The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-06-09

| perhaps one, and that exception did not
| involve the matter of fees and my recol
lection is it was settled before it came
to trial. No question of violating the
law, or robbery or stealing is involved
In this matter. IL is purely a question
of opinion on the part of the court as to
what fees should be and If any appeal
Judge Benton had differed with me as
to the amount of fees allowed, then no
suggestion as TO the violation of the law
or stealing or robbing would have been
made, that is, previous to the time l be-
came candidate for Circuit Judge.
Judge Benton had the same oppoltu
nifty TO know the character of settlement
made before me and the amount of fees
charged before became candidate for
Circuit Judge that he has since. If he
really believes that have ever violated
the law or robbed anybody or stolen any
thing, it was certainly just as much his
duty as the vigorous public prosecutor
which he says he is, to have this mat
ter investigated by the grand jury be-
fore he became candidate for Circuit
Judge, as ii is now to bring it up, since
l have been candidate. | have no doub
| that he can yet find somebody whom he
can induce to employ him as their at.
torney, 10 even now take appeals 10 his
own court and there decide these ques-
lions in any way he thinks best 10 do me
the most harm.
Instructions on City Primary.
There is another matter which l
probably ought not 10 refer TO as it is a
matter between Judge Benton and his
own conscience. The record shows how
he abandoned the fight for clean cleo
lions in 1913 in this county when he &C
cepted Mr.. d. B. Ha mpton's terms and
compromised the dignity of his court.
read IN paper what purported to be
MS instructions to the April grand jury
here, in substance that although he was
reliably informed that money was used
in the Winchester city primary of this
year, that it was not violation of the
law to buy votes in a city primary, as it
was not held under the statute. Sec
tion 1850 Kentucky Statutes reads:
Hereafter all candidates for elective
offices to be voted for at any general
election shall be nominated by primary
election held in accordance with the
provisions of this act, except school
trustees, etc. Ny friends is Winchester
the home of the pioneer in the fight for
clean elections, the place where this
fight has been won single handed and
alone by that valorous pioneer, to be the
only place in Kentucky ii has come TO
pass that 1t is not against the law to buv
votes?
Judge Benton stated in his message:
Judge Shackelford and l have already
and sworn to this oath: |
will not knowingly violate any election
law or any law defining or relating to
corrupt and fraudulent practice in cam
paigns or elections in this State That |
statement is part of the declaration |
which every candidate is required to |
sign before he can get his name on the
ballot. Some people seem 10 have got
Ten the idea that it was a private agree
nent between me and Judge Benton. !
have made no agreement of any kind
with Judge Benton. don't have to be
led up in any agreement not to violate
he law"
Judge Shackelford was accom- panied
% Winchester by numerous friends from
here and they all say that the Judge
made fine impression and many votes
~ his forceful speech.