COSTER * - COUNTY
XXVIII BROKEN BOW , OUSTER COUNTY NEBRASKA , THURSDAY , AUGUST 12 , 1909 NO. 10
JUDGE A. R. HUMPHREY ADMITS
CHARGES MADE AGAINST HIM.
Declares That He is Willing To Stand on Mis Record. Says
Railroads Were Satisfied with All His Decisions
In Railway Cases.
Judge Humphrey and his Re
publican n c tj'par tisau-Populist-
non-partisau tiery-near-Republi-
can anything to-get-the-legals
organ , on the auuihwest corner
of the square , have up to this
week failed to come out with
any definite statements and have
been beating about the bush
throwing mud all of the time ,
so that I aui glad to give space
to the communication below
from Judge Humphrey.
August 9 , 1909.
To the Readers of the RKPUBU
I CAN :
5 * It may be that I am emulat
ing the example of Balaam , as
the famous story is recorded in
the Bible , in. talking back , but
some stiteuieKls recently made
in the KKPOJJUCAN seem to need
a reply.
The RKPUBUCAN says it has
made certain charges against me
and that "my friends admit
them. " I want it understood
that I do my own admitting and
denjing. It is quite possible
that C. W. Beal , of the Beacon ,
/ < 'id R. G. Moore , chairman of
' . ' he Democratic county committee -
- tee , will admit anything the RK-
FUUUCAN may say to help along
a Republican row , but I do not
wish to be bound by their admis.
sious. The same charges made
against me now by the RKPUU-
UCAN were worn thread-bare 15
years ago by the Beacon. A
Republican convention was never
I" held in the county but that the
Beacon said it was dominated
and run by the railroads ; and
every fighting Republican in
If
the county was branded as a rail
road helper of some kind. No
one thought it worth while to
deny or answer such stuff coin
ing from the source it did , and
many will think this reply is
useless. I am about of that
opinion myself.
The KKPUUUCAN says that I
have been a railroad attorney.
I have. When I was I carried
transportation. But since I
have been county judge I have
had no connection with the rail
roads in any way. It also says
that I assist now in the selection
of juries in railroad cases. This
is not true. C. L. Gutterson is
* - attorney for the railroad now
and he needs no assistance.
Lawyers here , and from all over
the state , when here , trying
cases to juries frequently ask me
and others concerning men who
are drawn upon the regular
panel. I answer them. So does
every other lawyer and person of
whom they make inquiry. It
isn't confined to the members of
the bar by any means.
* * * While I have been county
c
It judge I have tried nine railroad
I'- cases. In each case I have en
tered judgment against the com
pany. All appeals taken from
such judgments have been by
the railroads. And in no case
that I have tried has the rail
roads tried their case in the dis
trict court. The company has
paid the judgment and costs
without trial in the district
court. The case of C. T Orr vs
the B. & M. is a case in point.
* '
'Mr. Orr sued the company for
8365.00. After a hard trial I en
tered judgment in his favor and
against the company for $332.00.
The company appealed and then
paid the costs and satisfied the
judgment without further trial.
The RKPUBUCAN talks of rail
roads in politics. Long before
the present management of the
RKPUBUCAN began the railroads
ceased to be a factor in politics
in this county. Ask D. M. Ams-
berry , for twenty years editor of
the RKPUBUCAN. He knows.
And I am willing to be bound by
what he says. When the Myers
boys were attending the Univer
sity and coming home to vote on
free transportation the railroads
might have had something to
say in politics. But the rail
roads graduated from politics in
this county about the time the
boys did from the University.
Since that time the Republicans
of Custer county have run their
own politics. And they are not
looking for a boss now.
The RKPUBUCAN insinuates
that I opposed county option in
tlie county convention. I did
not. I wrote the resolutions of
fered by the committee on reso
lutions and at the request ofthe |
reporter furnished him a copy
for the state papers. I had no
copy of the resolution offered by
Mr. Gadd for county option and
made no attempt to get one. I
am not in the news-gathering
business. If the editor of the
RKPUBUCAN thought it was of
such importance why didn't he
attend to it That's his business.
It is true I attended the Old
Settler's picnic at Merna. I
caused no inconvenience by so
doing. I hbmesteaded 22 years
ago west of Merna and I wanted
to see the old timers there.
That's why I went to Merna.
The cause of the REPUBLICAN'S
noise arises over the legal noti
ces that are published from this
office in estate matters. Last
fall the editor , Mr. Herbert
Myers , came to the office and de
manded that I publish all the
notices from this locality in his
paper. I turned down his de
mand. If I had published these
notices exclusivel } ' in his paper
I would be a "good lellow" in
the eyes of Herbert today. But
I did not and I will not. County
option and railroads do not in-
lluence him. It takes legal no
tices to make him happy. He
has been in town six months and
he has stood for legal notices
ever since he landed here. He
is grouchy because he says I do
not treat him fair in the matter
of legal notices. Since last Sep
tember I have published 29 no
tices in the RKPUBUCAN ; 19 in
the Chief and 1 ii the Beacon.
' this fair ? I
Isn't treatment rec
ognize the papers of the town
and county as factors in the de
velopment of our business , com
mercial and social interests and
have tried to aid each communi
ty by sending to it such legal
notices as belonged to it.
It is noticeable that no other
paper in the county has taken up
the fight for "reform" that the
RKPUBUCAN has started. It may
be that the other editors of the
county , having spent years at
the case , have not yet learned
how to run a paper and "pro-
gressiveness" smothers them and
they do not know it. But "a
man from college" can jump into
the editorial chair and have
things "reformed" in six months.
The principal thing to find
out is that book-learning don't
make sense. It's a good fertil
izer , but it must have a base to
commence on.
But what the reader of this
paper is interested in is whether
or not the county judge has at
tended to the business of his
office and brought to its duties a
sufficient amount of intelligence
to do the work. On that ques
tion ask any one who knows and
be guided by what you can learn
and cast an intelligent ballot
and tlio present incumbent will
be satisfied.
Respectfully.
A. R , HUMPHKKV.
Judge Humphrey opens hia
statement by saying that he
doesn't think there is any use in
replying. No , there isn't Gus ,
unless you can deny the charges
made against you and your state
ment shows that you arc unable
to do that.
I am glad to have you admit
that you have been a railroad at
torney and that you have carried
free passes.
You deny that you have as
sisted the Burlington railroad at
torneys in the trial of their
cases in the district court and
then in the next sentence you
admit that you have. You say
that attorneys ask you questions
concerning the jurors and that
you answer them. The result of
the trial of a railroad case de
pends in a large measure upon
the jury. Doesn't advice as to
what men will make the best
jurors for the railroad constitute
assistance in the selection of the
jury. Your statement is a frank
admission of the charge that
you do assist in the selection of
the jurors.
There is another t'hi.ig , too ,
Gus that always puzzles me a
little. When you go into the
district court room and get your
head up ne'xt to that of Attorney
Bishop and whisper in his ear
and he whispers in your ear ,
what are you doing ? Are you
there using your influence with
Attorney Bishop for the railroad
company to try and see that he
doesn't take any advantage of
your constituent whose interest
is at stake , or are you just an
swering bis questions as to what
is the best course to pursue in
the trial in order to defeat a res
ident of this county ?
You say , Gus , that you have
tried nine railroad cases and that
none of them have been appealed
and tried in the district court.
They could not be appealed and
tried in any other court so the
railroads must have been very
well satisfied with your decisions
It is a well known fact that a
railroad companj * with all its
financial backing and its corps of
corporation attorneys never fails
to appeal a case to a higher
court if there is any chance of
getting belter results. The trial
of nine railroad cases with the
decision of all of which the rail
roads were satisfied would make
a real good record for a railroad
judge. Don't you think so your
self , Gus ?
When you talk about the
Myers boys coining home to
vote on free transportation you
are talking about something
that you do not know anything
about. The Myers boys never
came home to vote while they
were in the university and con
sequently they couldn't possibly
have used free transportation ,
Whenever you make any charges
Gus , you better stick to the
facts. You seem to know that
free passes were being used to
bring in voters at that time. I
am told that you handed out a
few to your friends , too , about
that time. When you were
handing out those passes , Gus ,
did you feel that the railroad
company was furnishing them
purely and simply to accommo
date you and your friends or did
[ Continued oe Usl page ]
NOTHING AGAINST
OLD RESIDENTS.
This Paper Opposes Judge Humphrey
Simply on His Record.
A. R. Humphrey has , in the
campaign for the nomination for
county judge , appealed to the
older Republicans of the county
to get their vote on the state
ment that this papet's opposition
to him is aimed at all of the older
Republicans and that they must
stand together for him because
the attack on him is aimed , at
them all.
He is thus misrepresenting the
facts because it is to his own
advantage.
The editor desires to make his
position in this matter clear and
he is willing to stand or fall on
the facts.
This paper is not opposing
Mr. Humphrey because of his
age , his twenty y ears residence
in Custer county , or his twenty
years in Custer county politics.
Judge Humphrey says that be
is willing to stand on his record
and this paper is willing that he
should. This paper is opposing
him purely and simply on his
record as a politician and as an
office holder in this county. If ,
when they know the facts , the
Republicans want him to be their
nominee then he should be
nominated. If they believe that
liis record shows that he is not
deserving of further recognition
then he should be defeated.
This paper takes it as its right
and duty to state the facts and
and on the facts rests its case.
* Thia paper has said that he is
the OUJ TYPE of politician. By
this was meant not old in years
jut old in style , i. e. , a man who
las used and still uses the old
methods in politics , the man
who has catered to the interests
and does so today. The people
of today are demanding that their
representatives be free to serve
.hem honestly and conscientously.
This is the NHW TVP or style
politician and the style to which
[ lumphrey does not belong.
This paper has nothing what
ever to say against the older
Republicans who have a clean
record. We have some of them
.n office now and they deserved
the recognition they received.
John Cavenee has made a good
treasurer , George Mair has been
an excellent clerk of the district
court and Jos. Pigman has made
an obliging and efficient county
clerk. Their age makes no
difference so long as they are
deserving men and have com
mendable records.
JUDGE HUMPHREY
ALWAYS WEAK MAN
Has Never Polled Full Vote of His
Party.
The RKPUBUCAN has taken
the position from the beginning
of the primary campaign that it
is not advisable to nominate A.
R. Humphrey as the republican
candidate for county judge be-
cauee his record makes him-
weak man on the ticket. The
campaign this fall promises to be
a warm one and the Republicans
must put their strongest men up
or loose the election. That the
RBPUBUCAN is right in this is
shown by the figures printed
below. It must be concedet
that Custer county has been in
the Republican column since the
election of 1902 and the vote
shows that Humphrey has never
cast the full vote of his party
and has , as a usual thing , come
out considerably behind the
other candidates.
In the 1902 election Humphrey
was a candidate for comity at
torney against C. II. Ilolcomb
and won out by 108 votes when
Prout , the Republican candidate
for attorney general of the state ,
carried the county by 253 votes
and the other candidates won by
an average majority of about
300.
300.In
In 1904 the county candidate *
carried the county by majn U > it
that averaged about 500 tikilfc
the highest Roosevelt elector
defeated the strongest Parke
elector by 1600 and Humphrey
came out 15 votes behind A. P.
Johnson as a candidate for county
attorney. How is that for strength
-lost the election when the county
went Republican by 1600 and his
fellow candidates won out by 500.
In 19Q5 Humphrey appeared
again as a candidate , this time
asking that the people make him
county judge. He was elected
by a bare majority ofx94 votes
when Letton , the republican
candidate for supreme jirtfge
carried the county by 448 \ ef t *
In 1907 he was again a Cfcr-.C
date for county judge and wua
next to the lowest man on the
ticket at the general election.
II. M. Pinckuey came out with
the smallest majority which was
325. Humphrey came next with
491 and VanAntwerp headed the
list with a majority of 1403. It
It is ordinarily supposed that a
candidate for supreme judge will
poll about the party voto. M. B.
Hccse carried the county by 935
votes. According to this
Humphrey fell about 450 votes
behind his party vote the last
time he was a candidate.
When you go to the primaries
next Tuesday vote for a tuau
with a clean record and one
whom the party can elect after
he is nominated.
Ki.KL-rtnN of 1IXJ5.
A. It , Humphrey , county judge 1806
II. J. Shlnii , county Judge 17U !
Humphrey's majority 04
C U Letton , supreme Judge 1077
W O Hasting * , supreme Judge 1520
Letton's majority 448
Kl.tCOTION OK I9U7.
If M Pinckuey 704
1) U Hlchards ii7U
IMnckneys majority 3i5
A It Humphrey ' . ' 775
I. J Shliin 2iS4
Humphrey's majority 401
I V Kennedy 280a
C U lUchardson , -J32&
Kennedy's majority . . . . . . 537
* IS Pole . 2f6fl
U Morrow . 183'j
Cole's majority . 731
Jeo 1) ) Malr . 2872
UTOrr . am
Malr'i majority . 8.11
rt 11 Heese , supreme Judge . 2087
Q L Loomls , supreme judge . 1753
Heese'H majority . 035
-1 K VanAntwerp . uy i
M It Ljmb . i5in
VanAntwerp's majority . ii
KI , CION ; | OK 1SMJ.
Frank U. I'rout. Ally. Oen . 1827
JeUerson U. Uroady , Ally. Oen . 1571
I'rout's majority . " 53
A. U. Humphrey Co. Ally . 17M !
CHHolcoml ) . Co. Ally . KW8
Humphrey's majority . ioa
KI.UCI'iDN 01' IKI. (
Itocsevelt Uleclor , ( hlnUest ) . " (158 (
Parker KleUor , ( highest ) . i8 )
Majority . icoo
AKHumpreyCo Ally . 2 | l
A 1 * Johnson co. Ally . > | 7U
Johnson's majority . is
To the Republican Voleru :
When you go to lha polls lor tbe
primary next Tins Jay remember me
as a candidate for coroner
Kemember , also , tbai a live uui
does nol need an undertaker and a
dead man doea not need a doctor.
Remember , too , that wheu an in
quest is being held over a deac
body and tbe coroner and jury deem
an autopsy necessary the law saya
that two competent doctors shall be
called in and that the coroner can
not ba one of them BO that if tbe
coroner IB a doctor it will not save
the county any money.
money.L.
L. B. COI.E.
Thuraday evening witnessed a
moat gorgeous sunset. Tbe heavens
ens were brilliantly lighted , as if by
a great and awe inspiring cociUgra
tion. Crowds of people witnessed
the grand spectacle and no one
viewed it unmoved.
PURCELL MAKES
FREQUENT CHANGES.
Changes Politics Often llnougli to Keep
In Line for Legal Notices.
Brother Beal took occasion in
ast week's Beacon to ask Brother
Purcell of the Chief some ques-
ft fens concerning his attitude in
primary campaign. Brother
ccll politely side-stepped , re
fused to answer them , and sug
gested some questions that
should be answered by the editor
of the RWUIIUCAN. The sub
stance of these questions is taken
up in Judge Humphrey's com
munication printed in this issue
of the RWUUUCAN and are
answered in the Itui'UiJi.icAN's
reply to Mr. Humphrey.
In this connection it may be
interesting to refer to a few
> ages of Brother Purccll's politi
cal history. Brother Purcell
started his first Cnstcr county
JP vspaper in Merna. This was
r.t led the Merua record. It was
established in the latter part of
the ' 80's , when the county was
Republican and some of the old
settlers who are in a position to
enow say that the Mcrna Hecord
was considered to be a Republi
can paper.
Old settlers will remember that
the Populist party began the lat
ter part of the ' 80's and the early
90's to gain strength and prom-
scd to gain control of the
county. Brother Purcell estab-
ished the Chief in 1891 during
this period of change and he
seemed to be a little uncertain
just what the political complex
ion of the county was going to
_ > e so he started the piper as a
non-partisan paper.
The Populists continued to
gain strength and Bro. Purcell
saw that it would be advisable
Inancially to announce the Chief
as a Populist paper and in 1893 ,
after a conference in the Kealty
Block in whick II. II. Hyatt and
Jim Ilalland played a prominent
> art , Bro. Purcell came out as a
Dopulist paper and began pub-
ishing legals issued by the offi
cials in the county that were con-
rolled by the populists.
Emerson then became one of
he leading factors in the Popu-
fst councils along with the
'Big Four" in the Populist party
and was made chairman of the
Pop central committee. _
The Republicans , however , be-
jan to show signs of getting
back into the hat ness from 1896
to 1898 and Bro. Purcell seeing
that he was in danger of losing
the county legals began to show
indifference to the Populist in
terests. When the Republicans
began to get control of some of
the county offices that hand out
legals Bro. Purcell changed poli
tics again and again announced
his 1891 non-partisan doctrine so
that whether a Republican , a
Pop , or a Democrat was elected )
he could go up to the court
house and hold out an anxious
hand asking for legal notices. If
the county board is Republican
Emerson wants the legalH , if it
is Democratic he wants the
legals. It has been legals with
Emerson ever since he started
his Merna Record about twenty
years ago and he has made a
v cry good record as a legal get
ter. When the county is Repub
lican he wants to be a Republi
can , when its Pop he wants to
be a Pop and when it is uncer
tain which party controls the
legals he likes the word "non-
partisan" to appear at the top of
his paper.
Patrick Sexton , of Eddy-
yille , was taken before the insanity
board Wednesday and found to be
ineauo.
