The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-10-22
DOING 1T TOO WELL
But now my task is smoothly
done.

DOiNG II lOO ELLA
"But now my task is smoothly
done;
81 can fly, or / can rum"
This seems to be the county rings
position on the stump
Sometimes thing can be done too
well. A murderer usually leaves his
clew in his effort to cover up his
trail.
Charges were made that the coun-
ty court house ring manipulated ev-
erything TO their own use. Imme-
dlately. like an agitated ant hill. the
court house became busy demonstrat-
ing that fact
State Revenue Agent w. NJ Hus-
bands brought suit against Hiram
Smedley and his bonding company
for alleged populations from the
state. Prosecution was then COM
menced and the fiscal court adopted
a resolution, turning the matter of a
settlement over to County Attorney
Alben Barley and County Judge
Lightfoot. the latter saying that they
knew of matters connected with the
Smedley shortage, of which Mr.. Hus-
bands was ignorant. Mr.. Husbands
proceeded with the collection of in
terest and penalty for the state by
suit. Mr.. Barkley and Judge Light
foot settled with the bonding com
pany for the county, allowing the
company five per cent, forgiying the
penalty and failing to include all the
shortage in the compromise.
Failure to protect him angered
Hiram Smedley and he told the grand
jury he knew of someone besides
himself. who was using county funds
No effort was made by Barley to OBJ
tain further information. and no
charge was made the grand jury on
the subject before It was dismissed
At the next term of court after the
inspection OF the books by John d.
Smith had corroborated him, Hiram
Smedley was found to be insane and
sent to Hopkinsville.
Bert Johnson. road supervisor, re-
signed to bid on concrete bridge
work, and was beaten by a lower
bidder. After efforts to prevent the
acceptance Of a bond, johnson was
appointed inspector for the county,
and the whole unsayory affair ended
In Johnson securing one of the con-
tracts from the successful bidder
Ugly stories were rife. and a grand
jury. under the fOremanship of r. l..
Nelson. investigated the matter with
Alben Barley. county attorney. in
charge. Mr.. Oliphant, the bridge
man, accredited with the charge, was
not summoned, though he evinced
alacrity in coming here TO deny the
charge after the grand jury had
whitewashed the ring; and one Of the
magistrates, who had information
was not summoned.
OF course. the grand jury did not
rest with finding no true bill, as in
the case of petty suspects. but like
the grand juries OF Galloway and
Trigg, when Judge Cook submitted
to them the question of whether he
and Denny Smith. who was in charge
Of the juries, were night riders, It
found the county ring to be composed
of most estimable gentlemen and
patriots.
or course, also. Mr.. oliphant ap-
peared here long after 1t became
impossible for his testimony to avail
anything in the prosecution. and
swore TO a statement of facts and a
long argument supporting them. and
then disappeared through the morn
ing mist across the river.
Thus we have a grand jury in
charge Of the county attorney. exon
Grating the court house ring. and the
man most concerned In the alleged
fixing, denying under oath, that
with which he might have been con-
fronted In the grand jury room.
II all strengthens the charge that
the court house ring Is so well en-
treEched that It's minions can control
the machinery of justice through
which alone the people hope for re
lief and redress. as long as they are
In power
Suppose Jonas Smith who recent
~ went to the penitentiary for life.
for killing HIS father. had prosecuted
his own case with a chum for fore
man of the grand jury. Does anyone