The County Democrat. (Tecumseh, Okla.), Vol. 22, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, July 28, 1916 Page: 1 of 10
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The County Democrat.
VOLUME 22
TECUMSEH. POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY. OKLAHOMA. FRIDAY. JULY 28, 1916
NUMBER 441.
Robison's Answer
To Clyde Pitman
Sheriff Romberg Issues Citizens Support
Statement To Voters
Jo i;iM week':* iwue of the County
Democrat there appeared an article sign
<*<i by a number of citizens of Potta-
watomie county, which I desire to an-
swer because I feel that it is due to the
men who signed it. ns well ns to myself
and my friends The citizens who sign-
ed it are non partisan as several of them
are republicans, but all are good citi-
zens and many of them 1 have regarded
for many years as among my best
friends. I fully approbate ami com-
mend their desire for good government
and for that reason wish to offer this
explanation and answer to the article.
1 know they have been mislead und mis-
informed else they would not have per-
mitted their names to be attached to
the article.
The matter of the salary increase com-
plained of was for the years 1909 and
1910. The increase for the County Sup
erintendents of the state was passed by
the legislature of 1909. It was passed
under the emergency clause aud went
into effect immediately. Any one in-
terested can take the session laws for
year 1909, page 109. of the Oklaho-
ma Legislature and see that that is true.
Attorney General '’lias. West ruled that
I lie legislative act was in operation un-
der the constitution. The salary was
fiom that time drawn by me and the
other County Superintendents of the
state.
The State Examiner's report in which
my term was cnecked up, also con-
tains the name of about 260 other citi-
zens of l’ottawatomie County whom the
Examiner thought got some money on
claims which he did not think legal.
The time for bringing suit on these
claims rnn out on the first Monday in
•lannnry, 1911. Every claim which the
Examiner listed was outlawed after that
• late. No suit brought by anyone could
have been sustained after that date.
Mr. Holt was County Attorney until
•Ian. 1, 191.1. Mr. Park Wyatt was his
first assistant. Then Mr. Kreeling was
County Attorney until January 1. 1915.
During the year 1911, and seven months
of 1914, Clyde Pitman was his first as-
The report was a political scheme to
start with, as every citizen of the conn
ty should know by this time. It was in-
tended to help u political faction of the
county to secure offices and beat anoth-
er set. It worked its purpose. It cost
t.,e county many thousands of dollars
and has not profited tha citizenship one
cent. It seems to me that one who hud
the opportunity to r'.force the law,
bring the suits, if any could be main-
tained, aud was under oath to do so,
and failed to do so, is, to say the least,
not a safe person to entrust with the
duties of the County Attorney’s office.
Those who received the amounts claim
ed, gave honest service for them, as l
did. The county received the services
and no one committed a moral wrong.
The matter was purely legal and if the
county suffers any disadvantage it whs
from lack of official integrity on the
part of the county attorney’s assistant
who failed to do his duty, if he believed
he had a duty to perform.
Now, in return for the attack which
has been made upon me. I could hand
Clyde Pitman a few packages, but it has
never been my policy to indulge in vit-
uperation or abuse in a campaign. I
ha\>' devoted my time during this cam-
paign to the duties of the office and
have had but little to do with the cam-
paign; certainly no more than would
reasonably be expected under the cir
cumstances. But I will say that if the
citizenship of Tecumseh and community
can view with out concern the prospect
Ol putting Clyde Pitman into the im
portnut office of County Attorney of
this county, after knowing him and his
i habits and manner of life for the Inst
| fifteen or twenty years, then many of
! us must be very much blinded by preju-
' -lice or we must have become calloused
to the best interests of our elves and
| community.
Whatever legal usefulness the Exam-
iners Report ever had is dead. It died
on the first day of January, 1914.
Clyde let it die. Its political usefulness
will live on so long ns good and substan-
tial citizens can be fooled by it, and
Clyde G. Pitman
sistant. All these gentlemen were under beguiled into voting for those who have
oath to protect the interests of the conn- no real merit of their own to offer.
Por fear that there might be some
people in the county who are not very
well acquainted with the record I have
made since January 1, 1915, when I as
sinned the duties of Sheriff of ^ Potta-
watomie county, I desire to state that
I have inudc during that time more than
600 arrests, 212 of which were for vio-
I'tion of the prohibition law. I have
made several trips out of the state to
secure fugitives and each time have
been successful in getting nr> man. At
no time have 1 made a trip nt the ex-
pense of the county for pleasure, ouch
time going on business, something that
has not always been done heretofore.
You will also remember that I was
successful in the capture of the Me
Comb bank robbers, getting most of
the money. The expenses of this capt
lire wns charged to the insurance com-
panies and not to the people of the
eounty. This is the first time in the ]
history of the county when a bank had
been robbed, the robliers captured and ■
the money recovered. I believe the I
people of the county will approve of
this charging of the expense of capture:
to the Insurance companies instead of [
to the county.
I have kept the gambling houses that
have been in the habit of running wide
open in different places in the county
closed up nil during my term. I have
repeatedly offered a reward of $100,00
to any one, I care not who lie is. who I
will show me a gambling house in the
county, and this offer was good all dur- |
ing the time I have been sheriff, und j
force H> closely aligned as his . To the Voters of Pottawatomie County:
lave a
family.
I feel that according to democratic
custom a public official who lias made
good is entitled to it second term, und
that from a reading of the above you
will agree that I have made good as
tlp'riff- of this eounty and should be
Jlynored with a reuoiniuatiou at the
hands of the Democratic voters of this
county at the primary eleetiou, Tues
dnv, August 1.
Very respectfully,
F. E. ROMBERG.
(Political Advertising.)
$ ® ® ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft
ty. None of them brought any suit
against me and very few suits of any
kind were brought. Mr. Froeling and
Mr. Pitman certainly knew that all
claims would be outlawed after the first
of January, 1914. Then Clyde either j deluded into signing it, i am.,
did not believe the suits were just or i Yours very respectfully,
else he violated his oath of offie.e, CLARENCE ROBISON,
(Political Advertising.
Trusting that this will not be regard
ed as more than necessary under the
circumstances, hut as a proper and reus
onablo answer to the real author of the
riticle and not to those who have been
The Law About County
Superintendent's Salary
The following is the law under which Clarence Robison drew the salary
which is objected to by- Mr. Pitman.
It was passed by the legislature almost unanimously, 154 members.
ft was signed by the Governor.
It was declared by the Attorneys General to be immediately operative, as
was the intent of the legislature.
Every County Superintendent of the State drew the salary since that date
until tl is gooil hour.
The fees objected to had been drawn for nearly twenty years in the terri-
tory. •
The objection is technical—purely.
What would you have done under the circumstances?
Will any good citizen let such a side issue cloud the situation?
Clarence Robison is not a candidate for anything.
Ch. 11.) COUNTY OFFICERS. 159
ARTICLE Tl.
County Superintendents—Salary and Expenses.
House Bill No. 210.
AN ACT to regulate salaries and expenses of county superintendents and de-
• daring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oklahoma:
Section 1. The county superintendent of public instruction of ohcii county
in this state shall receive an annual salary to be paid quarterly out of the county
treasury by order of the eounty commissioners, as follows:
In counties having a population of not over 10,000....................$ 800.00
In counties having a population over 10,000 ami not over 20,000........1,200.00
In counties having a population over 20,000 and not over 10,000........1,400.00
In counties having a population of over 10,000 and not over 40,000.......
In counties having a population of over 40,000......................1,800.00
In addition ta tiie annual salary', he shall receive one dollar for each school
visited within his jurisdiction, provided this shall not be construed to include
more than one visit in any school year. Up shall also receive not to exceed $150
per year for clerk hire, and in counties with a population of 25,000 or more ac-
cording to the federal census of 1907, may employ one clerk at a salary not to
exceed $50 per month to be paid in the same manner as eounty superintendents
are paid.
Section 1 (2 >. For the preservation of the public peace and safety an em-
ergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall be in full
force and effect from and after its passage and approval.
Approved March 24, 1909. (Political Advertising, i
is still good.
When a crime lias been committed I
have not only c«ptured*the criminals,
but have secured enough evidence
against them that they would enter a
pica of guilty rather than stand trial.
This lias been a (iig sSviug 1° the coun-
ty in the matter of boarding prisoners
between terms of court, and other ex
I lenses incident to their trial, as they
receive their sentence and arc then
taken to McAlcstcr or some otlipr state
institution. At no time has any rough,
or third degree means been used to
secure a plea of guilty. The evidence
has been secured and made so strong
that a conviction was absolute.
The reason I have worked so hard
to get picas of guilty is to save the
taxpayers the expense of long and cost-
ly trials and to leave the people at
li me with their own duties instead of
them being tied up in court. There has
been less eriminal courts siuee 1 have
been sheriff than at any time during!
the history of the county. To success- |
fully suppress violations of the law a .
sheriff must have the hearty co opera I
tion of the citizenship.
I have made a rule to not charge a
citizen of this county a reward in any I
case where one Iffis been offered, nor
will I allow my deputies to collect a i
reward from a citizen of this county.
My office has always worked with j
the other law enforcement officers of
this county and will continue to do so:
just as long as I am sheriff.
1 wish to state that the circular that
now being circulated against me is j
wholly false in every particular as will j
| be shown from the records in the office
of the County t'lerk. You will note1
that the dates used are from July 1st.!
1914. to July 1st. 1915. and July 1st. I
1915, to July 1st. 1916. You will also!
remember that 1 have been sheriff dur- .
ing the entire year of 1915 and that |
McColgau did not serve any part of
the year 1915. The reason I used Dink
Pierce’s administration as a compari-
son is because 1 think he was a great
sheriff and the reason I did not use
McC'olgan’s administration is because I
think lie is a fine man. but, as a sheriff,
he was a failure.
I diil not promise anybody that I
would not make the race for sheriff
this time, but will say that a person
deserting a true friend in time of need,
will certainly have some kind of ex-
cuse for doing so. I did not even so
much as promise any member of my
1,600.00 force a commission during the other
campaign, nor am l making any prom-
ises at this time except to FAITHFUL-
LY PERFORM MY DUTIES AS
SHERIFF OF POTTAWATOMIE
COUNTY. I will not resent any false-
hoods that have been put out against
me. I have lived in the county 25
years and believe 1 am well enough
known by the good citizenship of the
county to not need to apoligize for uiv
m utions.
A sheriff, to make a success, must
w
H. Smith
of Shawnee
Democrat Candidate for
CONGRESS
From this District'
Will Address the
citizens of
TECUMSEH
and vicinity
Friday, July
28th at
7:30 P. M.
A «liort time ago 26 of the mo*t Hab-
itant i a) citiaena of thin part of Mir couu
ty and the iiti«lor*igiici| MddreRm'd a pub
lie letter to the votem of this* rouuty
urging the election of Clyde fit man for
County Attorney und opposing the pren
ent County Attorney. Jn (hat letter
variotm rejtfinoN were net forth, one of
which wan the fact that Clarence Bob*-
non. Deputy County Attorney under the
present administration, owe* the eounty
♦ he sum of $1,070.00 which lie drew in
6XCMHI of bin legal salary while- serving
mb Don it t v Superintendent.
Kvery tax payer has been compelled
to dig down in his pocket and contri-
bute his share of tuxes toward this
excess charge.
The law uk to Robison’s liability was
not definitely settled until February 23.
19IS, about two months after the pres
ent County Attorney took office.
Friend and Robison may sav that Holt
or Kreeling should have brought suit
against Robison, but it does not seem
to us that their failure to do so could
excuse Friend, especially in view of the
Supreme Court's recent decision and in
view of the further fact that Friend was
deputy County Attorney under Holt and
as such brought suit against several
other eounty officers but did not sue
(tobison. We hereby venture our word
that if Clyde Pitman is elected County
Attorney, Clarence Robison will be
made to pay this money' back to the
people unless he hides behind the stat-
ute of limitations, a step no honest
•unn will take to defeat a debt.
The present County Attorney may al-
io say that the Statute of imitations
has run against this case but that could
uot lend to remove or lessen the bind-
ing moral obligation to pay back tills
$1,070.00 of the people's money to their
public treasury.
Again it may be said that Robison
hud the opinion of Attorney General
West stating that the claim was legal
sml that he had a right to this money.
If such contention should be made or if
uich an opinion was actually given, the
Supreme Court of Oklahoma has decided
inversely to such an opinion and that
Court’s holdings are the supreme law of
Lhe land.
The State Kxamiuers and Inspectors
it page 122 of their report have said:
1 Should it. be held by the courts that
he 1909 law did not become effective
os to the salaries of County Superintend-
ents; and that they could not take an
ncrease during their term in office, he
(Clarence Robison) should then pay in-
to the County Treasury the sum above
ilrown of $1,070.00, the amount which . , „ ,
, ,„„„ , .. ,. . ... ■ earlv tune. Would it not lie well for the
lie 1909 Ihwh in excess of the law m | • _ ... ,
■’ori'e at the time of his election, and
tv in particular, hu\r for some time
het'ii lmiking forward with much regard
to the million dollar payment to tha
H<'minole Indian*. It has Ween known
by these men that, the moneys .ecured
by the Meminole Indians would in ao
Huinll degree, both directly nail indirect
ly, not only flow through the various
channels of Shaw tree's trade and com
merer, but to n very appreciable extent
find its way into the uetual possession
of the people of Hhawnee and Potta
watomie County in their varied relation
ships.
There lias l«>en a good deal of speeti
lation lately regarding the delay of
some weeks in making this |iaymeut.
Hnturday evening there eaine n message
of n vert* disconcerting nature, hut
which nevertheless, explains the delay,
and whnt more, affords sueli informa-
tion that makes it incumbent on tbe
News Herald to give the facts to the
public, and to urge tlint steps Im> im
mediately taken to remedy what seems
a very serious situation. Tbe following
telegram to Honorable S, P. Kreeling,
Attorney General, from Mr. Henry A.
Larson, Chief Special Officer for the
Indian Departftient at Muskogee. Okla.,
who is in charge of this payment, is self
explanatory:
Mmkogoe, Okla.. July 17, 1916.
Hon. K. P. Kreeling, Attorney General, .
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In connection with preparations for
Seminole per cupita payment am ad-
vised main difficulty Seminole and Goal
counties due to liquors obtained from
Shawnee. From information at hand
believe this difficulty can be improved
by more vigorous enforcement State
laws at Shawnee. <'hii you not urge
County officers there to greater activity
during coming payment. We are anx
ions to have payment proceed promptly
nnd without liquor troubles and will ap-
preciate your co-operation. ’’
•• HENRY A. LARSON.”
‘‘Chief Special Officer.”
‘‘It is not meant Hint there be a dis
(Mission here whether or not Shawnee is
at this time wide open, or whether Hem
inole Indians, or other Indians, can at
will htiv intoxicating liquors in this
eit.v. It is sufficient to say that at this
time the Indian Depart merit believes
Shawnee is wide open to the Indians,
and, therefore, it is unsafe, under the
existing conditions to make payments
to them at this time.
‘In view of the above, the News-Her
aid deems it proper at this time to call
upon the County Attorney, the chief
prosecuting officer of Pottawatomie
County, to remedy this situation at an
Be Sure and
Hear Him
which amount was paid him by tiie
!County ns shown.”
Tiie Supreme Court of Oklahoma in
‘lie case of County Commissioners vs.
Mary I). Couch, County Superintendent,
in February 23rd, 1915, said:
‘ ‘ County Superintendent—Compensa-
tion—Increase During Term. At the.
time of tlie adoption of the Constitution,
the salary of the County Superintendent
•leeted nt that time, being fixed at
$1,200.00 per annum by section 18 of the
schedule, because of Article 23 para-
graph 10 of tiie Constitution, cannot lie
•hanged during his term of office, and
was not increased to $1,800.00 by Act
of March 24, 1909. The cause is ae
eordingly reversed, and judgment ren-
dered against the defendant for $1,071.-
12 over drawn by Mary D. Couch as sal-
a rv.-. ’ ’
The decision and the report above re-
ferred to may be read by any citizen
calling at the Tcctiinseh National Bank,
Tecumseh, Okla.
Another fact we urged against re-
electing tiie present County Attorney
was that he was not successfully en-
forcing the prohibition laws of the
State.
As evidence of the correctness of this
statement we desire to call attention to
the following news item which appeared
in the Shawnee-News-Herald on July
2»rd, 1916:
‘‘The people generally of this section, |
anil tiie business interests of this court-
business interests of Shawnee to tukir
instantly some steps toward remedying
an unsafe condition, and toward eon
vineing the Indian Department that the
Indians, when payment has been made,
will be afforded every protection at
Shawnee. It might even be well in
order to bring tliis condition about for
the people en masse, at a propery called
meeting, to ask the Attorney General
of this State to lend to Pottawatomie
County prosecuting officers to take the
initiative in relieving 2his situation, so
tluit when payment should be made tbe
government’s wards will be protected
by the law enforcement powers of this
eounty. ’ ’
When violations of the liquor laws
li ve become so flagrant that the Indian
Department of the United States Gov
eminent has found it necessary to call
on the Attorney General to suppress
liquor traffic in this county and the
business men of Shawnee are consider-
ing holding a mass meeting for the pur-
pose of asking the Attorney General to
send a prosecuting officer to Pottawato-
mie County to put a stop to bootlegg
ing, it seems self evident that the time
is at hand for a changp in the office of
County Attorney.
We remain,
Respectfully yours,
D. S. McAFKK.
Farmer, Wauette, Okla.. K. 2.
OSCAR WOOD.
Stockman. Maud, Oklahoma, v
(Political Advertising.)
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Vote for James P
Seay for Represents! /
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The County Democrat. (Tecumseh, Okla.), Vol. 22, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, July 28, 1916, newspaper, July 28, 1916; Tecumseh, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1078398/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.