The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-08-19
Telephone CSC for all Editorial
matters.
PERJURY

stroys the efficiency of the courts
and which taints its judgments is
the crime of perjury. This is
practiced to an alarming extent
throughout the Commonwealth.
The judgment goes, not to the
righteous side, but to the side
that can muster the preponder-
ance of evidence. although that
evidence may be purchased. The
prompt manner in which the ES-
till Circuit Court has dealt with
this class of witnesses, will have
wholesome effect throughout the
Commonwealth.
1t should be tried out in Madi-
son county. Perjury runs rife
here as we'll as elsewhere. In the
coming investigation by the grand
jury of frauds and corrupt prac
tees in the recent election to be
more exact, the wholesale buying
of votes by the candidates will
be farcical in the extreme, unless
the grand jury, at the very outset,
indicts a few for perjury or false
swearing before that body. And
gentlemen should have a fear, for
no one knows where the lightning
will strike. That something will
happen is as sure as preaching,
for if Judge Benton is able to hold
the court land God grant that he
may be- he is compelled to make
a thorough and painstakine in
vestigation of the recent primary.
Not only is his word out as a
gentleman, but his oath of office
and the statute law make him in
vestigate it. Those who know
him best say that he is deeply in
earnest and that he will be equal
to the occasion and will fully
meet the expectations of his
friends and the law-abiding peo-
pie of the county. The only way
to escape the penalty of their
wrong doing, is by the perjury
route for self and friends. Take
your choice, gentlemen, between
a term in the penitentiary and
diSfranchiSement for a term of
years. You acted with open eyes.
You stood at the switch and de-
liberately threw yourself on the
track of bribery when the warn
ing of the court was before your
eyes and its voice ringing in your
ears. You deserve no sympathy
and should receive none. The
court should, and doubtless will,
strike with a strong hand and a
determined purpose to establish
the law which you trampled un-
derfoot. 1t will teach you to re-
Spect the court for which you
have shown so much contempt.
The terrific struggle is now on.
Those who stand for honesty and
integrity and who stand for the
upholding of the courts and for
the enforcement of law, must
stand together like stone wall
The persons against whom the,
must contend will certainly stand
together, and are a strong, deter
mined force, sufficient in numbers
to almost paralyze the holy sane
tuaries (the churches) of the
county and to hush every voice
raised against them. Everything
known to the ingenuity of mar
will be resorted to by the guilt,
parties and their allies to cloue
the issue and to divert the publi
mind to other things. Every falls,
issue that can be manufacturer
will be speedily and promptly pu
before the grand jury with tn
hope of consuming its time witt
fruitless investigations; also wit
view of creating a general alarm
and bringing to their aid all VIII
may fear an investigation of thei
conduct when they know in &C
vance that they will be confronte
by witnesses bought for the occ;
sion. This is but a brief sugge.
ton of what may be expected