Medford mail tribune., July 27, 1922, Page 8, Image 8

TWOE E TO ITT
MEDFORD MAITj TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREO OX. THURSDAY. JTTTiY 27. 1922
SOME REASONS 1Y LEADING CITIZENS ARE OPPOSING THE RECALL IF THE RECALL PETITION SIGNERS GIVE AFFIDAVITS
From 31 11 parts of the county, .intelligent, progressive meu auJ
women are semling in unsolicited statements urging the retention of
the Kheriff. We want yon to read them. Scores of others can be
shown to any one interested. The following are a specimen of what
we have received.
Terrill's Record Regarding Bootleggers
with consideration and sympathy. Sheriff Terrill's methods lessen
tragedy and help reform. As an officer in a difficult role, he is a
distinct asset to the community. Only by retaining goodinieu in office
and not by recalling them, can we hope to have good men run for public
positions. DELROY GETCHELL.
The Ku Klux Klan in Jackson county is making herculean efforts
to recall Sheriff Terrill. Its campaign is clandestined and com
pounded of whisperings and insinuations, of appeals to hate intol
erance and fear and unmitigated falsehool. It sows the seeds of dis
cord in every possible place and makes for division and turmoil. Their
attempt to recall the sheriff will be expensive, but what do they care,
the people will pay.
Having had an extensive experience in the courts of Jackson
eoiinty. having served the people three terms as their district attorney
and having a full knowledge of Hie work now imposed by law upon
the sheriffs office, I am prepared to sav that Charles E. Terrill has
been, and is. one of the most energetic sheriffs that Jackson county
ever had. He has caused the arrest and brought before the bar of
justice more persons charged with bootlegging than any sheriff which
1his county has ever had. I will call attention to only a few cases, and
those only that have been filed in the office of Judge Glen 0. Taylor of
Medford, I not having access to the books of other justices of the
peace in the county.
Many Bootleggers Arrested
He arrested A. E. Lloyd and Elmer Cox Jan. 19th, 1921, charged
with bootlegging. They were admitted to bail in the sum of .frlOO
which they forfeited and the county treasurer was that much gainer.
January 15th, 1921. he arrested A. Stewart and E. Hill, charged with
violation of the prohibition laws. They were admitted to bail in the
sum of $ jOO, which they forfeited and the county treasurer was that
much gainer. June 1st, 1921, he arrested J"aelc Mayhan, arrested for
drunkenness, fined $20; November 24th, 1919, M. Zanon, arrested for
violation of the prohibition law, fined $20; May 13th, 1922, Eva
Pierce, charged with possessing booze, sentenced to 15 days' imprison
ment and a fine of $50; February 24th, 1922, Preston Phillips, arrested
with still and mash in his possession under a search warrant; June 21st
1922, Ernest S. Wolgamott, charged with' bootlegging, held before
grand jury ; June 13th, 1922, John Doe, charged with possessing
liquor, fined $25'; August 29th, 1921, Hazelton, arrested for
drunkenness, fined $15 and paid; August 10th, 1921, Lewis and
Ilonsley, charged with manufacturing intoxicating liquor, held to the
grand jury ; Juno 20th, .1921, John Doe, arrested for drunkenness,
fined $15; Juno 20th, 1921, John Doe, arrested for drunkenness, fined
.$15; Juno 20th, 1921, John. Doe, arrested for drunkenness, fined $15;
June 18th, 1921, John Wullin, arrested for being drunk and disorderly,
admitted to bad in the sum of $25, bail forfeited.
The foregoing list contains only a few of the many persons arrested
by the sheriff for violation of tho prohibition laws. The public should
.understand that the sheriff cannot give his entire attention, to tho en
forcement of the liquor laws. Mr. Sandifer is paid by the people about
$;,000 a year, and he has nothing else to do except to look after these
matters, but the sheriff must colloet and handle many thousands of
dollars of tax money paid in and through his office. He must serve
papers of every kind that are issued by the various courts of Jackson
county ; he must hold public sales of property sold under mortgage fore
closure or otherwise; he must arrest all offenders of the law for what
ever crime they may be charged ; he must attend upon the courts of the
county. His office is a public institution and I can confidently say that
it is well managed by Mr. Terrill. Tho intent of the recall is simply to
have the arresting powers of the county in the hands of the Ku Klux
Klan. Very respectfully submitted,
WM, M. COLVflG.
What a Veteran of the World War Says
To the People of Jackson County:
I am opposed to the recall of Sheriff Terrill for these reasons:
1st. The reasons set forth by the proponents of the recall are
puerile. There is no evidence upon which to base the campaign of
whispering and slander that has been conducted against a well
known citizen of the county who is now serving his second term as
sheriff. The affidavits that have been circulated against him can be
shown to be either wholly incorrect, or based on half truths which
are more misleading than statements that are entirely false.
2nd. The expense to the county is therefore without a shadow of
excuse.
3nd. The recall originated with the Ku Klux Klan, and I am
opposed to that organization as I am opposed to any organization that
attempts secret control over our social and political affairs. For those
good people who desire to be informed of the character of the Klan
I suggest perusal of the expose of the Xcw York "World, an article in
the Atlantic Monthly for July, the daily papers on the Los Angele:
affair, the New York Times of last Monday, containing the charges of
a loyal Klansman as to the graft in the organization. All these
things show the true character of the organization to any man who
examines the facts intelligently and without prejudice.
The fanatic, the crook, the man with unworthy selfish purposes
to servo, personal or political, will always be with us,' and is of
course making full use of the Klan to forward his plans.
These people we can disregard ; the danger to the'eommunity lies
in the large body of good citizens who take the Klan propaganda at
face value and support it with their influence and money.
Every good citizen of this county should ask himself this question :
WHAT HAS THE KLAN DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY?
If lie or she answers that question honestly there can be but one
answer : After many years absence I came back to this county two
years ago to live. "Yhy? Because it is a beautiful, smiling country
side, inhabited by white Americans, had no race problems, no indus
trial problems no problems at all, except for its free white Ameri
can inhabitants to live in peace with their neighbors and earn a living.
What is the situation now. The community is split wide open,
filled with suspicion, distrust, gossip, slander, secret meetings,
threats.
And this situation is known to and has its effect upon the outside
world. And it hurts us in a material way. We need people and cap
ital to develop our great latent resources.
Does any sane man think that we are going to get them- if' this
situation is allowed to continue? The answer is plain to any man
who is not blinded by passion and prejudice. If the situation, which
s entirely tho result of the organization of the Medford chapter of
the Ku Klux Klan is to be corrected, the good citizens of this county
must arouse themselves and cast their ballots in favor of breaking
the hold which the Klan has obtained, and is endeavoring bv this re-
ii a- i ji
cuii, iu e&iuuu in mis community.
Medford, July 25th, 1922. GORDON VOORHIES.
WIN
S
OTHERS
FOLLOW
The Only Way to Stop This
Wrangling and Discord,
Which Is Injuring Jackson
County Very Sefiously in a
Business Way Is 'to Defea
Recall Now.
What a Large Property Owner Says
What a Promminent Banker Says
Sheriff Charles E. Terrill is an ideal officer. He is at once fearless
and kindly ; and us law enforcement should be remedial as well as puni
tive, it would be difficult indeed to find a man better qualified for the
position he fills. Non-resisting men accused of crime should be treated
us human beings when arrested ; and when convicted should be treated
E TO LOSE
SHERIFF DECLARE
Citizens Committee for Justice and Economy,
Medford, Oregon.
Gentlemen: I note that an effort is being made to have a recall
election ,with the idea on the part of the recallers to oust the present
sheriff.
I regret exceedingly to see this action taken as I consider it very
detrimental to the best interests of the community. The expense of
tins recall election appears to me entirely unwarranted, and the whole
tiling most unwise, and I sincerely hope that it will not carry.
Very truly yours,
REGINALD II. PARSONS,
July 24th, 1922. Pres. Hillcrest Orchard Company.
Citizens' Committee Gives the
Reason Why Sending Sher
iff Terrill Out of Office Now
Would Result in Handing
Over Control of County to
Ku Klux Klan.
A Citizens' commlttoe, tunned fol
lowing- tho announcement of Clov
cror Hon W. Olcott, instructing the
attorney general of tho state, of Ore
gon to proceed with the prosecution
of outrages committed In Jackson
rmnty during the punt four months,
faiaiied ft strttoment mid started the
rfrculutlon of n petition appealing to
aft rltivnn to i-onlst tho proponed re
call Ol (.'hnriff Chnrles K. Tori-Ill mid
forcing ihooo who hud siKiied to with
Arm Ihelr name from tho recall
tlWfui Mt on re.
Th (rtMeroenl sets forth "Unit the
fiw mr not only open, hut are
wfy Mi the law Is Adequate to
ima' h situation," If guilty of any
Af ftinr rhr filed sgulnHt hltn by
eW0 ol atotslu.
. Til ftMMmetil Is ns follows:
ft th nKn''ement of tho filing
( ift ptUm in rwnll HherUf Ter
tlil, Cifivrrtm' r-omrnlttee was or
Hr,vr4 hrt rsMt to nnrty af
flHistloff r4 N Imuph this statement
in It" lrsW tti (h vMers.
Thrs In n x-rlon for pees II. If
thuriff n hn derelict In hit
duty, h ft rmvd by tl gov '
ornor, ns has been dona In the past.
If ho is guilty of malfcasanco in of
fice, he can be prosecuted. If ono
third of tho whispered stories told in
circulating the petition, no mention
of which appears in tho petition It
self, are true, the courts are not only
open, but ore ready, and the law is
adequate, to reach tho situation.
For several months past If has heon
generally known that the activities of
a certain organization In Jackson
county were tho suboct of federal in
vestigation, nnd since May 2nd, it has
been quite generally known that the
attorney general of the United
States has requested a stato investi
gation, and proscution In these mat
ters.
It Is known that several of the
members of tho police force nnd
other officers In one of the nrlnriiml
cities of Jackson county are mem-
ners or this secret society. It is also
known that constables nnd other
peace officers of vaWoua communities
In the county are members of this
order.
The removal of the sheriff nt this
time would give a socloty organlred
tor depriving citizens of their consti
tutional rights n free hand to do with
citizens what they would. No call for
help or aid to n law enforcement of
ficer would bo heard.
Iiurlng tho last session of the
grand Jury un effort was made by a
member of tho grand Jury, who is
reliably reputed to he a member of
this secret society mentioned, to com
pel the sheriff "to divulge the names
of such deputies ns he had annotated
for the public protection nnd for the
investigation of certain outrages
charged to this secret organization.
The disclosure of this information
would have rendered these deputies
subject to being called in ambush at
any time of the night, and would
hnvo rendered tho sheriff practically
helpless In case of a serious emer
gency. ,
In the event that tho T'nlted States
Tovernment and the attorney general
(or Oregon succeed in obtaining In- ,
dlctmev.ta for local outrages and I
prosecutions should follow, additional
Jurors may be required to he chosen
from tho body of the county by the
dierlff. under the direction of the
ourt. It would b most unfortunate
If, at that time, the sheriff, should be
a member of this secret organization
on trial.
It is time for people to think. If
this society Is Innocent of the wrongs
charged, that fact will legally de
velop: but It is no time for tljose who
will be defendants in tho event of nn
Indictment, to" attempt to further tie
tho hands of the law, so that Justice
may be "rendered impossible.
Wo appeal o nil good citizens to do
whntever can be done by them in
resisting this recall.
(Signed)
CITIZEN'S' COMMITTEE FOR JUS
TICE AND ECONOMY.
To the voters of Jackson county
Oreeon:
We regard the attempted recall of
Sheriff Terrill ns unjust to him nnd
as a serious mistake on the part of
those signing the petition. The peti
tion Is so indefinite as to give a pub
lie officer no opportunity to meet it.
Those circulating the petition did not
confine themselves to the allegations
of the petition, but made all kinds
of extravagant charges, crentlng
situation difficult, if not impossible,
to fairly meet.
To hold an election within twenty
days, based upon these Indefinite
charges, but in fact influenced by
malicious mis-statements, is mani
festly unfair. It is a time when the
people of the community ought to
be working together. Instead of being
pulled apart by political dissension.
culminating In a special election held
for that purpose. Such an election
will be an unnecessary expense and
nn additional burden to tho taxpay
ers, and no reasonable cause or ex
cuse exists therefor. And it is rea
sonable to suppose that numerous
damage actions will result from the
present situation, entailing additional
expense upon the taxpayers and cre
ating discord and III feeling among
the people.
Recall Only for
An Emergency
The recall Is an emergency meas
ure. It should never be used except
In an emergency. To employ the re
call whenever a few politicians want
to get Jobs held by someone else, or
when a disgruntled minority, want to
pumsn some official who has opr
posed them, means to discredit the
measure entirely, nnd ultimately de
stroy its effectiveness.
That Is why there is such strong
sentiment ngainst Invoking the recall
unless conditions are supremely criti
cal, for whatever tho result, there Is
always great Injury to the commu
nity. In the present instance no such
emergency exists. There is much less
bootlegging in Jackson county than
there was a year ago. Two of the
most notorious bootleggers have re
cently boon envicted and sentenced,
one has left Oregon and the other
will in all llklihood, soon be serving
his prison sentence. There Is no
good reason for not allowing Sheriff
Terrill to finish out his term to which
he was duly elected by nn over
whelming majority. He is and has
been doing well.
Moreover, If public officers are to
be made subject to tho recall for
every trivial mistake they may make,
it will soon be impossible to get any
self-respecting man to run for nny
office. It is hard enough now. Uut
if a community Is to support a recall
on nny pretext, only undesirables can
be persuaded to run for any public
office.
A well kown eastern Jurist recently
said: "A public official legally elect
ed by a vote of tho people who is so
derelict In his duty ns to deserve o
be recalled, deserves to be put In Jail.
Only actual wrong doing in office
should Justify the recoil. At any rate
no recall should be instituted, in my
opinion, not ncompanied by an in
dictment."
Now all the charges against Sheriff
Terrill In this campaign except one
or two have been presented to some
grand Jury and every grand Jury,
even the one which crlttcl-d Sheriff
Terrill and Prosecuting Attorney
liawles Moore, refused to hand down
an indictment.
Isn't that sufficient evidence to nny
mpartinl voter that the remit of
Sheriff Terrill la not warranted and
should. In the Interest of tho entire
community, be defeated. ,
The only way to stop this need
less strife and dissension, this
hack alley poster peddling and in
sufferable scandal mongering is
first beat this recall against Sher
iff Terrill.
If this recall wins, it will be but
a rain drop to the deluge that
will follow. Jackson county "will
be torn by a series of recalls last
ing from now until Christmas.
1 The Ku Klux Klan will take a fa
vorable vote as public common
elation for their part in the recall
and will go after other officials
on the list. Chaos will reign in
definitely.
On the other hand if the re
call, which never should have
been started, is defeated, there
will bo some chance of clearing
up the general mess and return
ing Medford and Jackson county
to normalcy..
If there were no other reason
for beating this recall, this condi
tion would be sufficient.- But
there are other reasons. In spite
of tho affidavits flooding the
country-side, there hasn't been
the slightest convincing evidence
produced to justify the recall of
Charley Terrill. For every af fa-
davit condemning him, there have
been affadavits upholding him.
and the fair minded citizen en
deavoring to find the truth in
this maze of contradiction, has
given up the task as a hopeless
job, and found relief to his feci
ings by cursing out everyone and
everything connected with ini
tiating the ridiculous perform
ance.
"Why continue the futile farce
Why not end it once and for all
by keeping Charley Terrill wher
he is, and serving notice in em
phatic terms that imported
trouble-makers have outlived
their welcome in Jackson county
SHOWING THEY WERE TOLD FALSEHOOD
(Continued from preceding page)
tition were klan members. The attorney who is now here watching
ever the legal moves iu the recall is the attorney for the klan. The
reason for the klan seeking this office is not hard to find. The of
fice of the sheriff is the chief law enforcement body of the county.
This organization was seeking to take the law in its own hands, and is
now under investigation 'by the special grand jury for alleged out
rages. If it could get the office of the sheriff it .would have the in
side track to stop prosecution,-or to know in advance of every move
that was being made for the protection of the people. This is one of
the real motives behind the recall. If the citizens of this county want
justice .for every one, they must on no condition, tolerate the hand
ing over to this organization of the law enforcement body of the
county.
Terrill Has Been an Efficient Officer.
The present sheriff served one -term. The people were thoroughly
satisfied and elected him at a fair election to serve another term. He
was elected by a heavy majority. He was thought to be an able man,
a fearless officer and enforcing the law without fear or favor, lie
enforced the prohibition law without fuss or excitement and had
Jackson county and the cities in It as clean and free from crime as
any in the stato. His record at the police court, which is open to
any one will show that he has brought thousands of dollars into the
county by prosecuting relentlessly the bootleggers and moonshiners.
He has, however, in addition to this work of enforcing the law, count
less other duties. He collects taxes, keeps the records for the use of
the people, hunts criminals for outside authorities, has charge of the
jail and the prisoners, issues the suhpoeneas and serves thousands of
court papers during the year. His office is the most difficult and
complicated in its working oT any in the county. ,
And yet with this multiplicity of work, with a large office force
and heavy expense account we find that for the year 1921 it cost to
run the entire office, including extra work placed on this office by
the county court, the sum of $19,851. G9. This is the actual cost.
The charge is made that he spends too much money. But wait.
A special law enforcement officer is appointed by the county court.
He is now on a long vacation. He looks after the enforcement of the
prohibition law. And what did he draw. The records show that S.
B. Sandifer and wife drew in eleven months about $7000. The whole
sheriff's office drew $19,000, less about $5000 paid in by lawyers for
the service of papers, or $14,000, while Sandifer, alone for his work,
drew from the taxpayers of the county one-half of the total charge of
the sheriff's office. And this is the man helping the recall and trying
to oust the sheriff because of the amount of money it is costing the
county. I ' '
Are the taxpayers of the county to put up with this sort of work
much longer?
AGAINST RECALL
WASJPILEO
Not to Obstruct Justice, But to
Give Sheriff Opportunity to
Meet Definite Charges In
stead of Vague Accusations
Against fclim, With No De
fense Possible.
The Injunction asKed by the Citi-
zemr committee againest the recall
was not started to obstruct justice.
It was not started to win, on a tech
nicality. The committee feels that
if placed before the voters in the
proper light that Terrill would be
elected by an overwhelming majority.
Hut in the interest of real justice, it
thought it right to compel the par
ties who nre charplnff tne sheriff
with certain offenses that they be
compelled to specify tho charges
against him. The committee felt
that if it permitted this thins to
happen in this case it might happen
in any case. No man would be tafc
in taking office if any disgruntled
element in tho " population could,
without nny charges, compel the office-holder
to be constantly defend
ing himself at an election.
The object of the recall Is to sub
stitute a Jury of nil the voters for
a Jury of twelve. The object of the
petition is to take the place of the
formal charges of an indictment. The
object of the 25 per cent of the
voters to sign is to substitute them
for the grand Jury. Uut the object
of th new lnw is the same ns the
old. The object is to charge a man
with a crime or nn offense of suf
ficient majmitude to remove him
from office. Jf this had been done
in the proper manner no objection
would hav been made. Tho election
1922 GRAND JURY THREW OUT DRUNK
CHARGE NOW BEING USED IN RECALL
(Continued trom preceding page)
Was the Sheriff Intoxicated at Kingsbury Springs?
t This charge is founded on au affidavit 'by Wilbur P. Jordan. It
contains not a single positive statement, but is carefully worded to
carry the impression that Terrill was intoxicated and not at the same
time make the one who swore to it liable to perjury.
"We submit the following affidavits in regard to this matter from
tw,o citizens of Jackson count- whose integrity and honesty cannot be
questioned.
"STATE OP OREGON,
"COUNTY OF JACKSON: S3.
"I, A. D. Helms, after being duly sworn, depose and say: That I am
tax payer and legal voter within Jacksoti county, Oregon, re-
mat l was present at a dance at Kingsbury Springs
TerrllU
t
a citizen
siding at Kingsbury
every night, including night of Dec. 3, 1921, and saw Sheriff C. E
there at that time and talked with him; that I know of my own personal
knowledge that there was no odor of any intoxicating liquor of any kind
on his breath and that he was neither drunk or intoxicated and had not
been drinking at all: that I have never seen said Sheriff C. E. Terrill'take
a drink or use intoxicating liquor of any kind although I have known him
for 40 years. A. D. HELMS.
"Subscribed and sworn to berore me this 22nd day of Julv, 1922.
"BENJAMIN F. LINDAS,
"Notary Public for Oregon.
"My commission expires January IS, 1925."
(N. P. Seal Banjamin F. Lindas.)
"STATE OF OREGON,
'COUNTY OF JACKSON: ss.
I, Mary J. Helms, after first being duly sworn, depose and sav: T am
a tax payer and legal voter within Jackson county, Oregon, residing at
Kingsuury springs; mat i was at tne uauee at Kingsbury Springs everv"
night, including night of Dec. 3, 1921, and saw C. E. Terrill. sheriff, at
those times and talked with him: that I know to my personal knowledge he
was not intoxicated, naa no appearance ot drinking and was not acting In
a drunken manner. I have never seen him drink intoxicating liquor and
have known him 30 years. MARY J. HELMS."
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 22nd day of July, 1922
"BENJAMIN F. LINDAS,
"Notary Public for Oregon.
"My commission expires January IS, 1925."
(X. P. Seal of Benjamin L. Lindas.
Ill further corroboration of these affidavits we submit the fol-j
lowing statement from Rawles Moore, the district attorney for Jackson
county.
"I saw the charge that Sheriff Terrill was Intoxicated nf a Amn ot
Kingsbury Springs last December, fully investigated by the grand jury in
February, 1922, which undoubtedly would have indicted him had the
charge been made out. No indictment was found by the grand jury. In
fact, the evidence produced at the request of the grand jurv itself caused
the charge to fall flat. RAWLES MOORE
'District Attorney "
would have been held without pro-
teat. But to charge a man in a vngue
and uncertain 'way of things he can
not possibly answer and force him to
stand trial on it is a rank miscarriage
of justice. -
Even this might have been over
looked by the committee had it not
been for the fact that the commit
tee discovered that this vagueness
was prearranged: was part of the
plot to seize the office at the sheriff.
This vagueness of charges did not
come about accidentty. or because of
ignorance, but on account of deep
design. They have had the best legal
advice obtainable; they have had
ample money to prepare the best
jvwiMe way and the only reason that
they -did not want to follow the law
n this case Is because they thought
no people or Jarkson county were
asleep and that they would be able
have the election over with he.
tore the iraud wag discovered. .
Tho reason that we know It was
part of the plot is as soon as the
signatures were secured from un
known sources came affidavits by tho
score' charging the sheriff with every
imaginable thing. They had these
affidavits Tieforo tne. petition was cir
culated. Why were they not put in
the petition? They wanted to with
hold them for the last minute so that
no answer could be made, so that
no answer could be gotten to the
people and so that Terrill could be
ousted without tho semblance of a
trial.
ft was to stop such tactics as this
that the Injunction was filed.
As stated In open court, the. sheriff
is willing to stipulate tbnt he will so
before the people without objection if
they will charge hltn with any ac
tions in a way definite enough to
be answered and mot.
(Paid Advertisement)
j it