Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 26, 1891, Page 11

JOSEPITEDGERTONAT THE BAR e Negleots a Meagre Practice in His Quest for Office, IMPOSED UPON A CLIENT, flow HE As an Assistant County Prosccutor $e Defends a Criminal in Viola- tion of His Sacred Oath ot Ofic J. W. Edgerton, indepondent candidate for thoe suprema court, located in South Omaha in the full of 1887, Previously ho had hved 1 Stromsburg, where he practiced law with fnditfercnt suc He rented quarters in Hunvs block o corner of Twenty- pixth and streets, The town was thon undor village organization, Tt was hard work for lawyers to make a Jiving, and it was especially bhard for a man Who lacked the magnetism aud the ability which arouso and command respect. He formed a partnership with John Grice, who seourcd most of the business done by the firm. Tne partnership, however did not thrive. It was & onesided affair. Qrice did nearly I the work gnd svent nearly all the money. He had lost caste in Edgerton's cyes. It was neces- sary for the latter to secure a more_reliable suubbing post to which to moor his bark and found nim in tho presou of his present artner. Ono of the partnor's duties is now, as it Fm been, to pav the rent. About & year ago ess, on he firm mov to Omaha, whers it is still ocated, although the greater partof that timo has been spent by Idgerton traversing tho state and hanging around the legisiature s onc of the alleged leaders of the inde- pendent party. Edgerton had been a republican but_had plvays failed to secure a nomination from that party. ¥'he party did not experieuce a crying desive for bis services and the great parristor leaped the barriers and landed in the Uniou Labor field. The law was not a paying venture and he accordingly looked around for a berth which would give him a Fogular income something which he needed yery badly. L HeGot an Ofice. South Omaha, atthe time was overrun with transients. Daily, numbers of these Woula be arrested. 1'he town was too dis- tant from Omahs and duties of the county attorney too ounerous to enable him to presccute all the minor state cases which originated in the former place. Edygerton bethought him it would be a good fdea 10 suggest the appointment of an assist- sut county attorney, whose duty should be to prosccute state cases at South Omala. The appointment dopend- ed upon the county commissioners, The latter were petitioned to appoint him, ). M. Hunt, Captain Cockrell and David An- ersop yielding to importuning, made the re- quest. ‘T'he prayer was granted and Eager- ton became an_employe of the county under & republican = county attorney Bt the munificent salary of §50 per month. Since that time, ISagerton has been more T less before the people, Ho has done so at is own solicitation and it 15 the prevailing 9 inion of those who kuow him best at o has on divers occasions sold out the ople whom the county paid bim to repre- ?:m ‘Ihis opinion would seem to find con- lusive attestation 1n the records of tho jus- Suu. the police and other courts into which he prosecution and the haudling of certain Dases carried him. Thore is not so much to be said of his ca- {oar asan altorney in private practice as here i3 of his conduct as assistant public fosccutor. This 1s perhaps because his pri- ato practice hus been so infinitesimal as to b6 almost unworthy of notice. Pocketed the Fees. a private character hero 1s one case of hich is readily recalled and vouched for by ho geatleman who was the yictim of Idger- ton’s peculiar method of doing . busi- ess. The former found it necessary o foreclose on two houses and lots which ero beinz occupied by purchasers who haa een long 1u default, Eagerton told his client that tha foreclos- fire would not cost much. In fact the oxpenses would be a fee of 815 and the gourt costs £.70. The latter amount was paid and foreclosure measures instituted. Eulumt. as alleged, is all that was done. No effort was made to push tho case, nd tho default- pR purchasers held possossion of ho property. One of them, in fact, muined in the house for a year and then Joft without paying a cent of “rent for the tme mentioned. That was notail. When he owner of the property went to look un he records of the foreclosure ho found that ho costs which ho had advanced to Edgerton ad not beon paid. He was then com- lled to pay them a second time. But atlast R:.v..u..:h the would-be supreme court justice ad ot oxplained to what use hoe had applied he money which had been given him to pay he costs of the suit. Dismissed a Murderous Prisoner. Three years ago, during the holidays, &:Ou o0 still occupled the chair of assistant unty attorne for o long timo ~ Oue night there was a band of convivial fevellers in Oscar Hill's saloou on I'wenty- sixth sireet between N and O streets, wong the party were Farmer Johuson, etor Potersen and ——Fredericksen. About 10 o'clock those men started for ome. Theie way lay over tho hills to the souiwest, Johnson’s being on Twenty-third streot near Q street, Frederickson’s home being in Brown park. The trio were walking in Indian file, Johnson in the lead. A sharp scroam and then o groan as from sowo one in pain reached Johnson's ears.The latter was somewhat in tho lead and hastily turned and ran back to his companions, avhom, at tho distance, he was unable to dis Yinguish in the darkuess. When be reached the spot whence the sound had vroceeded, Johnson discoyered Peterson on the ground groaning in agony, [7/th I'rederickson standiug above aud beat- ng him. Johnson endeavored to drive Frederickson Bway, when the latter pouncea upon bim and Witli & sbarp knife slashed him on the nose, causing about half an iuck of that organ to hang ounly by au very alight rtilago. Jonuson © then picked up a cane which had fallen to the ground iu the melee and with it was about to belabor Frederick- aen whon the lutter flod. Johnson helped Petersen to his fost and both wended thelr way 1o the furmer's home, Which was distant from the sceue only about {wo blocks. . Thero cavh discoyered the extent of his fnjuries. Johnson felt that ho was disfigured for lifo, bis nose being almost cut off and two Hngors being badly slashed Poterson was bieading terribly. fvero summoucd. Peterson's yero iu the hoad. They Of a number of Dbruises and @ wound which rmsed a section of scalp B8 largo as a horseshoe. T'he wounds were Gressed but for sometimo Potersen lay in a reciarious condition und Johuson was™ also Inoapacitated. The two parts of bis nose Woro rounited by mesms of stitches. Feeliug ran high aguinst Frodericksen, al ough it wits unknown what hud occusioned 0 nssauit. ‘T'he trio were apparently on ROod terms when they left the saloon and the fight had not been anticipated by Joho- son. Some peoplo believed that the at- tack wus promeditated on Petorsen, though others diffored fromthew. Noverthe- 4ags, tho people demanded that tho ussailant prosccuted. Fredericksen was of course rrested, and it was expected that Edgerton ho, us has been stated,was assistant county ttorney, would respeot the wishes of tho Peoplo and prosecuta the case. Ao prelimiuary hearing was hold befora Fdage iRouther, who was then presiding over Rhe polica court. Tho surprise of the populace may be Imagined. therefore, when the representative f the county prosecutor, Eidgerton, instead of ppearing for the state and indirectly in Doctors injuries cousisted favor of those who had been cut, appeared in | balf of the man who had done the cutting. n other words, fustead of prosecuting he Alded in defending the bloody assailant. 'He lu aided by bis partuer, Grice, ana both d‘ Al they ‘oould o bave their clieat ac- uittod One theory advanced by the defenso was bat the assault was unpremeditated on the rt of Fredericksen and that bhe had simply tod in self-defeuse. It was also UKLt to be shown that Johnson's © had been ocut off bty & pouter's swall square, wad that the s me instrument had aised the clrcular pieco of scalp off Petersen’s head, Drs, Glasgow and Kirkpatrick, however, were subpoenned and ftestified ' that the wounds in question could not have been made by 8o blunt an instrument aud one of that peculiar shape, Judge Reuther thought the ease was too important to by decided in his court and held the accused to the next term of the district court Worse Yet. Several months later, Johnson oalled on F'rank Moores, clerk of the district court, aad asked when tho case would be called, and his surprise may be imagined when the clerk informed him that the case against Frederickson haa boen dismissed! When this announcement was made in South Omaha, the peoplo became graatly incansed, They considered it, however, as a method of payment adopted by Edgerton, who had violuted the law in defending an assailant, and still further violatod it by dismissing the charge against him. But this fact might have been anticipated, bocause tho day after the preliminary hoar- ing, Grice and Edgerton wont around South Omiaha endeavoring to sell a mortgage which Fredericksen had given tbem as security for their claim against bim for defending them before Judge Reuther. Would “Work" the Chuarch. Meontion has been made of Edgerton’s con- nection with the South Omaha Methodist Episcopal chureh, Hoe nas been a prominent member of the organization, With some of his ofcial acts, however, 1t may be presumed that all the members of his society are not familiar, and one of these acts, which is vouched for by compotent witnesses, is described as follow; “T'iree years ago, South Omaha was a boom- ing town. Money was plenty and real estato ruled high. Among those who desired to avail them- selves of the reigning prices was the church society 1 question: It owned two lots on the northeast covuer of N and Twenty-third streots. On one of these it had erected a primitive church. It aimed to dispose of somo of its realty and, with the proceeds, grade the lot amd orect'a more modern and ornate temple. The object was a laudable one and the society has boan successful in attain- ing it, though® the mercenary scheme which Edgerton devised has had nothing to do with the undertaking. When the socicty decided to dispose of its property or part of it, the sale was entrusted to idgerton. He approached a well known real estato man of South Omaha and asked him how much the church lot, with the small building which was then upon it, was worth, Tho real estate man saia he thought he could get £2,400 for 1t. This declavation caused Edgerton to open his oyes with surprise and to smile with satis- faction. “Do you want mo to sell the property? asked the agent. dgerton said that he did, wost certtinly. ““Well, sad”’ the agent, “if you wish me to soll the property you must give me written authority. I don’t want to have the trounle of hunting a purchaser, making a salo aud then find that the church won't sell or that some other person has disposed of the prop- erty.” Accordingly, Edgarton sat down and wrote this authorizatio “I hereby authorize ——— to sell tho lots — in the city of South Omaha, the same being located at the northeast corner of N and Tiwenty-third streets and owned by the South Omaba Methodist Episcopal church, [Signed| J. W, Bborrtos, Truste Thus far, everything appeared all right, but when the question of terms was raisod Edgerton said: . “If you can get acustomer for §2,400 you buy ihe lots yoursell for either §1,400 or 81,500 and then “you aud 1 will divide the dif- ference between us and give your purchase price for the lots.” ‘Tho roal ostate agent did not find a pur- chaser for the lots. If ho iad both ho and Idgerton would have divided from 2500 to $1,000 between them, ‘Tho agent might per- haps have claimed a fair commission but what amount soover of thesale went to Mr. Kdgor- ton would have been just 50 much out of the church soclety, a_circumstauce concorning which ho proposed to keep his peoplo in tho ark. Edgorton is still a trustee of tho South Omaha Methodist IZ piscopul chureh. Bleeding the Graders. The .n0st important of the earliest public improvements ever undertaken by the city of South Omaha was the gradiog of the principal thoroughfares of that town. Among those streets were Twenty-fourth from the north city limits to Q streét. The rading on this thoroughfare was done un- der contract by P. Egan & Co., who received £,214.01; Pritchett, $2,625.12;" Daniel Cash, $2,452.13; Twenty-sixth street from Q to J., IR, R, Stewart, $6,346.02; Twenty-fifth stroet from Wyman to I, John Condon _and Daniel Cash, $1,905.99; N stroot from Tientieth to Twenty-seventh, C. H. Pritchott, 3,077, In round figures, the cost of this 1mprovemont was considerably over 850,000, The above contract ligures represent only the cost of the work as assessed against iho city. Tho same amount was assessed against the pro- perty owners. The oxpenso was paid by warrants issued against the oity and against abutting property. The city’s money camo out of the general fund, in which it had boen placed some time previously. The work had boen ordered by the council d tho orderiug was not without some crit” icism. 1t was held to be illegal for a number of reasons. [t was claimed to bo unnecessary, excessive and entirely too expensive, moro especially as the law limited the amount which should be expended yearly in public improvements. Some of the leading property holders, while opposea to the extravagance, ullowed tho worlk to go on until it seemed that city and taxpayers alike would e bauk- rupted. Tu the light of recent events there is no one who will deny that the undertaking was illegal. Mayor Sloane, speaking on the sub- ject a few days ago, said “Wo all adimit now the work was perhaps notaccording to law. But then wo wore young. Our people didn’t exactly know what the law was or how to live up to it. But the ity has _been benofitted, property has ap- preciated and the town looks a great deal liko one with push and energy." The work progressed, and at length opposition was encountered in the suapo of an injunction, 10 vestrain the city from paying the con- tractors for the grading they had done. Tuis injunction occasioned the greatest excitoment in Soutk Omaha. An indigna tion meeting was held, and it has sinco been assorted that the graders proposed to nang some of the men who had sought the in- junction. It was argued that the grading, i illegal in quantity, hud then beon alwost comploted; that the graders bad done their work and should be paid forit, and finally that the city had been benefited, cveu if tho benefit was an expensive one. The injunction was filed by Edgerton and ou of the men at whose instance tho action was taken, gave him §2.50 with which to pay for the filing. Edgerton was ulso wiven u cortain othor sum to pay for the issuing of cortain papers in the caso. Wuen the indiguation moeting was held, it had a perceptiblo effect upon some of tho men who had poti- tioned for the injunction. They withdrew their names. Those who did not at first consent to_the withdrawal of the suit were approached by Edgerton so to do. He claimed that they had gained their point in having & certain understauding as regards the manner in which the work was w0 be paid for, sud that they could withdraw with credit to themselves. ~ He promised to refund them the movey they bhad already advanced in tho case, aud that he would thou bave the matter dismissed by tho courts. To this sbowing the pstitioners mado no objection. Iu the meantime, however, Edgerion bhad beeu awong the graders and told them that the injunction hud cost bim a large sum of woney and tuat it could noy be withdrawn uiless ho was reimbursed. The fact of the matter was that kidgerton had not incurred one cent's expenso and Lhis story was caiou- lated to spur the men who bad already done their work to get up & purse for Edgerton in order that tney might secure their half of the $14,000 in the work before he kot a cont of it. 1f he should now be cut out of part of it it would make a pauperof him. Ho cannot afford to turn a deaf ear to KEdger- ton's story, no matter bow untrutnful 1t may be. Nelther could the other coatract- ors, B0 they got togother snd agreed to pay dgerton $250 to remiove the suit. Tn this manner the injupction was withdrawo Spaaking on this subject tho other day, ono of the contractors said 4 Yes, Edgerton was paid, I think, §20 to OMAH toward It. iy share," “Why did John L. Miles pay your share" “‘Well, ho tock all the warrants and 1t was from time to time we received the money, be- cause he discounted (he warrants.” ———s RoiiaI0US, John L. Miles, the banker, pald The hymn “Coromation” was written by Oliver Holden at Charleston, Mass., nearly 100 years ago Mr. Spurgeon is spending his period of convalescence at Eastbourne, on the const of Sussex, England Thoe I[ndianapolis minister who has been predicting the end of the world in ten vears has been asked to resign his charge. Indiana people wish to postpone the heroaftor as long s possibl According to statistics propared by Rev. Frank Russell, secretary of the Prosbyterian Sunday School association of New ™ York, there are in the Sunday schools of the world 20,078,595 members, and moro than half of these are in tho United States. The Moravians are actively engaged in missic e 400 missionaries in active service. Ac cording to the Moravian manual there are members of that church. There are about 3,200,000 Presbyteriaus in Scotland. There are 1,650 places of worship in connection with the Church of Scotland, and in_counection with the Free and resbyterian church—in all 3,225, or moro than one church for each 1,000 of popu- lation, Now that the Georgia Episcopalians must try again to secure a bishop, it is thought that Dr. Cailor of Tennessce will again be chosen, though the Rev. Chauncey Williams of Augusta is also much talked of. The diocesan convention meots at Macon on November 11, The Episcopal bishop of Delaware took a walk of 375 miles, roughly clad and with no insignia of his business about him. Some people took him for the advance agent of & circus, others for a moonshine detective, others thought him a crook, and some drove him from their premises with dogs. 'Tho bishop thinks hoe has found several things out, chief among which is that a man isn't necessarily bad if he doesu't wear good clothes, T'he tirst woman ordained in America was a graduete of theology at Oberlin forty years ago. The statistics as to the full number of are somewhnt defective. iends has about 350, the rsalists about 85, the Disciples of Christ 43. The Free-Will Baptists, the Primitive Mothod; and ehe Protestant Mothodists have oraained women on a small scale. Among the Unitarians several women preachers have already become quite fwinous, e CONNUBIALITIES. Let him be dark as Ethiops are, The uot impossible He, Or fair as Norseman from afar, This son of Destiny. Let him be monstrous tail and spare, Who shall my heart control, Or even short and somewhat square, He yet shall own my soul. But, O sweet Cupid! let him bo No titled foreigu man, But ono of our nobilicy. A straight American | A “tough” tender—The offer of a slugger's hand 1 marriage. A feature of tho Portland (Ore.) exposition was tho marriage of two coupies in the pres- ence of 12,000. Tio parties are popular every- where. Saturday evening Eugene Hector of the Chicago Tribune and Miss Alta McNorton of Greencastle, Lud., were united in mavriago in Chicago. She—You say that my consenting to marry you has made vou very happy. He—Yes, You see what a simple thing it takes to make me happy. ‘The marriace of Miss daughter of General and Mrs. Alexander S. Webb, to Mr. George Parsons, will be one of the important of the November ceremonies in New York. At the old-fashioned, homelike residence of ox-Governor Bedle, frouting on Van Vorst park, Jersey City, on the evening of October 14, Miss Althea Randolph Bedle and Mr. Adolphe Rusch were married. One of the attractions at the Ottumwa (Towa) coal palace a night or two ago was a wedding. A marriage ceremony in a coal palace would seem to bo unpleasantly sug- gestive of coal bills—not one of the loast of the annoyances of domestic existence. She—You are not half as interesting as 1 thought you before we married. He—And you are not half as beautiful as I thougnt you. She—It's & good thing that neither of us has money enough to live apart, isn't 1t} He—Yes; we ought to congratulate our- selves, Novelists and poe! Boessie Webb, the will have to revise their rhapsodies on *“‘the leafy month of June” as the season wben lovers build bow- ers and woo the bymencal deity. The crown that June has so long worn as the wedding month has been transferred to autumn-hued October. The columns of the newspapers aro filled with accounts of society events in which a ring, two young people and a clergyman are the predominating features, A marriage and the death occurred in a Somerville (Mass.) howe on Tuesday last, ‘The groom was Mr. Louls D. Roilins of Brooklyn, N. Y., and his bride was Miss Kate E. Norcross. She was on her death bed at tho time, and ten hours afterward she was a corpse. Miss Noreross had been sick A week with pneumonia, and when 1t was known that she Lad not long live, her lover was summoned by telegraph and resched her bedside that night. ~When told that she could not recover, Miss Norcross insisted upon an immediato marriage. A marriage license was procured and as the church bells tolled the hour of 3 thu brief service was ended, and the bonds wera soaled which were soon to be broken. Then her will was drawn, ond, though sho was growing weaker she signod it with a mind perfectly clear and a hand which seemed to gain strength and steadiness for that special purpose. Tho will wis witnessea by the clergyman, the physician and an_attondant. It gives the most of hor prsperty, reported to bo worth not far from $100,000, to Mr. Rollins. The romainder goes to Charlston (Me.) academy. EDUCATION The money gifts to Columbia college last year amounted to §123,245, Twenty-five thousaud children are without schoolroom 1t New York city. A law school has been opened in connec tion with the University of Penusylvania. The students of Tehigh university have passed resolutions recommending the dis- continuance of the cane-rushing practice. J. Homer Wade, jr, of Cleveland has givon land valued at §5,000, near the park bearing his name, to the womans' college of the Westera Iteserve uuiversity, ‘I'he new Cornell library building, costing $50,000, was dedicated last week. Tho library has un endowment of §00,000, the rovenue of which is used in purchasing books. Several of the professors of the depart- ments of history, mathematics, philosophy and English literature at the University of California bave decided to introduce ual- versity extnsion loctures in San Fraucisco. A scholarship of $200 is offered by tho Vassar Studeats' Aid society to a studont who passes without conditions all the re. quir s for admission to tho freshman class of Vassar college at the examination to po hola 1o June, 1592, This scholarship, like that awarded by the society last June, is offered as a loan, and_covers one-half of all charges madoe by Vassar college for one year's board and tuition. Examiuatious will be neld in Chicago, Denver, Cleveland, Cin- cinnatl, St Louis, Washington, Louisville, Detroit, Omana, San Francisco, and if neces sary arrangements may be made for examina- tions in other localities. Applications for this scholarship must be made before April 1, 1502 B A Brave Woman It juts a Mob. “IRed Men' attacked the residence of William Rickey on Stave Run, W. Va., on a recent night and dragged Rickey from bed, threatening to whip him, Mrs. Rickey procured an ax and came to her husband’s rescue, and was doing good work, when one of the scoundrels drew his revolver and fired, the ball golug-through the woman’s wrist. This seemed to iufurlate her, and she fought all the harder, tinally putting the mob to flight. From the blood on the floor and road some of them must have been sevoraly wounded. Several arrests have been made, but there was not positive remove the swit, thoughi I am not sure as to | evidence enough to convict the prison the wmouat. I don't koow bow much I pad NEBRASKA, OCTOBER A MOST DAMNABLE RECORD. Joseph Edgerton at Stromsburg Duped and Sold Out His Olients, HE PREYS UPON A DESTITUTE WIDOW. He Put Up a Job to Confiden Honest Man Out of His Farm Lands—Unvarnished Facts. e an Stromsnrre, Neb., Oot 15.—[Spacial to Tug Bee.|—J. W, Edgoetton, the independ- ent aspirant for a soat op the bench of the supreme court, formerly tived in this village, and its residonts have the ivliest recollection of his career whilo here. Ho came to Stromsburg about 188%, and remained about five years, He posed as a lawyer, out in the five years he had only forty-three cases in the district court, An examina- tion of the records reveals a sories of failures and miscarriages that tell, an eloquent story of this ambitious lawyer’s professionel moth- ods and capacity. It is a fact which members of tho bar com- mont on as significant that in thirty-nino civil actions, Mr. Edgorton was attorney for the defondant in only six. He won only two of these suits, and the plaintiff got judgment in ono, The other three, for various reasons, wero dismissed. People familiar_with his career here ex- plain this fact with the intimation that he instigated n considerable numbor of the actions in which he figured. The record of the cases in which ho was attorney for tae plaintiff lends color to that inference. Mr. Kdgerton was such attorney in thirty- thres suits. Ho won a clean victory ia hon- ost, open coutest in two of them. In one of thase his client got judgment for 5 In five divorce cases defaults were taken, and in threo others divorces were granted at the plaintifl’s cost. Nine suits were dismissed at plaintifl’s cost and seven were_dismissod by agreement or stipulation. Two were stricken from tho docket and one dismissod on motion of the defendant. There wero two decrees against defendant by stipulation, and ono sut for $10,000 was settiod by Edger- ton for $100 without the knowledge of his client, During his five years in Pollc county Mr. Edgerton was engaged in four criminal cases, twice for plaintiff and twico for defendant, One Hung and the Other in the Py In the former, both of minor importance, the defendants pleaded guilty and were fined in nominal sums. One of the clients defended by Edgerton was hung and the other was sent to the penitentiary, Numerous stories aro in circulation here reflecting upon Mr. Edgerton's professioual conduct, and_personal honor, and thoy are vouched for by responsible persons who ex- press a ready willingness to back thoir state- ments with afidavits, One of the first of Mr. Edgerion’s undertakings after landing in Stromsburg was the drafting of a number of village ordinances. It 1s allezed that he omitted to provido these legal *‘dont’s" with penalties, and tho people who know him at- tribute 'the omission to his ignor- ance, rate it made him the laughing-stock of the community. anda the humor of the thing is not yet exhausted. Villainous Betrayal of Clients. Two cases in which Mr. Edgerton betrayed his clients will serve to show what manner of man and lawyer he was. In one instance he acted as the attornoy for W. A. Frawley in the purchase of a tract of land from Samuel Rutherford. Edgerton made out the deed and took Rutherford’s acknowledgement. The buyer paid the price agreed on and put tbe deed on recora. A foew months later Rutlierfora made a secoud deed to the same property, this time transferring it to Thomas Rutherford. The latter immediately mort- gaged tho land for $200 in favor of Edgerton. When Mr. Frawley learned of this remark- able transaction he interviewed Samuel Ruth- erford, who pleaded the buby act, saying that be was under age at the tifae of giving the first deed. but had roached$ his majority bo+ fore signing tho second® The young man was arrested on a charge of obtaining mouey under false pretenses and put under $1,000 bonds. Tutherford at once began begging for a settlement. Frawley had surmised that Edgerton was at the bottom of the affair, and ho was convinced when the latter ap- peared as the young man's attorney. Be- lieving that the lawyer had made a dupe of Rutherford for the sake of an atworney’s fee, the prosecutor agreed to settle the oaso. Thomas Rutherford gave him a quit claim deed to tho property and Edgorton released his morigage This is the case as Frawley knew it at the time, but Horace Putman throws a strong side light on the lawyer's scheme. After tho deal between Samuel Rutherford and Frawley was made, Edger- ton went to Mr. Putmai and said he had a deecd from Thomas Rutherford to Putman for this sawe piece of land. He wanted Putman to take the deed and put it on record. Mr. Putman naturally was surprised that a val- uable property should bo transferred to him without consideration and with no previous negotiation or understanding. The thing looked bad on the face of it, and he demanded an explanation, Edgerton's statement wus not satisfactory. Mr, Putman became satis- fied that it was a scheme to beat some one out of the land, and he declined to be a party to the trickery, although KEagerton assured him he *‘could get tho land.”’” Thaere can be no mistake about this, for Mr. Putman saw the deed and read it. Duped a Poor Widow. In another instance a_poor widow was the victim of Edgerton's duplicity. After con- siderablo begging on his part ho was em- ployed by Mrs. Kaspar Johnson in a svit against an Osceola saloonkeeper named Cole for §10,000 damages. It was alleged that Cole had sold liquor to tho plaintif’s hus- band and that while under the influenco of said liquor he was frozen to death. Murs. Johnson and Edgerton entered into a contract by which tne lattor bound himself to prosecate the case on a contingent fee of one-half and to pay all expenses. It was also agreed that neither should settle or dis- miss the case without tho consent of tho other. Several months later, however, Kd- gerton settled the case and dismissed the action, aud that, too, without the knowledge or consent of his client. Hesaid he had re- ceived 8100 1n settlement. When Mrs, Johnson was notified of this aciion and called at bis oftics, Edgerton put in a claim for §35 for expenses and insisted that it should be deducted from the $100 be- fore makiong a division, He said he had paid A.J. Sawyor of Lincoln §2 for preparing the potitiou and he reckoned the exnenses of his trip to Lincoln at $10. The contract was produced, ana after much parleying Edge tor. paid’ his client $30, tess tho court costs. Mrs. Johnson was not only a widow in poor circumstances at that time, but haa four smoll children dependent upon her for sup port. At the time of this mecting there were [resent, besides tae attorney and his client, ‘eter J. Anderson, N. P Monson and C. A. Johnson. Edgerton first proposed giving the widow about § When she refused to ac- cept 50 small an amount he called Mr Monson into bis private oMmce, and a the latter to betray the widow's inter- ests by advising her to accept Edgerton’s tender, Mr. Monson had befriended Mrs. Johuson, and spurned the contemptible prop osition. ' During these negotiations the law- yer made a great display of temper and used profane and vulgar language in the lady's prosence. ' He even want o far s to order Mr. Jonnson, her brother-in-law, to leave the oftice, Geutlemen acquainted \with the facts of Johnson’s death and familiug with legal pro- ceedings think the widow bad a very stroug case agalnst the liquor seligr, aud they ex- pressed great surprise that the suit should bave boeu settlod for so pitiful & sum, ‘These stories are not mere hearsay. Many of the statements may b verified by the public records, and the ottiers will be gladly Substantiated by sows of the pldost aud beet known citizens, wi -— SOME NOTED MEN, As Colonel William R. Morrison's teru: of service on the interstate Commerce Commis- sion expires in December, tha president will 8000 need to make three appotntments to that board Goveruor Boles of Iéwa is & broad shouldered man of 64 years. He has a ruday, smooth shavon face, & heariy manner snd & ploasing voice. He'ls a nativo of tho state of ‘ow York, and like the regulation poor boy 1891 —-SUPPLEMEN in_search of fortune started west with only a few cents in his pocket. Ten years ago Bernard Forst was_a clerk in & men’s furnishing goods store in Bradford, Pa. Ho dabbied in o1l speculation, gave him: self up to it, threw aside his legitimato busi- ness and is today a milliouaire. Forst is ono of the owners of the ‘*McDoaald gushor,’ which produces, it 13 said, #,500 worth of ol aday. Webstor Flanagan, who grow famous by asking one simplo little question, and is now the collector of the port of Kl Paso, is a small man of torid faco, blue eyes and browu hair, He is an excellent lawyer, a shrewd busiuess man and possessed of very engaging muuners, His father was a republican senator from Toxas. Charles H. Allen, the republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, is a youug man who affeots eye-glasses and dressos in the height of fashion, He is a favorite in society, His business is thatof aiumber dealor. President Dill, in jail for wrecking the Clearfield, Pa., bank, was formerly u preacher, but he left the ministry to go into financial matters on his marrying a wealthy woman. He should have stuck to his text. Parnell, it one may believe tho Boston Globe correspondent, loved and sought in marriage a Providence girl twenty yoars ago, but her stern father, a millionaire by the way, would not approve of the match, as the suitor was withouta calling, The Irishman’s affection wus reciprocated and the separation brought sorrow to two hearts. Sccretary Blaine is very proud of the suc- cess achioved by his eldest son, Emumons, who hus just been appointed assistant to the president of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, with general chargo of tho western depart- ment of tho road. Secretary Blaine hus never recovered from the shock of his son Walker's death, but his pride now enters in his cldest son. Rubenstein, the composer, is a man of strik- ing appearance, Ho has u massive head, broad brain, and heavy hair, in whicn thero is not a single gray thread, despite his ago— 62 years, Asagood feeder ho has few su periors, He speaks Eunglish fluently, and is always happy to meet Americans, Osman Pasha, the heco of Plevna, has been locuted as a sealer in the kitchen of the sul- tan of Turkey. His peculiar business is to seal all the dishes for the sultan’s table as soon as they are prepared, and_thus, securo against poison, they are carried into the dining room and the seals broken only in the sultan’s presence. Dr. Hayes Agnew of Philadelphia und Dr. Robert Reyburn of Washington are the only two physicians surviving of the notable staft of medical men who tried to save Gartield’s lifo. Dr. Reyburu took voluminous notes of the case und is prepariug to publish them. General Booth, the Salvation army com- mander, whose authority extends over 1,000, 000 soldiers, 15 a loose jointed aud rather uw ward man of mediam height. He is angular and ow chested, but the possessor, neyer- theless, of great physical vigor, His oyes are cing, and au_ iron gray baard n over his chest. His hands are lurge and remind the observer of the ty pi- cal horny hands of the son of toil. General Booth is now 62 old, and for forty years ho has been preaching the gospel. Ho 18 4 man of great earnestness and force, and seems entirely devoid of sham and protou- tiousness. —_—— Beecher at Seventeen. My first moeting with Henry Ward Beecher was in the early part of May, 1830. He was a classmate of a brother of mine, in Amherst college, and very close friends. The two were just o ut of their freshman year when, togother with another college classmate, they walked from Amherst to my father’s house at west Sutton for their spring vacation, writes Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher in the first paper on *‘Mr. Beecher as I Knew Him,” in the October Tad Home Journ- al. At that time young Boecher was not quite 17 years old, brt so young and boyish was his ap pearance that no one would have thought him more than 15—an age when boys are usually awkward and painfully bashful. For that reason my f might not be able to entertain or make the young man comfortable. But awlk- ward he never was, and his roguish mouth, his laughing, merry eyes, his uaint humor, and his quick reparteo soon dispelled all such anxiety. Before the first evening he spent at our houso had passed, none of the family felt him to be a stranger, My father was absent with some of his patients when the young men arvived, but returned 1n the evening when all were laughing heartily at some story Henry had just told. Father stood in the doorway—tall, dignified and some- what stern, at such a tumult. When aware of his presence, my hrother at once introduced his classmnts Little by little the same subtle influ- ences which had pervaded the whole evening’s enjoyment stole over fathor’s face, and long before it was time to v tire, they were tolling mirth-provoking stories as cheerfully as 1f they were boys together. When at longth tho *‘good nights” were exchanged I left father ana mother by the fire I made some prepu- rations for breakfast. As 1 returned to the room father was saying: “Well, he is smart! He'll make his mark in the world if he lives,” “Who, father?” I asked. “\Why, that young Beecher,” Such was Henry Ward Beecher when I first saw him; and, truth to tell, he was not remarkable for his beauty. e How He Illustrated His Position. He settled back in his easy chair, put his feet on a foot rvest, lit a cigar, and for five minutes let the smoke curl up around his head. He was a picture of comfort, suys the Chicago Tribune. Then his wife interrupted his medita- tions. “George, you're getting lazy, she said. He shook his head. “But when we were engaged,” she persisted, 'you were as active as any man I ever saw. Why, you were ul- ways getting up excursions, and you were the life of every party.-’ He puffed out a little whiff of smoke and nodded his acquiescence, **What's the matter?” she asked. He took another puff at his cigar and hen said: “Iiver see a man try tocateh a train? “Why, yes,” she replied in surprise. “Ever sce one rush on to the station platform just as the train seemed al- most gone?”’ “Jertainly T haye “Got a_pretty lively move on him, didn’t he?" “Why, yes; he ran the entire length of the platform as fast as hecould. But, George —"" “Yes, he just barely caught it. He—" “But he caught it?" “Of course he did. you’re straying Did he keep right on running? terrupted George. “Certuinly not. He settled down in a sont and made himself as comfortable as possible; got a palm leaf fan, and five minutes later seemed perfectly con- tented and happy.” Well?” Well, what of 1t?" “Do you expect me to keep on run ning?" But, George, - Time No Object. “By getting your icket over our line,” urged the traveling pussenger agent of the X., Y. and Z. railway, “'you will save sixteen hours’ time on the trip.” “On the A., B. and C. route," said the agent of the rival line, “you get 207 wiles more riding for the same money. " The agriculturalist from Hawcreek bought his ticket over the A., B. and C, route. g Drake's Magazine: A good Mar fs better cumpsny thun & truthful Wwau with sa lmped= Uuent 1a bis spocois amily feared wo | AS TO MR. EDGERTON? Joseph W. Edgorton first known in Nebraska fourteon years ago as 0 patent well borer in Furnas county. Becoming tired of boring holes in the ourth ho spent o brief time in an attor- noy’s office and blossomed out with a copy of the statutes, an abundance of surance and a tin sign as a lawyer, A short time aftorward hoe dis- covered as a republican office seeker in Polk county with an offico in Stroms- burg. Failing in his ambition theve in the republican ranks ho becams a rabid anti-monopolist, bocame was Six or soven years ago he drifted to outh Omaha and between real estato speculations and a salacy of $50 a inonth 8 city attorney he n ' to cke out an existence. The city council which elected him was democratic and Edgor ton had by this time again cnhanged his politi As city attorney and solicitor for a city council which plastered the young city with morteages, his record was discreditablo if not corrupt. Ho helped a disgracefully incompatent and corrupt city government to hide from public view some of the ugliest jobs ever verpetrated by a municipal administra- tion in this state, Aftor dropping out of his job in South Omaha he became a union lubor candi- date for something or another and then went back to the democracy to take a position as nssistant to the democratic county attornoy in criminal cases avis- ing in South Omaha. In due time ho joined the independ- and his vaulting ampition was gratified by a nomination for the office of attorney general. e was no more fit to become attorney general than e is to be a cardinal, e ran behind his tickot everywhere, and especially at homo, where he was best known. He could not carry South Omaha for justico of the poace. In face of a cloar majority of over 3,000 for George II. IMastings he united with the defeated prohibitionists in a baseless contest which cost the tu vayers of Nebraskaover $11,000, plunged the state into turmoil and contention. ents He signed and approved the contest papers in which the county in which he lives was malgned and slandered. Heo knew he had no right whatever to the office and no show of claim to it but there was a chance to disfrancl his, own people to his personal advantage and he se1zed upon it with that avidity for which he is notea when an office and a salary are sighted however dimly. The next thing that comes to him is a fat job in the lobby at the logislature, He remained on deck at the capital dur- ing the long sossion and he is credited with some very sly manipulations of stockyards bills and other measure Paul Vandorvoort was there for the telegraph and tolophone monopolies. He and Edgerton became bosom friends and Paul is now stumping the stato for him, The next turn in the wheel of this pol- itical weather cock pointed him toward the state capital as the independent candidate for justice of the supreme court. He has never had practice enough to make either a reputation as n lawyer oraliving. He is not in his oflice two hours a week. He is searcely known at the district bar. He has nover held a judicial office. He does not possess a single qualification for a judicial posi- tion. His election would debase our su- preme court and disgrace the state, This is the unvarnished truth. GETTING THEIR EXYES OPEN. The people of Nebraska are beginning to see the truo character of Mr. Joseph Edgerton, candidate of the independent party for associato justico of the su- preme court. Thoy are carefully mens- uring the mental and moral proportions of that individual and investigating his qualifications in the light of what he has accomplished during dozen years us a member of the legal profession. This is all that is required to insure the overwhelming defeat of this impudent aspirant for the highost judicial position in Nebraska. Itisonly necossary for any intelligent and fair-minded man to examine the record of Edgerton to be convinced of his utter unlitness to occupy any ju- dicial oflic, to say nothing of aseat on the supreme bench. That record is one of unbroken failure, furnishing evi- denco of intellectual inforiority and laci of both practical and professional qualifications that would make his pres- ent pretensions altogether ludicrous if they were not seriously backed by a considerable party. The simplo trujh regarding this presumptuous uspirant for a supreme judeeship is, that he knows almost nothing of law, that his general acquirements ave meugre, and that he is wholly without the judicial faculty. Edgerton is merely 1 very common placo member of the oluss of lawyers known to the shysters,” u term that touches the but- ton of depreeiatory characterization. As the people learn move of Mr, Ed- gerton his chuncos of clection grow less, There can be no doubt that he is stead- ily losing ground. The hope of his sup- porters that he will receive a large part of the democratic vote s tain to be disappointed. A ma- jority of the democratic voters of Nebraska are intelligent men who have as strong desire to maintain the character of the supreme court any other citizens, and thousands of them will sacrifice a possible paridsan advan- tage rather than vote to place on tho supreme bench an utterly unfit und un- worthy man. There are undoubtedly some democrats who will not thomselves to be influenced by any higher sontiment than hos- tility to the republican party, but there is excellent reason to believe that the number of such will be found to be very much smaller than the inde pendent supporters of Mr. Edgerton ex- pect. Itisnlsona very safe prediction that Edgerton will fall a good deal short of getting the full vote of the ind ent party. He falled to get it last year, when he was not well kuown as he is now, and acquaintanco with him and his record s fatal to vote making. It is to pre- sumed that there are men in that party, and the number is por- hapse not small, who havo too much independence and self-respect, aud too high a regard for tho judiciary profession ns cor- as allow pend- 50 be | of the state, to pormit thomselves to be whipped into the support of a man whose election to the supreme bench would subject Nebraska to the ridiculo and contempt of tho counwry, and could by no possibility result to the advantage of any intorest Thore are intol- ligent men in the independent ranks who must seo that the most in- jury that could be done their organia eloet to tho highost mun s conspleuously orton cducation as sorious tion would be to court in the stato unfit as Joseph I to the 1nd- rocord, almost will be Thero groator The campaign ¢ true charactor and qualifications of gerton will go His barren though it is, kept before public attontion, s no presont duty of Importance than this, And it can bo confidently asserted that the moro thorough tho inspection of Kdgorton the smaller he will appear. Of all blunders that hove been made by tho promoters of now political movemouts during the last year or two his nomina- tion for the supreme bench was the groatest, on as a candidate — OFFICE SEEKER EDGERTON and Lobs byist Vandervoort are awakening no ens thusiasm, As bosom friends thoy worked the legislature far more success- fully than they are now working the people. Legislators are more ensily bamboozled than the people who elect them. ALBERT M. POST is above suspicion as citizen, lawyer and judge. The tion press has sought in vain for a flaw in his record. Ho is gaining strongth overy day because the more his carecr is investigated the clearer becomes the truth that he will a credit to No- braska’s highest judicial tribunal, opposi- bo VANDERYOORT und Edgerton wera bosom frionds in the lobby of a legis- lature which appropriated half a million more than its most extravagant predo- cessor. They are bosom friends on the stump today and hey are engaged in the sume bamboozling business on a larger scale Shooting Story Which Took the Cake. I had an experience near Cheboygan last week w hich T would not go through again for several hundred dollars.” “What was it?" asked the crowd “T was out in the woods with a couple of friends shooting. You know that the game is not so plenty around that ro- ion it once was, and in default of deer or bear or other game which was worth the killing, we put in the after- bon shooting at a mark. A small picce of paper pinned to a tree about as far away as from here to Fort street was the muvk. One of my companions car- ried a small rifle, and it was his turn fivst. 1 was standing about twelvo foot from him. Just as he raised the rifle to his shoulder 1 turned my faco to him. He pulled the trigger, and us the report of J.e rifle rang out 1 felt a sharp blow onmy ear. [ clapped my hand to my ear in an instant und let out a yeil which would have done credit to a Comanche Indian, Both of my companions com- menced to laugh at me. Thoy thought [ wus jumping at the report of the rifle. But 1 assured them it was no laughing matter and that the bullet had bit me on the ear, ***Nonsense!” they all exclaimed in one breath. **‘Nonsense or not, gentlemen, T know that bullet hit me on tho ear,” replied I, and as I did so I took my hand down, expecting that they would find the ear all’ blood. The only thing they could see out of the way, however, was a dark red mark, but that was enough of a surpeise for them. At my instanceth ey searched in the leaves at my feet for tho bullet, and suve enough they found it. We then examined the treo and found that the bullet had hit a hard knot, leaving a small dent and re- bounded to whe I stood. Youd bet- ter believe | got ht out of the woods and next timo you catch mo in the vi cinity of a rvifle you can send me to a lunabic asylum. ~Why, if my fuce had been turned toward the tree [ would have got it vight in the e *Do you mean to suy that that mark was a block anda half away from you?” required one of tho auditors. ©1t was fully that:” “And that that bullet that distance and hit you in vhe “1 do. “Whew! real estate. One of the listeners to the restaurant man’s story was & certain interior de- corator whose work is to be seen in w large number of homes every day ‘I've got a story that beats that,” broke in ho. “Woll, out with it,” said tho tato ngent. The decorator began delibe ‘I was once shot in the back “You don't say?” suid the re; agent, 3 “Perhaps you'd like to bo again, And thoe entire nggregation, with the oxception of the Newspipsr reportor, dropped into a eool bascment and same pled the buttermilk. - How Journalists Aid Justice. Octobor Century: Another instance to illustrate this branch of tho subject presented itsell in Secretary Bristow’s able and erushing campalgn against the gigantic westorn whiskey ring. Fortu- nately, just before he undertook it, he discovered that the ciphor of the de- partment had been betrayed to members of this ring. 1t was impossible to fix tho responsibility, and this uncertninty caused both uneasiness and perplexity. The remedy dovised was to limit the knowleago of what was intended, an dof all preliminary movements. to tho sec vetary himself and his solicitor, Major Bluford Wilson It wils further agroed thut the dis- patches of the depnrtment, to and from St. Louls should puss iu an arbi- trary cipher prepared and held by two journalists, one in Washington and tho other in St Louis, and that uo copy of that cipher should be furnished 1o any one, not even 1o tho secretary or the solicitor. And so it came Lo piss that all orders nnd directions which were given by the Treasury department in vogard to proparations for surprising the whiskey ring at its worlk, and all infor- mation received by it from Sf. Louis up to the moment that the government was ready to make seizures, wore first sent to the journalists for translation and transmission in theiv cipher, Asa re sult, a ring of immense proportions and influence was brokoen, wmillions were ro- covered by the government, and other millions sived. Later in the cuse guilty men escaped because a president and cabinet ofcials did not observe confl- dence in regard to vital points of the goverument ovide as reboundod all w2 It’s no wonder you can soll real os- wely. 1 eslate co. Juwelers' C'reular: Poppinjay Noodlo bus a large bump of curiosity Msonby— Nover noticed it sppinjiy—But he has, though. Souwe time aKo hio bouzht n nickel elock guarantesd for & your, but 1t reaily ran ncourately for twe yeurs Ponsonby Poppinjiy—W 10 pleces 10 so - Young What of that? L ho hid to break the clook what wis tho matter with It