The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-11
CAMBRIDGE CITY
MARSHAL STUMPED
Asks What He Is to Do With
out a Justice.

In communication to the Palla-
dunn, John Mckee, marshal at Cam
bridge City, wishes to know what he is
to do as he does not have the cooper
alton of justice of the peace. At this
time there is no justice at Cambridge
City, and the prosecuting attorney has
given notice that cases are not to be
tried before Squire Swain, of Dublin.
Because of his age and eccentricities,
the states attorney does not believe
the squire competent to act as a judge
of the merits Of court case Mckee
also objects to statements made con-
corning his attitude toward the au-
tomobile party from Richmond that
visited Cambridge City last Saturday
evening and raised such disturbance
that Earl Gaar, of this city, and Rich
ard Cannon, of Danville, ILL.,, were ar
rested and fined afterward. Mckee
writes:
Editor of the Palladium.
Dear Sir-In your issue of Thursday,
l notice an article headed, Shocked
Residents of Cambridge CITY, refer
ring to a party from Richmond who
were here Saturday evening. The
article further states that "a member
of the town council of Cambridge City
gives the following version Of the
affair.""
Among other things this councilman
says the marshal hesitated to make an
arrest. l was telephoned to and came
down town and directed that arrests be
made. This part / brand as a deliber-
ate falsehood, as during the whole of
the evening | did not meet nor see a
single councilman. 1t appears to me
that this person who SO willingly puts
himself forward to be interviewed and
who has so little respect for the truth
and who, according to his own state
ment, saw it ALL" must have forgotten
what the law is, that anyone who sees a
misdemeanor should file an affidavit
against the transgressors, perhaps he
was too bossy seeing them drink the
gallons of beer and other stuffs, he
would have your readers believe they
did or, perhaps, he was too deeply in
terested in the female wearing apparel
that he forgot he was a "city dad" and
imagined he was a boy again and did
not realize that he was one Of the hun
dred, who stood and saw the fragrant
breaking of the law until too late, and
to shift the responsibility and make it
appear that alone was in fault, he has
himself interview and poses as the
very good one in the case" An
article appeared in the Cambridge City
Tribune of the same date of your issue
that causes me to believe there must
have been q collision. Now / wish to
present my side of the case as marshal
of our little city. The Richmond auto
party came to our town and the con-
duct of Uncle Joe' Cannon's nephew
becoming such that felt 1t my duty to
arrest him. l did SO mot at Mr.. Coun-
,, cilman's reguest) and on his promise
to at once leave town l allowed him
to return to his party. They all enter
ed the auto and turning slowly, the
driver threw on all speed and left town
disregarding all speed ordinances. Mon
day morning I went to Richmond with
warrants for Earl Gaar and party un
known to me, but which since proves
to be Richard Cannon, and when
talked to Wilfred Jessup, county prose
cutor, and in the presence Of Jessie
Bailey, chief of police, Mr.. Jessup told
me that the warrants would not hold
good as Squire Swain, of Dublin, was
not eligible to act as justice and that
the warrants would have to be made
out in Richmond, which has since been
done and the nominal fine assessed
against the parties.
Before concluding this I want to
ask what am to do? Cambridge City
is without justice, the nearest one Is
at Dublin, and our prosecutor tells me
he is not qualified to act. Before whom
am l to take those whom l arrest
Will Mr.. Councilman from Cambridge
City please answer? I stand ready al
all times to do my duty, but under the
existing state of affairs I do not fee
like jeopardizing myself nor my bonds
men by arresting people and having
them tried before some one not quail
| fed to act. Now in conclusion, IL Mr.
Councilman had in the past evinced as
great an interest in helping me as he
has in trying to pull me down, the
duties of marshal would be much more
pleasant than they are at present.
Thanking you for the space I have
used, yet feeling it was due me by the
| unwarranted attack. am respectfully
JOHN H. M'KEE, Marshal,
Cambridge City, Ind
i