davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
AN INDICTMENT
OF COE ]. CRAWFORD
SOME FACTS CONCERNING The RECORD
OF CRAWFORD AS A LEGISLATOR,
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND
RAILROAD ATTORNEY.

To the voters of South Dakota, Greeting:
ate upon the plea that he is the only one to be entrusted with the COM
mission of recung the state and nation from the domination of a sys-
tenn opposed to the best interests of the common people. His advent
as a reformer is of comparatively recent date. According to his own
statement he resigned an unholy job on O r about April LIST, in the year
1904, and became a desirable citizen and an avowed candidate for Gov
ernor His first venture was unsuccessful. In 1906, by mere chance, made
possible by inertia and ignorance of his record, his ambition was realized.
1t is stated that he only accepted his present position a a stepping
stone to the senate. Whether he so regarded it or not he is now at
tempting to secure al endorsement for that high office and he risks
his fate upon his record a S governor.
In making out his case he puts up the bar OF limitations. tie dates
everything from April 26th, 1897. He asks the people to keep that day
in mind and not to 90 back to it: all before that is outlawed. That
anniversary marks the beginning Of an era of crookedness. Why Mr..
Crawford complains that on that day a secret compact was entered into
between Mark Hanna, Senator Kittredge and A. c. johnson for the
control Of the federal patronage of this state. Before this Mr. Craw-
ford was a member of the cabinet that controlled the same patronage.
He says he thought he was still in for some considerable time sub
sequent to the date last named but he was not. Had he been retain
ed as one of the referees he would doubtless have continued blind to
the iniqmty surrounding him Anyway, the situation in South Da-
kota became very bad when this secret compact was entered into which
must have had the sanction and approval of President Mckinley.
In asking the people to examine the Journals of the House and Sen
ate of South Dakota he calls attention to those Of 1899, 1901, 1903
and 1905. He charges that Senator Knredge controlled each one of
these legislatures; that the HENDERSON a majority Of them-were
voted by HIM q M would control a gang of convlcts-a very serious
charge to make. 1t should be more specific A coward only resorts
to ghttering gcneraities when accusing another Of wrong doing. Why
does he do it?
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
DOUBLE DAMAGE LIABILITY

Let Is take up the third count of this Indictment In his sroo.h
made at Oacoma in this campaign the governor said:
"You take the Session Laws of 1892 1901, 1908, 1905, covering hat period
of Ten years. pick them up, commence at the first page an trn nooa ~
to the index M If You can show me a single law passed in that ten Years pa.s
against railway or public service corporations, if you cal ind ma ~ T"n n
resign as Governor of south Dakota: md I will withdraw as a candidate Im
United States Senator Yu can't find it-not n SINGLE Law ~ 49, ~.
Of tel years not N was passed that vas in any way restrictive or reon Panoo
You say you didnt need any' For twenty years in tn. state Of iowa !, !.
railway mott ran over your cow, your horse, you sheen ~ v". -
and killed II, M yn put in a claim and payment was not settled iii pa
within sxy days am compelled you to go and hire a LAWYER M o+ 49, 49, ~
nessesa am go intoc court and prove your cause, and pt YOU to Il n 81 your ,t Wit
m expense IN establishing your claim, and you recovered. vn ccmiS . aOuN
double damages damage, as penalty fr your vesahous delay otherwise they could d1. ~ss,
You mt "a yu to the supreme court, keep you in court SO lno Won vonI, la
l had better !oset the price of a cow, horse or live stock, 'IE % wou "a
to recover double damages OF account Of DELAY Anv la - c.n : 20
like that No Bill introduced for that purposei Yes but refer1 eS't = Dakosa
never taken ont to be voted o.. N pigeon holes,
IN MINNESOTA OR IOWA, DURING THOSE yEApo ~ c-.--
4 y Lo oo9n n9nI n FLEW INTO YOUR MEADOW AND BuRNEn 4 Yonf FEW 2
T T = ,s TRY T TME SANE E., TACTICS you VENT MIRO SUIT ANbf An ZIP
.A aTS ANY Such Uca LAW IN SOUTH DAKoTAi Oh, NO Oh. No pa
FOR SUCH LAWi YES. WHAT RECAM Mr. ~ rr rr JILL
LED JUST LIKE THE BILL FOR LIABILITY OF LIVE sTncK Rn - Ill
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03

Third: We further charge that said Coe T. Crawford was guilty
Of bad faith to his constituents in ignoring and disobeying the first
resolution herein quoted when he voted against House Bill "A. being
a BILL FOR AN ACT FIXING THE LIABILITY OF RAILROAD
CORPORATIONS FOR SETTING FIRES We further charge
the said Crawford not only with voting against this bill but with the
still graver offense of moving its indefinite postponenent. The record
Of this is found on page $50 of the Council journal under date Of March
S, 1889. The vote by which this bill (Which is now a law. Chap 215.
Laws Of 1900 was defeated. was II to q
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
INDICTMENT OF CoE !. CRAWFORD

We indict the governor and in the information we shall lodge
against him we will make the charges so plain that they may be denied
and dlsproved ii untrue; we will fix the time, the place, the crcum-
stance in each count II cite our authority by book and page and ask
you to give to the subjects treated that sedate and candid considera-
ton which their magnitude and Importance demand and which they
Oucht TO receive
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
Territory o. o before the first ust) day of February in each

To show the fairness () Of this law to the people we quote:
"sec. s: LANDS SUBJECT TO TAXATON) The lands of any railroad
company shall become subject to taxation in the same manner as other similar
property as soon as he sam are sold, leasedo Or contracted to be sold or LEASED;
ad on or before tef rstd day of April Of each year, eachr railroad having Ian
within this Territory, shall etur to the county clerk Of each county, full n
complete lists verified by the ahidavits of some officer of the company having
knowledge Of the facts of all lands of such company, situated in such county, sold
or contracted to be sold or lcasedd during 1.-THE year ending Tho last day of Decem.
Der preceding am the list furnished on oil before the first la of April
a. d., 1888, in compliance with the terms of this section, shall include a con
phte list of all lands sold or leased or contracted Ito be sold or leased prior
to thu LAST day of December A. D, 1892
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
THE SOLDIERS HOME BILL

Sixth: We charge the said Coe. l. Crawford with bad faith to the
entire old soldiery of Dakota in voting against House Bill SO, "A bill
for an act to establish and maintain a Soldiers Home in the Territory
OF Dakota, etc. The proceedings OF this bill will be found on pages
45O5 Of the Council journal of 1889.
Pierre Crawford's home at that time, was a candidate for the To-
cation of the home and he had introduced a bill for that purpose.
February 18th. the date for final action on the Hot Springs bill III. B.
39). Crawford moved that he be permitted to withdraw the bill in
PRODUCED by him for the location of a Soldiers Home at Pierre and the
offer OF the citizens of Pierre donating certain property for that u
pose (p. 451). This action removed his home town from the contest
ON THE VOTE AS TO THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL CRAWFORD
VOTED NO (pp 1874.
The bill came up again on the 9th of February on the question
as to whether the veto of a carpet-bag democratic governor should be
sustained. The house judiciary committee had made a ringing report
and the House had %overridden the veto. Crawford did not have the
nerve to face the issue and voted with his party. This was the second
veto by the same governor, he having nulifed the affirmative action
of the legislature of 1887 and in that action, he was, in the first instance.
supported by Crawford.
What do the old soldiers think of it? Crawford acknowledged the
necessity of a Soldiers Home by introducing a bill locating n at
Pierre. He withdrew that bill: it was out of the way; he was under no
further obligations to Pierre. Why did he vote as he did? Was it
because he was pqued at the failure of his measure? If it was he is
a narrow statesman. If he was right in his vote of February 18th. whv
did he vote differently on February 9th? Was it because it W a more
popular to do so? If sc, he is a dangerous statesman. Or was # Then
a habit If Ce !. Crawford had had his way the old soldiers wonld
have had no home and the government would not now be spending
hundreds of thousands of dollars for their health and comfort at Hot
Springs.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
FAVORED GRoss-EARN1NGs BILL

Fourth: We further charge that said Coe T. Crawford was guilty
Of bad faith to his constituents in ignoring and disobeyiny the third
resolution above quoted. by voting for Council Bill 40 which was a
rc-enactment of the law repealed by Council Bill No. 2 (passed and APP
proved by the same legslature), known as "the grossearnings law"
especially after he had voted for the repeal Of the san law. The
record of his first vote is found on pages 141-2 Of the Council journal
and that OF the last on pages 76O61 Of the sam volume. The first
vote was January oath. 1889; the last March 5th. 1889.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
A FAITH SHOWN

Second: We further charge that the said Coe l. Crawford was
guilty OF bad faith to his constituents in ignoring and dsobeying the
first and second resolutions above quoted. when he voted against House
Bill 332 being "A BILL FOR AN ACT TO DECLARE CERTAIN
COMBINATIONS CONTR1VANCES. AGREEMENTS AND
TRUSTS UNLAWFUL AND TO RESTRAIN AND PUNISH SAME
The record Of his vote will be found on pages 1855 of the Council
journal under date of March 7th. 1886.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
HIS EXPLANATION" OF HIS VOTE

Fifth: We further charge that said Coe ]. Crawford was guilty
of bad faith to his constituents in using the following language in ex-
PLANTATION of his vote last referred to:
II NOW VOTE FOR THIS BILL on THE GROUND THAT
SINCE VOTING BEFORE l HAVE RECEIVED A COMMJ1NICA-
TION FROM PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT REQUESTING THAT I
VOTE FOR THIS BILL THAT FEATURE OF TIE BILL RE-
LATING TO THE EXEMPTING OF ALL THE LANDS OF
ANY RAILROAD COMPANY, PAYING UNDER THE GROSS
EARNINGS SYSTEM, FROM TAXATION IS AGAINST MY JJDG-
MENT, BUT I DO NOT DESIRE TO SET UP MY JUDGMENT
AGAINST THE ONLY EXPRESSION I HAVE FROM MY DIS
TRICT ON THIS SUBJECT"
The bad faith is apparent from the nature of the law and its re-
THE GROSS EARNINGS LAW
For the edifcation of the accused and The voters. we will conv
herein some provisions OF the gross-earnngs law (Chap. SO, Laws of
1889.
Sec. ] PERCENTAGE OF GROSS EARNINGS TO BE PAID IN LIEU OF
OTHER TAXES. In lieu O any and all other taxes pom n railroads OK
cpt railroads operated by horsepower, within this Territory, or non the
equipment, appurtenances, or appendages thereof, or upon any other iron.
ery situated in this Territory, belonging to the corporation owning or opeIr.
atng such railroads, or upon the capital stock or business transaction of
railroad company, there shah hereafter be paid into the treasury ST this
operating such railroad, arising from the operation Of smh railroad AZ shall he
situated within this Territory, Is hereinafter stated, that is to sa
Every such railroad corporation . person operating a railroad in this Ter
rtoTy shall pay - said Treasurer each year ter tho first five years after said
centum Of such gross earnings; and fer and In each and every ear after The
expiration ct thu said i've years three C) pr ee,tun Of the said gross earn.
ings; and the payment Of such per esntum annually Is aforesaid, shall be and
is in full of all taxation and assessments, whatever. pom the propertv shs.
teenth day Of February, and snehhf (M) q q about the fifteenth day Of
August in each year, and for the purpose Of ascetaining the gross earrings
aforesaid, an accurate account Of such earnings shall be kept by said com.
pany; al abstract whereof shall be furnished 81 said company to the Treas.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
AS A RAILROAD ATTORNEY

In March, 1897, Governor Crawford was about to move from
Pierre to the Black Hills; his goods were packed, when he received a
telegram to go into Chicago and meet the general counsel of the
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company. He had rendered that
as a member OF the State Board of Assessment and Equalization. he
had been kind to it. In fact the records will disclose that he only be-
cal interested when the matter Of railway assessments was before
the board and that then he was the on who moved i'll almost every i'll
stance Tor the Northwestern and left it to some other member to look
after the others. The late Mr.. Sterling, whose memory is now black
ened by the lnsurccnt press, recognizing his services to the North
western. endorsed HIM for the position and he was appointed as it's
counsel for the State with headquarters at Huron. He accepted the
position and became its acknowledged representative in the legal and
political field, although in the latter he was aided bv Mcssrs. johnson
and Hoover whose ability along the lines required was supposed to
be equal to his. Before the State Board Of Equalization. however. he
vas considered, on account of his experience a an ex-nc1nber. a past
master. During the incumbency o his successor. Attorney General
trlgsty, he did valiant service. The governors lobbying propcnsitics
were displayed then with great bmlliancy. It was a fight between
Governor Lee and Auditor Mayhem as to who should get the record
N raising the railway assessments One would make Il b. ard the
other would raMe him. Crawford was not asking to have his employer
pay It's share then; he was not sohcitiOus for the people. he cared moth
lg for great VA les at terminal points: he was serving his master. He
Was "'&dlnG taxation then although he know it was wrong.
Tan a man do wrong for money and still be a just and true man
Froa the governors present stard' ont the question must be answer
"' ~ he affirmative. From the people s point Of view how is it to be an
sacred?
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-03
LOOKING FOR HIS REWARD

S'Xposlnc a nan should for years secrete taxable property for the
iurfNe CT ev&ding his duty to contribute his Just proportion of taxes
and then he should dispose Of the same property and all at once be-
come a crusader against those guilty of the same misconduct he had
been practlclng FOR years, what would one say as to his snceritv9 Is
tHs not a parallel condition with that of the governor's9 Why was
he dishonest with the people from the spring of 1897 to the spring of
1904? Because he "a paid for it. What reward does he demand for
his change OF heart after disposing of his paymaster? First: the
eoyerno1shlp; second: the senatorship. Always what he does is for a
selfish consideration. lie was willing to work in harmony with the
system 4 long Is he was recognized as n Of the pie dispensers. as
long a HIS railroad company received a benefit; he was for years a
party to what he now denomlnates as the evl-doing and then for the
evident purpose Of satisfying his personal ambition he turns state
evidence and test'hes against his oconspirators. He helps to
create-he feeds-he grooms the octopus until it becomes a
menace to the state and then for a selfish consideration
repents, and attacks it. What for? To purify conditions bv
placing new men in charge of affairs, men who have clean records
men ws have stood the brunt Of the hurts and the wounds of the
fierce animal he has been stabling and feeding and curryinge No. It
is to give to himself-the guilty one-the reward.
In his campaign of 1904 he a the whole thing-the only one
He worked IN harmony with no man; he had no ticket save that Of
Crawford fer governor He had convinced himself that single.
handed he could meet the giant and shy him, thus earning the undivid-
ed credit sf annihilating the forces that gave him his prominence and
made him all the reputation he ever possessed. His ingratitnde was $ o
titanic that it reached subimity. He ignored his departed friend
Sterling; he turned against his bosom friend, A. c. johnson; he SLAM
dered and vlifed his friend Kittredge; he ignored his friend Gamble.
He scores the opponents of the primary election petition Of 1905 as
traitors unft to be recognized, and yet he makes a compact with Sena-
tor Gamble, whose opposition was most marked, and supports him for
recollection in consideration for the returned assistance Of Gamble and
his friends; he joins forces with Wagner who is rewarded with the
district atorneyship; he makes peace with Branson who is expecting
the senate in 1905 when he made his manly fight for the primary
petihcna Senators Wagner and Branson. Who opposed the measure
in thehouse? CANDLES partner, John Holman, who championed the
honest caucus law, the Gamble substitute for the primary. Why these
compacts with the enemies of the massesi Is this craftsmanship or ii 81 it
cheap poitics' Is it to further the interests Of the down-trcdden
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-13
Is Going to Colorado to File on
Some Land Near VOnm
WITHOUTI IRRIGATION.
Is in Good Agricultural District
100 Miles East of Denver.
She Will Continue Her Temper
ance Work in the West. -

Salina, Jan. 13.-The Journal says:
Mrs. Engenia st. John, an officer in
the National w. G.. T.. u, will leave
tuesday for Colorado. where she
Will file papers on new claim. Mrs.
ST. John is an exceptionally level
headed business woman, whose ways
have won her much admiration, and
In the way she has arranged to file
her papers and conduct her busin ess
In Colorado, her capabilities are well
shown. The claim which consists of
$50 acres, is three miles from the
county. in the heart Of an agricul-
tural district which has been opened
for settlement a year. Her farm
ing will be carried on without irrtga-
ton.
The claim consists of prairie land.
fine for grazing, and last years crop.
which was the first crop on the land,
was good. The town of Vona Is
new one, not quite a year old has
good start in every way, ana tnis
winter the school children number
81. The main line of the Rock Island
road runs through the town, which is
but 100 miles from Denver. The
houses are with few exceptions, of
sod, cemented both inside and out.
The class of people in that district
is good, most of them being college
graduates. The altitude is between
healthy place.
Mr. and Mrs. Harley Smith, both
graduates of the Kansas Wesleyan,
are neighbors of Mrs. St. John. Mrs.
st. John will be gone for a week.
after which she will return to begin
her w. c. T. u, work in southern
Kansas and northern Oklahoma. She
has been asked by the national w.
c. T. U. to resume her work in the
western states, especially Idaho.
A week ago Mrs. ST. John returned
from a trip in the states Of Washing
ton, Montana and Wyoming. On this
trip she travelled 1000 miles. and
visited sixty-f1ve cities and towns. In
each she carried on her work of or
ganization with success. She spoke
in the penitentiary in which Harry
Orchard is confined. and was at Ross
drum at the time of the trial Of Steve
Adams. While in this part of the
country she visited the copper mines.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-13
Hal Chase, Who May Be Shifted From
First Base to the Outfield in
New York

He can make more money as men,
Der of my team than he can possibly
get In California, and he is not going
to be foolish enough to join any fly-by-
night outlaw organization.
Chase will join the Yankees. all right,
and will be in better shape than when
he finished the season of 1907. 1t ap-
peared to me as if he was tired out last
fall. He had played the entire twelve
months without any rest at all, and on
that account I am glad that he has
been obliged by the national commits
sion's ruling to take a rest this winter.
There is such a thing as a player hav-
ing too much baseball. and if I was
one I think I should welcome the lay
off that winter affords.
What If should race my horses all
winter-they would become stale,
wouldn't they? Well, ball player is
just the same; they need rest, too"
He may be slated to leave the initial
bag He will be merely shifted to the
outfield to make a place for Jake Stahl,
just secured by Manager Griffith from
the Boston club. Considerable surprise
has been expressed that such brill
liant first baSeman as Chase should be
shifted, but Griffith declares he will
make an even more brilliant outf1elder.
He gives as his reasons for the change
the fact that Chase IS not a robust fell
low and is easily hurt by the bumps
he gets around first base. In the second
place Chase uses mitt that is almost
as thin as paper and his hands are
sometimes so pounded from the hard,
wild throw that he is bothered in hold
ing the bat
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-13
AN EXPERIMENTAL FARM.
A CowIey County Farmer VIII Try
Catalpa Trees and Tobacco.


Mr.. P. H. Albright. who has been
examining farms all the time for the
past twenty-seven years, and farming
a portion of the time. has purchased
the Jonathan J. Hubbard 100 acre tract
located one and one-half miles west of
kellogg in the Arkansas river bottom.
This land will be. devoted to expert
mental farming. One-half or more of
the tract will be set to catalpa trees,
but these trees will not be set in solid
form, but largely so as to form hollow
squares Some Of these squares will
not contain more than two acres of
ground.
Mr. Albright who, as a boy helped
raise a large amount of tobacco, says
that in his Judgment, there is no better
land than the Arkansas river bottom
lands, to grow tobacco If the plant can
be protected from the winds.
He also believes that number of our
crops would do better If protected from
our winds, and thinks it judicious to
cross all land frequently with rows of
trees.-Winfield Tribune
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-13
AT LAST COMPLETED.
Orient Track Ready for Trains 10
Texas Line


Kansas City, Mo. Jan. 13.-The last
Oklahoma division of the Orient, and
trains will be started over al miles
OF track between Wichita and the Red
river some time this week.
The next section to be completed is
the line north from Sweetwater, Tex.
steel is now laid to a distance two
miles north of Benjamin, Texas, or
ninety-four miles. 1t will require
sixty-nine miles of steel to build the
line north to the Oklahoma line, be-
sides 3,000-foot bridge across the
Red river.
With this connection established
the Orient will have ABB miles of con-
tinuous track laid south of Wichita
1t is also planned to build seventy
five miles south from Sweetwater, to
complete the line to San Angelo, Tex
Ten miles are now in operation south
of Sweetwater
The roadbed for all this construc-
ton is graded and all ties and bridge
material are on the ground but the
builders are having some difficulty in
obtaining the steel.
When the connection to Sweet
water is built the Orient will be able
to handle Fort Worth and Galveston
freight and passenger business by way
OF the Colorado Southern. which is
crossed at Diaz, Texas, and also BUSH
ness for Ell Paso, California and ali
points In Mexico by way of the Texas
& Pacific, which is crossed at Sweet
water.
+ Inc workmen who have been en-
ployed on the construction work witt
De transferred at once from Oklahoma
TO work on the Texas division