The Topeka state journal., 1911-07-21
He FIGHTS BACK.
Sheriff Ralph Martin Objects to
Being Ousted.
Files Many Affidavits to Prove
He's Good Officer.
MUCH ABUSED MAN.
MUCH ABUSED MAN.
Witnesses Assert He Is Great
EnfOrcer of PrOhibitOry Law.
Attorney General Discredits
Many of the Statements.

According to the testimony of some
hundred or more affidavits introduced
in the supreme court today. Ralph
Martin, sheriff of Cherokee county, is
a much abused man. These sworn
testimonials set forth the fact that
Martin was about the best sheriff in
the world. That he was active as
quicksilver in the enforcement of che
prohibitory law That he was the
prop of the district judge of Cherokee
county and the sustaining influence
and comfort of the county attorney in
the latterS war on the jOintiStS. If
half the recommendations in these
sworn statements regarding the char
acter of Mr.. Martin are true, then
Martin is martyr. The only weak
link in the chain of all these testi-
monials is that many of them come
from ex-jointists and liquor sellers up-
der indictment for violation of the pro-
hibitory law themselves.
Attorney TraceweH, representing
Martin in the custer suit instigated
against him by the attorney general
aided and abetted by the governor of
the state, spent most of the morning
reading thse affidavits to the court.
Mr.. TraceWeU took the trouble to in
form the court that he himself was a
rabid prohibitionist and that his atfi-
davits came from Jealous partisans of
the white ribbon cause.
But Attorney General Dawson gave
| it as his opinion and belief supported
by irrefutable evidence, that many of
these af6davits came from men upon
whom the law had placed its paw for
selling booze contrary to statute.
Says He Was Misrepresented.
One of these affidavits, signed aud
sworn to by one F. NJ. Lash, was ser
sational in the extreme. This man Lash
took exceptions to the transcript OF
| the evidence ascribed to him in the
Dawson court of inquiry. He swore
that he was miSquoted in his inquisition
evidence. That his testimony had been
garbled by the Stenographer, and that
words were placed in his mouth that
he did not say. He went on further to
affirm that at least half of his testi-
mony had been suppressed by the ma
chinations of the attorney generals
with the words, Il am not satified with
the transcript of the evidence from the
attorney generals inquisitior." In us
ing the words, mot satisfied, Mr.
Lash expressed it mildly when one con-
siders the entire text of his affidavit
Mr.. Lash, according to his affidavit, is
a much aggrieved parsonage.
Attorney Traceweu had an affidavit
among others, signed by County Attor-
ney Major of Cherokee county in which
that official set forth the fact that he
had known Sheriff Martin for ten years
and that he was little bit the best sher-
If since Marshal Ney fought for Ma
| pOleon Bonaparte. According to the
county attorney, Sheriff Martin hae
furnished him with most of the evil
dence upon which he had based mis-
prosecutors for violations of the pro
hibitory law lately. That Martins ac-
tivity and zeal for the cause Of tenn
perance had enabled the said county
attorney to issue search and seizure
warrants galore. That since the frs
of the year the said county attorney
had been enabled, through Martins ef-
forts to bring more prosecutions thar
even before in the history of the coun-
ty in the same length of time. That
wnen Martin was given warrant rhe
always got results
Given Good Character.
]. E. Dunbar, a former county at
| torney, and assistant attorney general
| for Cherokee county, affirmed that
Martin had an excellent reputation as
citizen and officer, and that Martin
had urged him, Dunbar, to accept the
assistant attorney generals commits