Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 246, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1911 — Refleetions on the Purtelie Case. [ARTICLE]

Refleetions on the Purtelie Case.

To a person not initiated into the intricacies of our laws it is incomprehensible why it should bo possible in this land of the free and the brave that an adventurer of the Purtelle type could go about pestering lawabiding citizens, contracting debts and paying them with worthless checks, and so on. •. If a stranger had come to this community and had stolen large amounts of money, Bome thirty dollars from Roy Cheseman, an equal amount from Frank Moore, and had robbed poor foreigners of a few hufidred dollars, he would be sent to the penitentiary. What is the difference from a practical standpoint,* whether money in a person's possession is taken away from him, or money which in justice belongs to him, is kept from him? To a lay mind it would appear that when Eugene Purtelle gave Roy Cheseman, Frank Moore, and the foreigners worthless cheeks, the wrong done to them was practically just as great as if the money had been stolen' from them.

> It would furthermore appear that these victims should find protection in the law of the land and in the courts of justice and that the author of such worthless checks should not go unpunished. In our anomalous - situation, however, we behold the .contrary: Eugene Purtelle goes scotfree and the poor vfctims are not only out of their money, but in addition to this loss must pay a fine. It was no violation of justice on their part to present a check for payment when such check was given them for value received. Why should they be held liable, for the cost of protesting Purtelle’s papers while he who is the direct cause of this expense remains unmolested. Do these conditions, when judged in the light of reason, not lead to the conclusion that in such matters our laws, far from being a protection to the members of society, have become a delusion and a snare? If, Eugene Purtelle sincerely desires to accomplish his - avowed purpose, there is only one way open to Mm. This has been pointed out repeatedly by the Rensselaer papers. Let him gain the confidence of the public. Let him pay his honest debts. Let him cast off his methods of cunning and scheming and be governed by sound business principles. Let him produce evidence of his ability and good will to build the interurban road so eagerly desired by the vast majority of, our citizens and hd will find financial and' moral support The people are anxious to see the enterprise brought to a successful issue. If, however, Eugene Purtelle chooses to persist in following his tactics of the past let the citizens take proper steps to rid the community of this

nuisance.

A SUBSCRIBER.