Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-10-30
AN UNJUST ATTACK
Qualley Gaining New Supporters by
Reason of Persecution.
DECENT POLITICS DEMANDED.
Decorah Journal Alone in Umyar-
ranted Attempt to Defeat Re-
publican Candidate Nomin-
ated by the People at
Primary.


come reports of men who took nc
Interest in the present political cam
paign until the attacks against Sher-
iff Thos. j. Qualley appeared in the
Deeorah Journal, but who since then,
determined to put ain end to the sort
of politics which has disrupted and
disgusted Winneshiek county for a
few years past, have gone actively to
work in the support of Mr.. Qualley,
feeling that the people owe him a
vindication and expression Of con-
fidence, and that they also owe his
prosecutor a vote of condemnation.
The fight against Qualley is not a
recent one. He has had to fight his
way through his various campaigns,
taking the blunt of the attack upon
the republican ticket, but each time
has come out winner. Neither is
Qualley the only Sheriff who has had
to combat ridiculous charges against
his personality. George Mizener,
during one of his campaigns, was ac-
cused of taking some pepper and
salt, etc., from the poor farm while
he was steward, for his personal use
and a great hubbub was raised about
it, For, years attempts have been
made by the democrats to get this
Office, and now they seem determined
to win it, by fair means or foul.
No claim is made that Sheriff
Qualley has not performed the duties
of his Office creditably. They have
not dared deny that he has made a
good sheriff. His record is an open
book. So they try to defame his
character. That's the method en-
ployed often to ruin a mans stand
ing in the community, when no hon.
orable way can be found to do it.
Many -man-~and many woman
have been sent to their graves by
this sort of thing.
What are the charges? Simply
this. That there were more prison
ers in the county Jail here than in
Allamakee county, and as a result
the sheriff was paid more money for
their care chan the Allamakee county
sheriff. Sheriff Qualley is not 70
blame and is not responsible for
this. Prisoners are sent to jail by
Judges, Justices and Mayors, and
the law says Qualley must take
them, feed them, and care for them
as long as he is instructed to do so.
He u paid fifty cents per day for
this rk. His bills for this service
are Presented to the Board of Super
visors, checked and audited by them
and compared with the mittimus is
sued by the officer ordering each
prisoner placed in Jail to see if cor
rect, and then paid If there is any
thing wrong, it is the business of the
Board of Supervisors to find it out,
and they would.
1t is true that Qualley received
more than did the Allamakee county
sheriff for this service, and he is
entitled to every cent he received.
But the willy character assassin
might have gone TO Clayton county
for mis- Investigation, and if he
had he would have found, as is shown
by the official records Of Clayton
that the sheriff received for this same
service $S,341.50, or $1,072.2O
MORE THAN QUALLEY RECEIVED
during the same time. And the
Clayton county sheriff is not crooked,
either. He simply had to house
more prisoners than Qualley, just as
Quailey had to house more than the
Allamakee sheriff. In Fayette coun-
ty also the figures about the same
as in Winneshiek.
Now the other charge. Mr.. Bier
mann accuses Sheriff Qualley with
overcharging for taking inebriates
to Knoxville, which is not true. Fhe
law provides that the sheriff shall
charge forty cents per hour for his
time in making these trips. This
time charge is filed with the county
in making up the account, but the
sheriff does not get the money, as
the law now gives him salary In
stead of fees as it did few years
ago. Hence this amount should be
deducted from each bill published by
Mr. Biermann, amounting to- be-
tween $50 and $40 in each case.
Besides, the law provides that the
sheriff shall take an assistant with
prisoners to Knoxville, and the as
sistant's expense also should come
out Of the bills. In Allamakee and
Howard counties, with which the
Decorah Journal makes comparisons,
these items do not appear in the