Semi-weekly herald., 1908-10-29

""S9 hsoi win ueteAt STARING
him In the face. because OF the das
tardly and cowardly attempt of Dave
Day. and the Durango Democrat. tc
abuse and mallgn his opponent. ant
the honest citizens had turned in dis
gust from Dave Day and his candidate
and Mfr. Morgan's election to the Of
fee of sheriff was insured, John
Clarke, taking with him Barry sun
van, made pilgrimage to the ahrino
of the cattle thief Nichols at Pen
dleton, N. NJ
They went there with prepared
affidavit which they wanted Mrs.
Nichols to sign. They labored with
her for four mertal hours to induce
her to sign what they had written
out in advance for her to make afA
davIt to. They got her at her home
and struggled with her long and earn
estly with the affidavit prepared and
before her, and until Mr. Paddock.
the notary public, who was TO take
her acknowledgment of the ready
made affidavit, got tired and disgust.
ed and went away. and left them strug.
Cling with her. And they had to leave
without the affidavit but afterwards
the mother called up courage and
signed and swore to the same. and It
arrived in town last night. ready for
use as brand new public notice that
the Nichols boy stole cattle and work.
ed them off on Wood & Morgan. and
that Clarke. the candidate for sheriff.
had assisted in getting an affidavit
made setting out the charge and then
hid the affidavit of more than a year
until he could use II to assist him 10
climb into office for a second time,
where he could further condone crime
and oppress honest citizens; hdnap
men and wink at all the crime com.
mitted by those whom he stood In
with.
Was ever n party sunk so deep in
shame and humiliation as is the Dem
ocrntic party In La Plata county,
through the course and actions of
Dave Day and the Durango Democrat
and John Clarke?
We publish below the affldavits Of
Harry l.. Pearson and W. r. Hawley
They are both honest men. They are
more believable than Mrs. Nichols is
in the ready made affidavit which she
was induced to swear to.
State of Colorado.
County Of La Plata, SIS:
Harry l.. Pearson, being first duly
sworn. on his oath says that he has
read the affidavit of Mrs l.. r. Nichols
published In the Durango Democrat
of Thursday morning October
20, 1908, and says that It is not
true that he and Mr., Hawley
threatened the said Mrs. Nichols in
any way or told her that II she re-
fused to sign an affidavit. that afflant
or Mr.. Morgan would make double
trouble for her.
In company with W. n. Hawley. ar
fant went to Pendleton. N NJ, on
sunuuy. october IS, 1903, and met
Mrs. Nichols at the home OF one Of
her neighbors and asked her II she
would make a statement in the form
Of an affidavit regarding the matter
to be published in the Durango papers
and which she readily agreed TO do
After the affidavit was written ou
by affiant, / first talking with hei
and ascertaIning what statement she
was willing to make. and swear to
1. was read over to her carefully b!
affant in the presence Of several o
her friends and w. l.. Paddock, th'
notary public, and after she knew ant
fully understood the contents of tn
affidavit she freely. of her own az
cord, signed and swore to the sam
before the notary public. That sh
was under no coercion whatever a
far as either affiant or Mr.. Hawle
or any other person present was col
cerned.
And at the same time she dictate
. letter, of her own free viii an
accord. to the Durango Democra
which has heretofore been publishe
in which she asked Mr.. Day to NJ
u mention her or her sons name
his paper. and that he had made tro
BILE enough for her.
I Affiant further says that he wei
to said point at said time for the pu
2 pose Of getting such statement fro
" her and her son as they saw fit
make, and that the affidavit the sa
Mrs. Nichols made was made by he
freely. she understanding that he W
there in the interests OF Mr.. Morg'
to see what statement she wished
make. HARRY PEARSON.