The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-16
Sheriff Paxon Explains to Pub.
lie Why He Resigned.
Seized More Liquor Than the
Three Preceding Sheriffs Had.
HIS ENEMIES AT WORK
Saw That Custer Proceedings
We're to Be Begun.
Will Ask for a denomination at
the Convention.

Independence, Kan, Jan. 16.|There
has been so much said in regard to
the resignation of Sheriff Paxon and
the cause for it that Mr.. Paxon has
given out statement which follows in
part:
At the request of a number of my
friends and feeling it a duty that
owe to them as well as to myself,
take this opportunity of making an
explanation as to why I resigned the
office of sheriff of Montgomery coun-
ty. 1 do not think it necessary to
go into any lengthy statement but
one year 1 have filled the office of
sheriff and in all things tried to do
my duty, and while 1 shall not call
special attention to my record it is an
open one and is known to all people in
the county who have read the news
papers and kept up with current
events.
1 have been connected with a great
many important criminal cases and
am proud of my record in running
down and catching criminals. So far
as the prohibitory liquor law is con-
cerned the records show that my office
seized, took into custody and destroy
ed more liquor than the three proceed
ing sheriffs had taken in II years
work. The time finally came when I
learned that the men whom 1 had been
hunting down and assisting to convict
were making aff1davits against me
which I knew to be false, and all man
ner of false and malicious charges
were made against me and made by
men whose word, it would seem to me
would not be believed by any one; but
I had no means at my command just
at that time to disprove them except
to say that they were not true. I
found that custer proceedings were to
be brought against me in the supreme
court and that a complaint was to be
filed before the judge Of the district
court upon which an order would be
made to diSqualify me from serving
processes issued out of the courts, thus
depriving me of all income. I sug
gested that the custer proceedings be
commenced in the supreme court and
that the coroner be placed in charge
of my office pending the hearing in the
supreme court but that proposition was
not satisfactory.
Knowing that the proceedings were
to be filed in the district court, that
| the custer proceedings were to be be-
gun in the supreme court, that my
source of revenue would be cut off and
that the custer suit would probably be
continued and dragged along in the
supreme court, and that the hearing
could not be had before the meeting
of the next Republican nominating
convention of this county. and feeling
that I would not have a fair chance
for the nomination before the conven
ton with thee proceedings unsettled
and undetermined, and that the case
might not be decided until near the
close of my term in which event my
enemies who have filed false aff1davits
against me would have accomplished
their purpose in defeating me for a
reelection, I decided to hand in my
resignation and go before the Republi
can party of the county asking for a
denomination for the office of sheriff
and thus put the whole matter up to
the people and let them say by their
ballots whether I have done my duty
or not.
C. M PAXSON.