The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-09-19

exercised can be proved by the
horde of men who point to the news
papers as the cause of their down
fall.
Still the fact remains that to justly
criticise men holding public Office
is duty peculiar to the press.
Not long ago we took occasion. to
say certain things about Judge Fine:
bout of the St. Paul municipal court,
who at the time was receiving a
storm of applause from all over the
country for having sentenced St.
Paul banker to the workhouse for
having been reckless with his auto
mobile. Judge Finehout takes ex-
ception and has addressed the fol-
lowing communication to the Pho
neer.
Editor Pioneer:
my attention has been directed to an
article in your paper in which you COM
ment somewhat viciously upon my private
character and domestic affairs. had
supposed. and the people of this city had
reason to believe, that this conspiracy to
retire me to private life by this assassin
like assault upon my character ended on
the 3rd of May when the people of this
city by most emphatic and greatly in
creased majority returned me to the
bench and retired to private life the men
responsible for this dastardly and alb
solutely unfounded attack upon me.
1T may be of some interest to you to
know that the divorce action was brought
by me after open boasts had been made
that would be retired to private life and
ruined anyhow, and that L forced the
issue myself and that after a conspiracy
between the parties responsible and the
editor of certain newspaper here, in
which the allegations contained in the
answer were published before the same
was filed, and which paper afterwards re-
tracted said publication, and settled the
damage suit against them upon my own
terms, that the answer was withdrawn
after had forced the case to an ISSUE.
Il was completely and absolutely sue
cessful on every issue in the action, was
granted a divorce by Judge Lewis of oul
district court on the 5th of November on
the ground that the desertion was wilfu]
and without excuse, and the divorce was
granted to me without limitation or re.
striction of any kind whatsoever.
mo specific charge of any misdoing OF
any misconduct on my part was made
with any other persons or person, but
simply mass of adjectives which none
know better how to use, or was more un-
scrupulous in using them, than the dis.
tinguished gentleman who drew the
answer. He knew or must have known
that no proof or evidence could have beer
introduced under his answer, but the pur.
pose was apparently accomplished, anc
they thought l would be ruined and re-
tired to private life and make way fol
some friend.
But they reckoned without their host
for while would have been glad in many
ways to have given up the position tt
which l was elected as young man by &
large majority, and again reelected ir
the face of fierce fight and democratic
landslide as the only republican on the
ticket by an increased majority, l did not
propose to retire under fire, and after g
fierce campaign in which l was abused
most numerically, the people placed thei,
emphatic stamp of disapproval upon this
attempt to blacken the character of a
man who was born among them, educated
at the public schools and state university
and whose character and private life
were an open book, by returning me to
the bench with the largest vote and ma
jority of any candidate on the ticket.
THE very fact that in my own precinct
and my own ward where was born and
always resided, my neighbors gave me the
largest vote ever given to any candidate
in any contested election is in itself sufi-
Gent to show how false were the charges
and how dastardly the methods used to
defeat me. To my official acts invite
the freest criticism, but when you, or any
other editor, who are supposed to WELD a
large influence in the affairs of your com
munity and district, attempt to comment
upon the private or domestic affairs of an
official, and particularly a judge, you
should be sure you know the facts. i am
a property owner in your county and an
investor in your district, and have never
claimed that / was perfect or candidate
for any medals, but / do claim and the
results show that my neighb0rs. and the
people of my district have the utmost
faith in me and thoroughly approve of
my record.
"Yours very truly,
John w. Finehout."
We said nothing that could be re.
tracted, nor does Judge Finehout
ask for a retraction. We print the
letter simply because it is our aim
to be absolutely fair, and because