The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-10-31

ney Perry J. Freeman, his father, have
an intense hatred for me, for reasons
that the public well know. Although
they are supposed to be Republicans
they are trying to elect Attorney
Joshua Allen, Democrat, as prose-
cutor and to defeat me. They hope
that in the event Allen is elected they
will be appointed as his deputies, and
for that reason are circulating the
story that | took fees to which | was
not entitled. They hope to injure me,
and the whole thing is done for
political effect.
"The fact that the story is sprung
on the eve of election shows conclu-
sively that it is politics merely, and
really merits no consideration but in
order that the public may fully under
stand the matter l offer this explana-
ton. l do not think the public cares
for every detail, but in substance the
situation is just this:
Returns Fees.
Last August l returned to Gath
Freeman as attorney for four persons
in this county, fees which had been
sent me by Justice Chamberlain of Alb
ington, and Justice Benson of Hagers-
town l was under the impression that
INC ~ PAooCIuIluS dltoI Acy was CnCltlCu
to fee of five dollars in ever GRIM
inal case, but when it was called to
| my attention that the prosecutor is not
entitled to fee when he did not at
tend trial in person or by deputy, |
gladly returned the fees to these four
men. They had all entered pleas of
guilty before the justices, and the JUS
tices had charged up a fee for me.
to which l was not entitled. l did not
! go out and collect these fees the JUS
tees sent them to me. In accepting
them I did nothing criminal; l acted
in good faith and thought the law gave
them to me. In this l was mistaken.
There are thirteen justices in this
| county, and Gath Freeman and Joshua
| Allen combed the entire county hunt
ing for these cases. They found that
the mistake had been made only be-
| fore two of the thirteen justices. In
one instance, that of Richard Stinson,
a farmer of Abingdon township, Free
man did the very unprofessional act of
writing to him and soliciting his busi-
ness. Mr.. Stinson didn't want the
| prosecutors fee returned to him, and
refused to let Freeman collect it. But
through Mr. Stinson would never have
demanded a return of the fee | volun-
: tarly wrote him check for the
amount and delivered it to him.
! Explains Stand.
"The public should understand that
I would have been entitled to fee in
each of the four cases if | had attend
; ed, but as the men entered pleas of
guilty the justices did not see the
necessity Of me making the trips tC
HagerstoWn and Abingdon. 1t was a
mere technicality which l did not OBJ
| serve In fact in one case before Jus
tice Chamberlain, and in one before
Justice Benson, | was about to start
! to each of the towns when | received
word not to come as the cases were
already disposed Of 1t would have
been absurd of me to have demanded
that these justices hold these men un
til | 60 to their court. when the mer
; had merely committed a trifling mis-
demeanor and were ready to plead
guilty, pay their fines and go about
their respective business.
ALLEN is very anxious to be elected
prosecuting attorney this time. He
has run three times before withou,
success, and in his anxiety this time tc
win he has resorted to low politica
tricks. This is not the only instance
l could cite Of his unmanly methods
in this campaign, but in every case
his allegations have been, as in this
case, without merit and | do not be
lieve the public cares to be burdenet
| with a recital Of them.
Combine for Office.
"Messrs. Freeman and Allen are o
different political faith, but notwith
standing this they are in league t(
capture the prosecutors office if the,
possibly can. Twice the Freeman:
have failed to get the office, and nov
Allen is after the position for the
fourth time If Mr.. Allen is elected
have every reason to believe that one
of the Freemans will be his deputy
for the first thing that happened whel
Allen was prosecuting attorney TO
four months following the death o
Charles Ladd, was the appointment b.
the court of Perry J. Freeman as AL
lens deputy, at a salary of $500 pc
month, which the county paid. AS au
thority for this cite Criminal Recort
Book ] of the clerks office, Page 52G
and Voucher No. 4,4s0, December
1912, in the county auditors office
where Freeman got his money. Al
amateur in politics can see the gam
being played.
"In this connection l might stat
that l have conducted all cr1mlna
business in the city and circuit court
, without deputy, and the county ha
rot expended one cent for deputy pros
, ecutors since | have been in office.
Unmasks Probe Action.
But the Freemans and Allen hav
: not stopped with springing the fee
story on me, they have prostituted tn
: state department of public account1n
, for their personal and political end
by bringing two state accountants her
this week to Investigate the matter G
the collection of fees by two deputfe
which I have named in Jackson towr
ship, Messrs. A. r. Feemster of Can
bridge City, and Benjamin Hatfield c
. Dublin. Messrs. Freeman and ALE
! claim that these two deputies hav
not properly qualified and are not er
!, titled to any fees collected in Jackso
q township. They don't allege tina
, Messrs Feemster and Hatfield, bot
: practicing attorneys, householder
e landowners and reputable citizens
" have done anything crooked or erin
inal. They merely ask for prob
t at this time with the purpose and hop
e that the public will get the idea ths
f there Is something wrong, and that
- x,1N rofIoct info v0rah1v on me-