The Topeka state journal., 1922-10-21
.LARIMER CASTS
BOMB TODAY IN
COUNTY POLITICS
Former Sheriff Comes Out for
Democratic Candidate.
Says Bob Miller Is Associating
With ''HickOry" Jones.
NOTORIOUS POLICE CHARACTER
Jones Under Arrest Many
Times for Selling Whisky.
Miller and Jones Operate Hog
Farm South of City.
NOTORIOUS POLICE CHARACTER

A bomb thrown into Shawnee
county politics that promises to bring
about an upheaval in the office of
the sheriff and involves thru insinua-
ton a serious situation facing Robert
Miller, sheriff, was thrown today when
Hugh Larimer, former sheriff. at
present a county commissioner, and
leader in local Republican political
circles, allowed to be made public a
letter he had written W. E. Schlichter,
Democratic candidate, in which it
was charged that Sheriff Miller was
operating a hog farm near Topeka in
connection with Hickory" Jones, no
torious police character.
Altho Larimer did not charge Miller
with lawlessness in connection with
Miler's association with Jones, he de-
clared that the partnership in the hog
business compromised Miler's posi-
ton as sheriff and as a public Off
cer'
The Larimer Letter.
A part of Larimer's letter to
Schlichter reads:
81 want to say that I intend to sup
port you for sheriff believing that you
will conduct yourself in an upright
manner and not affiliate with the likes
the present sheriff, is doing. 4 public
officer cannot do these things without
compromising his position"
Signifcancie is attached to the move
on Larimer's part when it is remem-
bered that Larimer endorsed Miller as
his successor at the court shouse when
the latter first ran for office. Now
Larimer is in the field against Miller
and for Schlichter.
/ When questioned as to his reason
for switching his support from Miller
tn nan0n0r2fic candidate I06aV.
Larimer was not hesitant in his ex-
PLANTATION. --,-.--
''I believe it is question the Shaw
nee county voters should settle" he
said. IF the voters are satisfied with
Miler's association with Hickory
Jones in the hog business, 1t is their
business to vote for him at the COM
ing election.
A Notorious Character.
Hickory Jones is a notorious
character. He has been arrested for
bootlegging and has served time for
this charge many times. He barely
escaped the penitentiary on a charge
of receiving stolen goods at his place
four miles south of the city on the
Topeka avenue road. Personally ]
have made many raids on his place. ]
have found booze there-and I have
found stolen motor cars there. The
| Hickory Jones place has been known
for years as a rendezvous for law
breakers.
"Now we have our sheriff. a public
officer, in business with this police
character the bushes sof raising
hogs.
"I don't say that Miller is conduct
| ing an illegitimate business with
Jones. But he is associating with
him. That association compromises
| his position-not himself-but his
position as sheriff of Shawnee county
/ MANY persons have complained tc
me of this situation.
IF the voters are content with this
condition, all is we'll"
Miller Out of Town.
Efforts to locate Sheriff Miller BY
| telephone this afternoon failed, and il
was stated at his office and his home
that he was out of the city.
1t is known that the relations be-
! tween Miller and Larimer have no.
| been of an over-friendly nature since
Miller took over the office in January
1921. Shos%ly after the general cleo.
| ton of 1920, Miller took a vacation
which lasted until he was sworn in ir
January. There were rumors of 6
| disagreement between them at tha
time, altho they both claimed tha
four years service as undersheriff OF
| the county.
1t was on the "Hickory" Jone:
farm, south of the city on the Topeka
/ avenue road, that Larimer was shot
I by the bandit, Harrison Dempsey
when Larimer and Miller called at tbs
Jones house to see if there was any
| liquor on the premises or anything
disorderly in progress. Following thi:
Jones served a year in the county jai
on a charge of receiving a stolen Ford
from the bandits. He was ''trusty'