The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-10-31
CHARGES SWING
FLOOD OF VOTES
TO OLD OFFICERS
Prosecutor in Reply Alleges
Opponents Play "Dirty
Politics" in Desperate Eff.
fort to Win Election.
RECORDS COMPARED
County Spent $3.50 as 'Pub-
lie Necessity" for Deputies
to Assist Democrat While
in Office.

in Office.
Charges made against Prosecute
Will Keller, candidate for reelection
on the Progressive ticket. by a BIZ
partisan combination. Joshua Allen.
candidate for the same office on the
Democratic ticket, and Attorney Gath
Freeman, a Republican leader and
twice an unsuccessful aspirant for the
prosecutorship, were the subject OF
much comment today Allen is max
ing his fourth race for prosecutor. He
served in the office the last four
months Of 1912. by appointment. fol-
lowing the death of Prosecutor Ladd.
and two months Of this period Perry
J. Freeman, father of Gath Freeman.
acted as his deputy at a salary OF SIS
a month, which was paid by the
county.
The charges made by Freeman and
Allen, to which Keller has made a
vigorous reply. to be found elsewhere
in this issue. refer to several justice
of the peace and city court cases. in
which fees were returned to the prose
cutor in an irregular manner. later to
be returned by him when his atten-
tion was called to these errors.
Charges Dirty Politics.
In his reply to the eleventh-hour
charges preferred by his two political
opponents, the cases in question hav-
ing been known to them since last
August, Prosecutor Keller frankly as
serts that in his opinion, Freeman and
Allen have been guilty of dirty poll
tics. From comment heard today Il
appears the public generally shares
this view Keller cites records in the
cases referred to as conclusive proof
| that he has not prostituted his impor-
, tant office, and he further charges that
there is keen desire on the part OF
Freeman to have his Democratic friend
Allen, elected, because in such an
event. Keller states his belief. "One
of the Freemtns will be his deputy"
Allen and Freeman in their charges
against Prosecutor Keller. whom Judge
Fox not long ago declared to be one Of
the best prosecutors the county has had
since | have been on the BENCH" raise
the technical point that Keller accept
ed fees in cases. where the defendants
entered pleas Of guilty in each in
P, stances. without the prosecutor
| appearing in court to represent
the state. Four OF the sew
en- cases cited by Freeman and Allen
| were in justices courts. and from the
| fines collected in each instance the
! justice sent Keller a fee. The other
| three cases were in city court, Keller
being represented by Sergeant McNal
ly. the prosecutor having been called
elsewhere on official business.
Sees Political Reasons.
Apparently. for political reasons.
! in the opinion of Prosecutor Keller.
! Attorney Freeman solicited the four
men who had pleaded guilty to charges
. in justices courts. to collect for them
! fees paid TO the prosecutor out OF
! their fines. which. it is said. were il
legal fees. because the prosecutor had
not conducted the cases against them.
! The four men. Keller asserts. retained
/ Freeman for this purpose. and when
Rellers attention was called to the
technical fee collection violations he
returned the money to Freeman for
. the latter's clients. Another man,
! who Keller says was approached by
i Freeman. declined to retain that attoY-
ney. Keller says this man said he was
| guilty of the charge made against him.
had pleaded guilty and paid his fine.
and he thought the prosecutor was en-
titled to his fees. even though he was
not present to represent the state.
The four justice of the peace cases
in which fees were returned are:
John Bookout and Harry Dumford.
Hagerstown, fined in the court of Jus
tice Benson: prosecutors fees, IS.
each. returned to Attorney Freeman.
August Il last.
Ed Newman. Hagerstown. fined in
Justice Benson's court: fees OF IS re-
turned on August 20 last
Sherman Hale, Arlington township.
fined in Justice of Peace Chamber
lain's court at Arlington on February 2.
last: IS fee returned September last.
Keller Men Eiated.
Friends of Keller at first indignant
over the the efforts of Freeman and
Allen to discredit him with the voters
bv a political trick. on the eve OF the
election. were today actually elated.
and they say now that there 10 not
the slightest doubt as to his success
at the polls next Tuesday. Men who
had hitherto kept silent as to their
choice for prosecutor kept the tele-
phones at Reller's office and at his
home busy, telling him that he could
depend upon their support, n they
were anxious to show the confidence
J they had in him and rebuke the tactics
employed against him. Many voters
also visited Progressive headquarters
to announce that they intended to vote
for Keller
The attack made upon Keller last
night was the second effort during
the final stage of the campaign to dis
credit him. Over a week ago Demo.