Wallace
Mount, who is now member Of
the supreme court, to try this case
and paid him $500, which was a
very nominal fee cons;dar;,r tho