1009. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
177 
THE CHARACTER OF MELVIN BENEDICT. 
It was with increasing indignation that I read the 
account of the scurrilous attack credited to have been 
made by Dawley’s organ, The Country Gentleman, 
on the veracity of Melvin Benedict’s testimony in the 
famous Jersey cattle case. You so vividly portrayed 
the home life and environment under which he was 
reared that it awoke a long train of tender recollec¬ 
tions. If he has given false testimony then he is not 
true to his pedigree any more than Dawley’s alleged 
Jerseys. [Remember the influences of environment. 
—Eds.] T worked for his father in the capacity of 
milk peddler in 1890, when Melvin was a little curly- 
haired boy about five years old, I should think, and 
can vividly recall his little curly head bowed over his 
plate as his sainted father implored God’s grace. I 
saw that same father sacrifice his life in devotion to 
that family of five children, of whom Melvin was the 
oldest, and watched the boy manfully try to shoulder 
the burden his father laid down. My life work led 
me to Cortland Normal, and through many a deviating 
pathway since graduating from there, but have had 
the opportunity of visiting the widowed mother on 
two or three occasions at intervals of several years, 
and found the mother training up her children in the 
way their father would have had them go. I never 
found Melvin at home, but know that she considered 
Mr. Dawley her benefactor by giving Melvin employ¬ 
ment. It is enough to make a man’s blood boil to 
think of Dawley now trying to impeach his testimony. 
11 is case, T think, is getting desperate. Give him no 
quarter until he is brought to justice. Forgive this 
unsolicited letter, but I could not refrain from utter¬ 
ance. ROBERT S. WELCH. 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
INSTITUTE SPEAKERS ADVISE FREE USE 
OF WHITEWASH. 
At a recent farmers’ institute I privately asked one 
of the speakers a question about the Jersey cattle. 
“What Jersey cattle?” he asked. 
“The ones Mr. Dawley sold Mr. Rogers,” I replied. 
He at once inferred that I read The R. N.-Y., and 
said: “Oh, I know a litle about that, and all that ails 
TheR. N.-Y. is that Mr. Dawley gave The Country Gen¬ 
tleman a job of printing which The R. N.-Y. wanted.” 
About a year ago, in advising the free use of white¬ 
wash in the barns to cover various defects, an institute 
speaker said: “I keep a barrel mixed all the time for 
instant use.” I wonder if the Jersey cattle case got 
anything out of that barrel. Whitewash is great stuff 
to get on other things besides the stable: especially 
when put on with a powerful spray pump, and if the 
hose slips off the pump it would be apt to get on 
anything in the way, no matter if it were Mr. Dawley 
and the Jersey cattle. That bunch seems to be in the 
way to get whitewashed. Perhaps the hose has 
slipped off the pump (the Agricultural Department) 
and a big dose of whitewash accidentally (?) got on 
that bunch. I think the institute man of whom I 
asked the above question would not feel bad if it were 
just so. A. O. HINES. 
New York. 
R. N.-Y.—Here is a case where the papers do not 
fit the lie! Our new press began operations about 
January 1, 1908. Up to that time every bit of our 
printing was done by others, and everything now, ex¬ 
cept printing the paper, is done outside. We have 
never been in a position to do printing jobs for Mr. 
Dawley, never asked him for one, and would not have 
taken it if he had offered it. This institute speaker 
evidently lets the cat out of the bag, and explains 
the attitude of The Country Gentleman. No doubt 
Brother Tucker will tell the whole story when he 
answers that question put up to him last week. We 
suggest adding 50 per cent carbolic acid to that white¬ 
wash ! 
“CIVIL RIGHTS” IN THE CATTLE CASE. 
We are quite safe in saying that there never has 
been a purely farm question that has stirred up the 
interest and discussion which this Jersey cattle case 
is responsible for. All are interested in it. Here is 
a note from a little Massachusetts boy: 
I am a boy 10 years old. Grandpa Rives me a dollar 
to renew my subscription. Grandpa likes the way you 
stand up for Jersey cattle. 
In the same mail comes this note from a Jersey- 
man, with the money for three subscriptions: 
My first subscription to “Moore’s Rural New-Yorker” 
was. I think, 1858; lust rounding out 50 years, and your 
stand taken in the Dawley-A. J. C. C. case adds to my 
appreciation of It. e. l. bolx.es. 
That boy gets it right —“stand up for Jersey cattle!” 
The Country Gentleman tries to make out that we 
have injured the breed, but this 10-year-old boy knows 
if Mr. Tucker does not that the best friend the Jersey 
cow can have is one who will fight for her character 
and pedigree. A hired man working by the day in 
West Virginia offers to pay money out of his scanty 
wages to fight the suits in court. An eminent law¬ 
yer has offered his services free. A hard-working 
woman in Vermont wrote Governor Hughes and 
offers her mite, and a Kansas breeder says: “Draw 
on me for $25 whenever you need it.” It is all one 
way, for people see clearly just what there is at stake. 
Regiments of those who wrote Governor Hughes and 
received his circular are writing him again. Invaria¬ 
bly they receive the following: 
Dear Sir: Governor Hughes directs me to acknowledge 
the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant. He under¬ 
stands that the Dawley suit, to which reference was 
made In the letter previously sent you, will be tried within 
a few weeks. Any necessary departmental investigation 
will be had in due course, without partiality to any party, 
and without prejudice to the civil rights of either. 
Yours very truly. 
ROBERT H. FULLER, 
Secretary to the Governor. 
Many of them write the third in reply to this, and 
are prepared to write No. 4 and No. 5 if need be. 
They tell Governor Hughes that they care little about 
those Dawley suits, since they cannot settle the prin¬ 
ciple involved. 
As for any “departmental investigation” on January 
16 we put four definite charges against Mr. Dawley 
before Governor Hughes. Two of them have been 
printed—they refer to entries of cattle for prizes at 
the State Fair. Another referred to an alleged pay¬ 
ment of State money for a private purpose. The 
charges were simply referred to the Commissioner of 
Agriculture. Nothing further has been heard from 
them, though half an hour’s examination of the rec¬ 
ords would show the facts. It is admitted that Daw¬ 
ley exhibited the cattle and that other parties exhib¬ 
ited an animal which was in Dawlcy’s name on the 
A. J. C. C. records. Is a State official justified in do¬ 
ing that? In what possible way could a plain answer 
to that question prejudice any of Dawlcy’s “civil 
rights” or interfere with justice in his libel suits? 
Does Governor Hughes really imagine that the 
farmers cannot see that point? 
FROM A BREEDER’S STANDPOINT. 
I have been much interested in the now famous 
Rogcrs-Dawley controversy, as it affects every breeder 
of live stock indirectly. If the charges are true against 
a breeder holding the responsible position as Director 
of Farmers’ Institutes, what might we expect of the 
ordinary breeder? This affair has been thoroughly 
discussed in two of our agricultural papers for months, 
yet nothing definite has grown out of it. I say it 
affects every breeder from the fact that it causes sus¬ 
picion that all breeding associations might have 
breeders who are counterfeiting. I consider this a 
serious charge. Would it lie a greater fraud for a 
person to return bogus money for genuine than a bogus 
animal? I can see but little difference. It certainly 
would be fraud and deception and should be investi¬ 
gated. As a breeder I can see how every Jersey 
breeder who has individuals in his herd that trace in 
any way to Dawley’s breeding or transactions is sit¬ 
uated. How could a breeder conscientiously sell and 
transfer animals as purebred that trace to those sold 
Rogers by Dawley? While it affects Jersey breeders 
more than all others, it must be investigated in order 
to restore confidence to those interested in purebred 
stock. As it is a Jersey breeder who is accused it 
should be the A. J. C. C. to conduct a thorough inves¬ 
tigation from the very existence of Dawley as a 
breeder up to the present. It should not go back only 
two or three years. I would no sooner believe it the 
first offense of a breeder who sells bogus cattle in car¬ 
load lots than the first offense of a burglar who at¬ 
tempts to rob a bank by daylight. Begin an investi¬ 
gation at the bottom. Be thorough. Settle it forever. 
If the charges made are true every animal recorded 
that appears to be bogus should be removed off the 
A. J. C. C. records, including their progeny. This 
would put the Association beyond suspicion, and every 
A. J. C. C. breeder could look a purchaser in the face 
and say “My herd is strictly pure.” Why are they so 
slow to act? Is it possible that the most influential 
members of the Club have some of Dawley’s breeding 
in their herds, and do not care to show their hand, and 
live in hopes it will be dropped? I can see how Daw¬ 
ley is in position to make sales through his being con¬ 
nected with farmers’ institutes, as he is coming in 
contact with breeders all over the State personally, and 
all over the United States by way of advertisments. 
Let me illustrate: I want to purchase some Jerseys. 
I look over the advertisements. Here is one of John 
Doc. This does not signify so very much. But let 
us annex some official title. Now we read John Doe, 
Governor of New York State, or Director of Farmers’ 
Institutes of New York State. T would consider the 
official title of Governor annexed as a guarantee of 
the people of New York State, and of Director of 
Farmers’ Institutes as a guarantee from those who 
made the appointment that if l made a purchase the 
papers would fit the individuals. I have no doubt but 
what individuals bred by Dawley are scattered over a 
large territory, and would prove a serious loss to 
Jersey breeders if an investigation proved they were 
bogus. Yet I can see no other way. It is only jus¬ 
tice to one of our noted dairy breeds and her breeders. 
I was in hopes the Governor would take the matter 
up. If it does not come under his jurisdiction, who 
does it concern? It must be straightened out. The 
breeding interests of purebred stock are of too great 
importance to allow charges of so serious a nature to 
go unnoticed. It would encourage fraud and decep¬ 
tion. It would be an insult to every breeding associa¬ 
tion; a bar to every honorable breeder. Why hesitate? 
Do it now; investigate. If the A. J. C. C. will not, 
and the Governor cannot, and it must be done by 
some individual, I say it is “up to” honest breeders 
of live stock to contribute an amount sufficient to 
defray the expense of same. I should be pleased 
to head the list With a $5 subscription, and I am con¬ 
fident that many Jersey breeders who have hundreds 
of dollars invested in the breed would contribute many 
times this amount to have their herds placed beyond 
suspicion. Ayrshire breeder. 
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—As we have stated, Mr. F. B. Keeney, of 
the Executive Committee of the A. J. C. C., is now 
conducting a private investigation. He was instructed 
to look up the animals registered and transferred by 
Mr. Dawley during the last six years. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC—Foster M. Voorhees, ex-Governor of New 
Jersey, and Frank G. Combes were Indicted February 13 
by the special Grand Jury which has been investigating 
banking cases. Mr. Voorhees was president of the Hankers 
Life Insurance Company, which got into trouble two years 
or so ago, and Mr. Combes was secretary. Roth were in¬ 
dicted for perjury in submitting a false report to the 
State Superintendent of Insurance. The Investigation 
was taken up on the report of Superintendent of the 
Department of Insurance Kelsey, who called the attention 
of the District Attorney to the affairs of the company. 
Seventy-two men, representatives of all the 
classes of labor employed on the New Orleans river front, 
and who compose a union known as the Dock and Cotton 
Council, were indicted by the United States Grand Jury 
February 14 on the charge of conspiring to restrain trade 
in violation of the Sherman anti trust law. The indict¬ 
ments folowed the refusal of the Dock and Cotton Council 
to permit the Coal Wheelers’ Union to coal the steamer 
IIab!l. The agent of the 11 a b i I signed an agreement with 
tbe union, had bis vessel coaled, and then placed the 
matter in the hands of the United States District Attorney. 
. . . -’he flood at Pittsburg, I’a., subsided February 
15. Manufacturers estimate their loss at $2,500,006. 
In addition to this 30,000 men were temporarily out of 
employment. . . . County Judge Crumbaugh and nine 
tobacco buyers living at Eddyville, Kv.. were taken from 
their homes February 16 by 200 masked night raiders, 
stripped and bound to hitching posts in front of the 
Western Kentucky penitentiary and lashed until tbe ldood 
ran from their wounds. The night raiders then untied them 
and left them to dress themselves in a blinding snow¬ 
storm. The outlaws are supposed to have cone from 
Trigg County and are believed to lie the same persons who 
raided Hopkinsville and Dycusburg. The outrage is the 
boldest perpetrated in tlie dark tobacco district. It was to 
Punish Judge Crumbaugh for a recent speech made bv him 
in regard to the Dycusburg raid, in which he demanded 
an investigation. . . . San Francisco, aroused by the 
presence of bubonic plague, has begun a general cleaning 
jip movement. It is planned to exterminate rats, repair 
sewers that were broken by the earthquake and compel 
householders to observe the sanitary and garbage ordi¬ 
nances. This movement was inaugurated because of wide¬ 
spread reports that bubonic plague had found fertile! 
soil in San Francisco. It is admitted that there have 
been cases of plague and it is also admitted tint many 
rats infected with this disease have been caught. The 
cleaning up movement is in the hands of Dr. Rupert Blue, 
who was sent to San Francisco bv Surgeon-iienerir Wey- 
man, head of the United States Marine Hospital Service. 
Merchants held a general meeting and decided to sub¬ 
scribe $.>00,000 and employ 750 tnen for the sanitary 
work. This fund and these men are to be handled bv Dr. 
B'ue. • • • With 270 men captured in thirtv-two 
raids conducted by the State Police Department in its war 
against Black Hand bands that have been terrorizing the 
foreign population in various sections of Pennsvlvania 
the authorities count- on crushing them out before the 
operations can extend to Americans. For months the 
State policemen have been waging war on criminal gangs 
in tlie anthracite regions, where bands have been preying 
on credulous foreigners, but lateiv there have been signs 
of the terrorizing being extended to Northumberland 
County people of native birth. Policemen have also been 
Sent to Allegheny County, where threats were made 
against several prominent men, and special details will 
operate about Pittsburg for some time to come. Rv the 
wholesale arrests a large number of law-abiding foreigners 
will be free of extortion of money for some time. During 
the last year they received letters signed “Black Hand, 
threatening them with murder or having their homes 
burned unless they contributed money to agents of the 
outlaws. . . . Nearly dead from' thirst and with 
hardly strength enough to whisper, three refugees from 
the Emily Reed, which was wrecked February 14 at the 
mouth of the Nebalem River, Washington, drifted into 
Neah Ray, 200 miles from the scene of the wreck. Febru¬ 
ary 17, in a lifeboat and were rescued by the crew of 
the sloop Teckla. They had had no food since the Emily 
Reed went on the rocks. . . . The mixing house of 
the General Explosives Company, three miles from Dover, 
N. .T., blew up February 18. Three men were killed. 
They were Joseph Hough, 35 years old, of Dover, a mem¬ 
ber of the company, who leaves a widow and one child; 
Jeremiah Utter, 31 years old, of Snccasunna, who leaves 
a widow and four children, and James Kerera, 28 years 
old, of Marysville, who was unmarried and the only sup¬ 
port of a widowed mother. The building was reduced to 
kindling wood and the bodies of the men were blown to 
pieces. Train No. 3, known as the Lackawanna Limited, 
passing an eighth of a mile away, had all the windows 
blown out and several passengers were cut. . Flood 
damage was reported from Hazleton, Indiana, February 
15. Rain resembling a cloudburst in quantity fell for 15 
hours, causing the Wabash, White and Patoka rivers to 
rise rapidly, while every creek left its banks, damaging 
hundreds of acres of growing wheat and wrecking all 
manner of bridges, culverts and fences. The damage to 
growing Winter wheat will go above $200,000. In the 
neighborhood of Congress and Harvest creeks, in Pike 
County, water was standing from two to six feet deep over 
a large acreage, with dozens of houses, fences and sheds 
in driftwood. 
Chum Zen Chan, protegd of the Empress Dowager of 
China, and graduate of the College of Agriculture of the 
University of California with the class of 1907. has been 
made director of the agricultural experiment station at 
Mukden, Manchuria. Chan is engaged in a series of ex¬ 
periments to determine the suitability of California fruit 
trees in the Orient. 
FROM VERMONT TO OHIO. 
After having spent the greater part of three years in 
the New England States one returns to the land of corn, 
wheat, oats, beef and pork with a great many new and 
different ideas of economical farming instilled into his 
mind. The method used by our sturdy Yankee cousins 
in their practical economics, which they on their less fer¬ 
tile lands have been compelled to adopt, lends us aid 
in watching the leakage in a great many items that 
properous farmers farther West fail to notice, such ns 
feeding cattle and hogs. The amount of grain wasted in 
the haphazard way the average farmer feeds in mud, 
rain and snow alike Is considerable, while our eastern 
brother would feed in troughs and on the floor of an 
enclosed shed or pen. The milch cows of the average 
farmers ard roaming stalk fields, old meadows or the 
barnyard, while a great many have only the straw stack 
for stable. These things the practical man tries to 
some extent to improve on, but it is slow, as they have 
been raised up to it and they adopt modern methods slowly 
ns a rule. The Yankee, with his two hundred or more 
acres would fertilize IPs entire Spring crops with the 
leakage and waste of manure on the same sized farm In 
this immediate section. Mnnure pits are a tiling Hardly 
known here. The manure made this Fall, Winter and 
Spring lies in the mnnure yards or barnvards until next 
Fall, or until after harvest, before it is hauled on the 
fields. About all the farmers here haul on ground in¬ 
tended for corn the following Spring, scatter it or dump 
it in piles, more do the later. A few years ago they 
used to depend on the clover sod alone for a crop of 
corn and possibly two crops and haul the manure on 
the wheat ground, but now they use what manure they 
make for corn and buy commercial fertilizer for wheat. 
The modern means of caring for crops of the present; 
day should appeal more to the minds of farmers; for 
instance, the shredder and husker of to-day make it 
possible for the farmer to house an immense amount of 
rough feed; consequently he can care for more young 
stock. From an economical point of view this would 
necessarily commend the building of manure pits, feed¬ 
ing barns or arranging basement barns so that pits can 
be built to them, and all grains fed inside barns or feed¬ 
ing sheds, all straw and parts of fodder not consumed 
used as bedding, in fact about all manures made could 
be worked through the pit. When in the pit it is always 
in condition to haul at almost any day, never frozen so 
hard but what it can be hauled out in due season for the 
Spring crops; no waiting for cornstalks or straw 1o rot 
or rather shrink and leach. The savings in this manner 
of handling feeding crops and manure with the increase 
in crop amounts will very shortly pay for all outlay in 
the necessary arrangements. The land here has reached 
the stage when it requires considerable scientific 
manopuverlng to keep it producing heavy crops, and it is 
a difficult, problem to build up soils that have leached 
the fertility nearly all away. It is much easier for an 
eastern farmer to locate here and become accustomed 
to our modes of doing farm businesss than for one from 
here to locate east and farm as economically as is neces¬ 
sary. I think the advantages in the East for a great many 
people of limited means are much better than here. 
Western Ohio. n. r. H. 
