Medford mail tribune., July 27, 1922, Page 7, Image 7

MKDFOTffl TmBWfi, MftDFORT). OU'KOOy. THURSDAY, .TUIiY '11. 1022
PAGE REVET
HE TO
UTH
ABOUT
PETITION SIGNERS GIVE
AFFIDAVITS
W
TOID
Several Taxpayers Who Signed Recall Because Told Sheriff
Terrill Aided Bootleggers and Had Named Dud Wolgamott
Deputy, Ask Names Be Stricken From Petition and Condemn
Recall Sentiment Against Recall of Terrill Growing.
la the securing of the petitions calling for Sheriff Terrill's recall
the worst campaign of slander ever started in a community was inau
gurated. The ones who had the petitions did not let the people judge
for themselves, but resorted to every possible means to get names.
We give here a few affidavits out of .hundreds we have secured to
bhow what the people who signed the recall say about the false pre
tenses used to secure their signatures. It is up to the real Americans
in the county to smash this thing and smash it hard.
COUNTY OP JACKSON, SS :
I, J. A. Miller, being first duly sworn, depose and say that I
fcigncd the petition now on file for the recall of Sheriff Terrill. I did
not sign it because of anything stated in the petition, but upon the
following representation made to me ly the person who circulated
the petition, to-wit: .
They represented to me that he had not done his duty in catching
of the various bootleggers in Jackson county and said that they
could prove the same assertion.
J. A. MILLER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 14th clay of July. 1922.
f II. E. CAMPBELL,
Notary Public for Oregon.
My commission empires June 8, 1924.
STATE OF OREGON,
COUNTY OP JACKSON, SS: ,
I, "W. E. Butler, being first duly, sworn, depose and say that I
signed the petition now on file for the recall of Sheriff Terrill. I
did not sign it beffHuse of anything stated in the petition, but upon
the following representation made to me by the person who cir
culated the petition, to-wit :
That Terrill was favoring bootleggers and not doing his duty.
Some he favored and some he prosecuted and that he had appointed
Wolgamott, the leading bootlegger, as a deputy sheriff, and was two
faced and a friend of every bootlegger. . W. E. BUTLER,
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of July, 1922.
E. D. BRIGGS,
Notary Public for Oregon.
STATE OP OREGON, .
COUNTY OF JACKSON, SS:
I, W. C. Daley, toeing first duly sworn, depose and say that I
signed the petition now on file for the recall of Sheriff Terrill. I
did not sign it because of anything stated in the petition, but up"on
Ihe following representation made to me by the person who circu
lated the petition, to-wit : . s
That C. E. Terrill was drunk at Talent and that the grand jury
had found he did not do his duty and condemned him.
W. C. DALEY,
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of July, 1922.
E. D. BRIGGS,
Trkf o Mr TiiVilin -Fnn Ciracrnn
r No Evidence Against Sheriff. -
As to the appointment of Dud Wolgamott as deputy sheriff, this
can be ascertained to be utterly false by an inspection of the records
of the sheriff 's office. That th sheriff sells bootleg whiskey is but
another link in the chain of gossip and slander that would be almost
mmla rt nnfino if if wno nnf fnr flip flftsirlnmiR mAnnnr in whieh
the tale is being circulated. Under the control of the county court is
a corps of law enforcement officers, the chief of whom is one of the
active workers seeking the .recall. Why have they no evidence of
such actions on the part for the sheriff f For the simple reason that
the sheriff has never given the slightest reason to any one to even be
suspected of breaking the law. To say that he refuses to perform the
duties of his office can be easily refuted by a reference to the re
ports and letters of the auditor of the state of Oregon complimenting
Sheriff Terrill year after year on the splendid manner in which his
accounts are kept and his work performed. Last year Jackson county
was one of the low counties of the state in the matter of uncollected
taxes. Taking each charge made by itself and examining it carefully,
you will find is unsupported by a scintilla of evidence. ,
THE RECALL WAS STARTED AND IS NOW CONDUCTED
BY THE KU KLUX KAN.
Some months ago an. effort was made to get Terrill to become a
member of the Ku Klux Klan. Ho refused to join. From that time on
he has been subjected to every manner of vilification. It was then de
cided by the klan in open lodge that the sheriff must be recalled. An
effort was made to get some other organization to sponscr the recall
so that the klan could not be blamed, but every step in the matter
shows that they are the moving spirit, the power behind the scenes
and the active agency in the movement. Loot at some of the facts
in the matter. Practically every affidavit made in regard to the
recall of the sheriff is being made by members of the klan. When
the petition was circulated, the most active workers securing names
were the kleagles of the kla'n and the leading members. The man
secured to run against the sheriff is one of the leaders of the Medford
klan. The men who watched the checking of the names at the court
house were members of the klan; the men-who swore to Lowe's pc-
(Continued
SHOWING THEY
FALSEHOODS
on next page.)
Klamath Falls Is
Told Ku Klux Worse
' Than 2 Courthouses
;j (' r'f rv
Mioafqrd business men ol high
standing hare yesterday said the
Ku Klux Klan tight in Medford
has divided the town into factions
engendering tt bitterness such as
was never : known !ln Klamath's
courthouse 'cimtoyersy. Even a,
fraternal order of highest stand-
ing was threatened with, dissolu-
Hon, they said. They express the
hope that Klamath would not per-
mit the virus of the hooded ofder
to spread in this community.
Klamath Herald.
TERRILL 0. K ED
BY MEDFORD
I
E. M. Wilson, Certified Public
Accountant, After Exami
nation of Sheriff's Office
February, 1922, Highly
Commended Methods of
Handling County Taxes.
The Citizens' Committee Is frankly
surprised. We supposed the recall
forces had something up their sleeve,
some evidence against Sheriff Terrill
so damaging and sensational, that all
question of the propriety of such dras
tic action would in the light of con
vincing evidence be removed.
But here it Is two days before the
election and absolutely nothing new
has been presented. We believe we
are correct in saying that every charge
against the sheriff, excepting, the
charges based on the Antle episode,
charges which are denied under oath
by both Mr. and Mrs. Antle whose
reputations for veracity the recall
workers have publicly upheld, have
been brought before the regular grand
juries and have been dismissed as un
worthy of serious action or serious
consideration.
We haven't the space or the inclina
tion to go Into these charges In detail,
most of them are too undignified and
peurile to even consider, but the most
serious ones, those of drunkenness and
giving aid to bootleggers, may be
taken as fair examples.
Three or four affidavits are present
ed to support the charge that the sher
iff was drunk at a certain Kingsbury
Springs dance. Read them over. He
was smoking a cigarette, his face was
flushed, his breath smelled of liquor,
etc., etc. And Sheriff Terrill has as
many affidavits from people at the
dance who will swear that he was per
fectly sober. s
What would you do if you were
called on a jury to consider such, a
charge? You would probably throw
all the affidavits out, both for and
against, and you would try to find out
from impartial sources whether or not
Charley Terrill has a reputation for
drunkenness or sobriety, what the
people who have lived near him for
thirty or forty years have to say.
And you would find there is not a
person In Jackson county who has
known Charley Terrill intimately for
any length of time who will not go on
the stand and swear, that he Is not a
drinking man, never has been a drink
ing man, and never has to their know
ledge been under the influence of
liquor. '
Now how about the evidence that
Sheriff Terrill has been aiding the
bootleggers. Take theAntle incident
again. Does anyone charge Antle with
being a bootlegger? The recall forces
themselves give him a good character.
Then how can anything the sheriff
may or may not have said to Antle
prove that he Hi working in with the
bootleggers? That Antle frame-up
would be thrown out of any court in
two minutes.
And the'only other evidence Is that
Terrill was seen walking arm In arm
with Shine Edwards somewhere, once
upon a time in California, and he also
once upon a time appointed Dud Wol
gamott his deputy.
' Oh, Piffle. In all seriousness, and
all partisanship aside, isn't this sort of
thing enough to turn an ostrich s stom
ach? Charley Terrill may have walked
with Shine arm in arm, who knows
and who cares! Charley is that kind.
He is a genial, smiling good fellow,
who would treat the worst criminal or
the best church member, In very much
the same way. But because of this
amiability, is there any evidence to
show that Sheriff Terrill has been
derelict in his duty toward Wolgamott
or Edwards or anyone else charged
with crime. Heaven only knows how
many times he has arrested and jailed
both these men, and if they are not in
jail now, that is not the sheriff's fault.
Look at the official record on file In
the county court regarding this ques
tion. Read Judge Colvlg's letter In
this issue and see what the records
EXPER
Sheriff Charley Terrill
1
-V', -
EX-SHERIFF OF
PRAISES .TERRILL
T. M. Word, ex-sheriff of Multno
mah county, Oregon, at the present
time special agent of the department
of justice of the government of the
United States, In an interview made
the following statements in regard to
the efficiency of Sheriff Charles E.
Terrill. He said that In his work
for the government he comes In con
tact with practically all of the sher
iffs throughout the state of Oregon
and many sheriffs in other states.
That he had been in this county on
many occasions in cases of while
slavery, theft of automobiles and
many other cases of different nature.
That Charles Terrill has always given
him all of the assistance possible.
That he had gone with him In the
night, through rain storms in the
winter and had shown himself to bo
efficient in every way and to bo a
hard worker and an energetic officer.
That in all the trips he has ever
made with Sheriff Terrill he has
never known him to take a single
drink of intoxicating liquor. That
had had always found him a very
busy man in the pursuit of bootleg
gers and other criminals.
That on one occasion in February,
1921, Sheriff Terrill went with him
as special agent for the government
after a man -who had transported a
woman from California to the state
of Oregon, the woman leaving her
husband and two small children.
That they drove into the hills as far
as possible In a machine and then
walked many miles Info the moun
tains, arrested the people and re
turned them to Jucksonvile. ' They
were afterwards removed to Port
land, the man convicted of the crime
and the woman returned to her hus
band and Children In Oakland,
California. That this was one of the
hardest and most disagreeable trips
that he had ever made with any sher
iff throughout the country, and that
he considers Sherlfi Terrill as good
an officer as any officer In the state of
Oregon, or any other state.
show regarding arrests for bootleg
ging.
And Just one word more. The chargo
has been made that the sheriff Is
extravagant. Do you know how they
get that startling sum. By adding the
expense of the speciul dry enforcement
officers, five thousand dollars a year
or more to the expenses of the sher
iff's office; And so on and so forth ad
nauseam.
But K. M. Wilson, the certified ac
countant, of this city, .who certainly
can't be accused of any particular bias
In this matter, after a complete audit
of Sheriff Terrill's books In his official
report, Feb. 23, 192J, commended the
sheriff's methods highly and had this
to say about his handling of taxeB:
"Accuracy of the work of the
sheriff In the Tax Department In
the collection of taxes totalling
$1,163,996.78, is commendable."
Why Keep up the farce? The truth
must be evident to any fair-minded
person. This recall would never have
been started if It had not been for the
Ku Klux Klan, which sensing the gen-
' ' ";K
I A
OF K. K.
There has been considerable In
formation srnttered about concern
ing Uhnrley Terrill, while amdavus
from hero, thoro and everywhere are
thicker than files.
But to date there has been abso
lutely no information regarding his
opponent, D. M. Lowe.
This seems hardly fair. The peo
ple when they go to the polls are
entitled to know just as much about
one candldute as the other.
To start the ball rolling we would
like- to ask Mr. Lowe it ho Is a mem
ber of the Ku Klux Klan, either as a
citizen of the Invisible Empire, or as
u Knight of tho Third Degree.
If he is, hasn't ho sworn to the
following oath?
"I Hivojir that I will keep se
cure to niyNo! u Hcci'ot of a
Klunsinnn, when snmo Is com
mitted to mo In snored bond of
Jilnn.sniunsliii tho ri'imo of
violating tills solemn oath, trea
son nffiiinst tho United States,
lHo anil malicious murder
nlonn excepted."
If he has sworn to that oath which
Is printed on pnge 76 of The Modern
Ku Klilx Klan, by former Kleagle
Henry JK Fry, wo believe it Is nearly
as much importance to the people
of Jackson county as that Sheriff
Terrill's face wag flushed at the
KingBbury Springs (lance.
For what does that oath mean? It
means that a good Kansman sheriff
would be honor bound not to proceed
against any fellow klansman, who
bud confessed a crime to him In the
sacred bond of Klansmanshlp, that
didn't Involve his oath as a Klans
man, treason, rape or malicious mur
der. There are still some people who
think the Ku Klux Klun Is a joke.
Does any citizen of Jackson county
consider that oath a Joke when
taken by a law enforcing officer of
this county? We hardly think so.
Let's hear from Mr. Lowe. Not
regarding his views of Mr. Terrill,
for everyono knows them, but re
garding his alleged membership In
the Ku Kfux Klap. ' ''
And If Mr. Lowo denies any Con
nection with this organization there
Is one more question. ''
Why if Mr. Lowe has no use for
the Ku Klux Klun, has the Ku Klux
Klan so much use for Mr. Lowe?
Why If hlB candidacy has nothing to
do with this Becret order, did the
Kleagles of the local Ku Klux Klan,
who are not residents of Jackson
county, who own no property or pay
no taxes in Jackson county, circulate
Mr. Lowe's petitions, and work night
and day to get the petition for the
recall of Sheriff Terrill properly
signed?
eral unpopularity of the county offlc-,
lals, and desiring to secure control
themselves, picked out Terrill as the
best bet and politically the weakest
man. .
Beat this recall! Squash this non
sense! Don't humiliate and disgrace a
perfectly innocent man! The play is
played out!
WHA
VICTORY
WOULD
IAN
1922 Grand Jury Threw
Out Drunk Charge Now
Being Used in Recall
Prosecuting Attorney Rawles Moore Makes Pubic Statement
Exoneratng Sheriff Terrill, Entirely Kingsbury Springs
Episode Thoroughly Investigated and Found Absolutely No
Justification for Action Against Sheriff.
A enmlid statement of the real truth regarding the attempt to
recall the sheriff of Jaekson enmity, and an explanation of the motives
that have brought about the present situation.
The Medford citizens who have prepared this statement have no
interest in the recall election other than that of seeing real justice
done to a faithful publie servant.
The facts in the proposed recall are as follows: Charles Terrill,
the sheriff of Jaekson county has served one term mid was elected in
1920 to serve an additional term. lie received at the 1920 election n
majority of over 11300 votes, lie was until n short time ago considered
by practically everyone in the county as a fearless, efficient and
honest official. Some months ago, a campaign of slander and innuendo
was started against the sheriff, resulting in the circulation of a recall
petition a few weeks ago.
For the purpose of giving every voter a real insight into tho
animus that started this deliberate attempt to blacken the character
of a life-long resident of Jackson county we will furnish evidence to
prove that every accusation against Charlie Terrill has been made out
of whole cloth, that tho recall is being backed by a notorious organi
zation desirous of securing control of the law enforcement body of the
county, that the record of Terrill while in office has been highly com
mendable and that he has now the endorsement of a large number of
the thoughtful business men and residents of the entire county.
What arc the accusations against the sheriff? First he is accused
of malfeasenco in office. An indefinite term that gives him no oppor-'
tuuity to reply. But after enough names have been secured on the
petition, a new campaign of libel and lies is broadcasted to the voters.
They are a'bout as follows : The sheriff tipped off a man by the name
of Antle at Lake Creek that ho was to be raided ; the sheriff threatened
to shoot a party by the name of Fleming; the sheriff was drunk at a
dauce at Kingsbury Springs; the sheriff lent a still to -a local club:
the sheriff made Dug Wolgamott deputy sheriff; the sheriff is selling
bootleg whiskey; tho sheriff refuses to perform his work. Some of
these statements are made in the form of anonymous circulars. Others
arc whispered on the street corners and over tho back yard fences.
Some have been answered and somo have not. We will take these ac
cusations one by one and show them to be false in every particular.
Did the Sheriff Tip Off Antle at Lake Creek?
The affidavit upon which this accusation is based states that
Antle is an honest and truthful man. We agree to this and submit the
following from Antle and his wife:
"STATE OF OREGON,
"COUNTY OF JACKSON: ss. .
"I, J. W. Antle, of Lake Creek, Oregon, boing first duly sworn, depose
and say that on the third day of July, 1922, S. B. Sandlfer, B. L. Moses, R. Ji
Schrader and J. H. Leggitt called at my place at Lake Creek, Oregon, and
stated they camo to search my place for intoxicating liquor. They never
hulf searched the place and I do not believe they would have found it. I
further depose and say that I made apppllcation for a permit for a dance
hall at Lake Creek and S. B. Sandlfer told me in regard to the dance hall
permit that it was being held up, but that the county court would do any
thing he told them to and that If I would pay J. H. Leggttt eight dollars
that he, Sandifer, would see that the dance was held and that J. H. Leggitt
would appear and be present at the dance. I further Btate that I paid the
said sum of eight dollars to J. II. Leggitt and that on July 4, 1922, J. H.
Leeeltt. did Rtnv nt Lnkn Crnnk dnrlnsr thn Hnnpn
v "J. W. ANTLE."
"Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of July, 1922.
'W. T. EDWARDS,
"Notary Public for Oregon.
"My commission expires Nov. 9, 1923.
ON. P. Seal of M. T. Edwards.)
Ix-Kgitt Affidavit False
"STATE OF OREOON, , v .
"COUNTY OF JACKSON: ss.
"I, J. W. Antle, of Lake Creek, Oregon, being first duly sworn, depose
and say that I never had any conversation with S. B. Sandlfer, B. L. Moses,
R. J. Schrader and J. II. Leggitt, Bworn to In the affidavit of J. H. Leggitt
published In the circular which was distributed about Medford, Oregon,
headed 'Going Some,' and that I never told the above parties referred to
that Sheriff Terrill tipped me off that my place was going to be searched
and I further swear that Sheriff Terrill never tipped me oft in regard to Bald
raid, and that the affidavit of J. II. Leggitt is false.
"J. W. ANTLE,
"Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th day of July, 1922.
"M. T. EDWARDS,
"Notary Public tor Oregon.
"My commission expires Nov. 9, 1923." . '. "
(N. P. Seal of M. T. Edwards.) . (
"STATE OF OREGON, . i
"COUNTY OF JACKSON: ss.
"I, Edyth M. Antle, being duly sworn, depose and say that I reside at
Lake Creek, Oregon, that I am the wife of J. W. Antle, that on July 3rd,
1922, I was present and heard the conversation that took place at the time
our home and store was searched, between J. W. Antle arid Sandlfer, Leggitt,
Moses and Jack Schrader, that at no time during said conversation did my
husband, J. W. Antle, say that Charles Terrill had tipped him oft that his
place would be searched. EDYTH E M. ANTLE.", .
"Subscribed and sworn to beforo me this 17th day of July, 1922,
"BENJAMIN F. LINDAS,
Notary Public for Oregon.
"CommlBslson expires Jan. 18, 1925." ' ., v"
(N. P. Seal Benjamin F. Lindas.)
Did the Sheriff Threaten to Shoot E. A. Fleming?
D. It. Hill in his nffidavit of June 28th states he heard C. E.
Terrill admit and reiterate his threat to shoot E. A. Fleming, a member
of the last grand jury.
This is the truth of the situation. Fleming was a member of tho
grand jury. Tho grand jury had indicted Elmer Simmons of boot
legging and C. E. Terrill had arrested him in California and brought
him back and put him in jail. After this had been done, E. A. Flem
ing who had been on the grand jury, and D. M. Lowe, the candidate
who wants the sheriff's office, came at midnight to Ibail the boot
legger out. Both signed his bond. In the course of the conversation
Terrill told Fleming that ho must stop prowling around the jail at
night as had been his habit for a long time, that conditions were such
that he feared an attempted jail delivery and that if he did not atop
this he might get shot. The sheriff was acting fully within his rights.
Thnt is all there is to the threat to shoot Fleming.
(Continued on next page.)
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