The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, August 02, 1912, Page FOUR, Image 4
GOYERSOR BLEASE REFUTES
THE "TESTIMONY" OF FEEDER
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1).
being so voluminous, the purpose of
the men seeking to injure you -and me
beirg to 6ay much and write much,
hoping that you would believe some I
on? thing; but, I shall endeavor to re- |
fer to every report, rumor, accusation
and slander from this vile person in
which he attempts to cast reflection
upon me and my State. I take them
up, one by one, in the following manner,
submitting my answer to each of
them separately.
Heyward County
A mo6t ridiculous charge is that
of the "Heyward county" matter, <
wherein Felder claims that I called |
the election for the proposed county
of Heyward, and after the bill passed,
Fred Dominick, my former law partner,
"was employed and paid a substantial
fee to influence executive action
thereon. . . . That the compensation
received for his (Dominick's)
services was substantial, and that he
obtained the desired results at my
haaids and that his *fee was divided
with me."
Gov. Ansel ordered tne election ior i
"Heyward county." The legislature
had nothing to do with passing a bill
for that county. Some of the citizens
of Aiken county applied to me for an
order calling off the election which
Gov. Ansel had ordered, and in the
matter they were represented by Col.
D. S. Henderson, of Aiken; R. H.
Welch, Esq., of Columbia; Geo. T.
Jackson, Esq., of Augusta, and Fred.
; H. Dominick, Esq., of Newberry, representing
the interests of Heyward
* 1 A .
county. Alter a nearing oeiore me,
I decided with the people represented
by Col. Henderson and annulled Gov.
Ansel's order of election?my decision
being directly opposite to tlie side
represented by Mr. Dominick.
Either of the attorneys mentioned
will gladly corroborate these state- i
ments if corroboration be desired.
The records in the governor's office are
open to public inspection, and those .
records show conclusively that Fel- i
- tferfc charge is not onlyo maliciously ,
false but laughable.
"The Legislative Syndicate." ;
Tiho. sfjiiftmftnt has ?)een mad a by i
Felder that he had information that,
la the year 1900, there was a legisla- ]
tiT? syndicate in South Carolina, or- ]
gam zed for the purpose of controlling ,
legislation, and that I was, or that I claimed
to be, the head of that syndi- 1
cate. I ask you to iaquire of the \
members of the general assembly at <
that time, if they have now, or at that ]
time had, any knowledge of the exis- s
tence of that syndicate. I never heard ]
of it until this fugitive made his state- ]
ment. If I did control legislation in l
1900, when I was but in humble mem- ]
ber of that body, I had more power {
than I had in the years 1911 and 1912, ]
for I am sure that not even Felder, nor j
the members of this committee who j
are following him, will charge that I
bad any control over your test general j
assembly.
Postal Telegraph Company.
Felder charges that in 1900 he vis- ]
Ited UoiumDia ior tne purpose 01 op- <
posing the passa,. e of a bill affecting ]
the Postal Telegraph company. He ]
asks this statement: "I went down to 1
the Jerome hotel, where Senator Cole- ]
man L. Blease was stopping " He fur- <
ther states that in discussing the pro- j
posed legislation with me that I de- ;
manded that he "come across with the ]
quid pro quo (meaning money)." j
Without stopping to comment on j
Felder's admission that he was the at
torney and paid lobbyist of a large i
corporation, I will simply state that j
In 1900 I was not a memoer or tne i
State senate, and did not become a (
member of that body until the session ]
of 1905, and that during all the four i
years I was a State senator, I stopped i
at Wright's hotel. If proof of these j
statements be desired, I refer you to I
the journal of the State senate for i
J' - * t\/\ r* _ 1
me year iyvv, ana xo -vir. ivouert uuui l- <
nay Wright, of Columbia, S. C., who, S
during the four years I was a member 1
of State senate, was manager o? j
Wright's hotel. I emphatically deny ]
that I ever had, at any time, while a t
member of the State senate, or the 1
house of representatives, any transac- 1
tions or any discussion with T. B. Fel- s
der about any matters of legislation. <
"Bickert's Four Thousand Dollars." i
As to the charge that the sum of 1
$4,000 was paid by Monroe Bickert to 1
H. H. Evans and myself, or to Evans 1
m my presence in tne city or Atlanta, 1
6ome years ago, is a wilful falsehood. ]
Mr. H. H. Evans fought me for elec- 1
tion to the senate and did all he 1
could for my opponent, Mr. Kibler, of 1
Newberry, and until some time after i
my election to the senate, Mr. Evans
and myself were merely on speaking (
terms. I have never, .at any time, been 1
in the city of Atlanta with Mr. H. H. 1
Evans, and never at ary time had any S
transaction with him or the* firm of 11
Blumenthall & Bickert, and no amount J
of money whatever has ever been paid
me by H. H. Evans at any time or for
any service. Xo money has ever been
paid to him, to my knowledge, for me,
and if so, he has certainly never delivered
it to me, and certainly no
money has ever been paid him by any
person or persons in my presence icr
any purposes, either official, unofficial,
personally or professionally, as the
affidavit of Mr. Evans nereto attached
will BhoWo
State of South Carolina, Richland
County.
Personally appeared before me, H.
H. Evans, who being duly sworn, says,
that he resides in the city of Newberry.
That tho statement of T. B. Felder
or any other person that the sum
of $4,000 was paid over to him by
Moiyroe Bickert in the presence of Cole
L. Blease, in the city of Atlanta, about
the year 1905, is totally false Deponent
further says that he has not at
any time, for the said Cole. L. Blease,
or for the benefit of the said Cole. L.
Blease, had paid to him by any person |
wnatsoever any sum ui muuey wuat- j
ever. And deponent also says that he
was never in his life in the city of |
Atlanta in company with Cole. L.
Blease. That in 1904 the deponent "was
against Blease in the race of the latter
for the State senate from Newberry
county, supporting Hon. Arthur Kibler
for that position. That from that
time on for about two years the deponent
and Blease were not friends
towards each other.
II. H Evans.
Sworn to before me, the 19th day of
Julv. 1912. B. F. Kelley,
(L. S.)
Notary Public for So. Ca.
As to Lanahan Whiskey House.
Felder asserted that I represented,
several years ago, Lanahan & Company,
liquor dealers of Baltimore, in
this State, and secured purchases for
that house from the State dispensary
board. This charge is hoary with
age and was first made by Lewis W.
Parker, the head of rho mill merger
which I am now fighting. The whole
matter was threshed out before the
dispensary investigating committee at
Spartanburg about seven years ago;
later in the senate of this State, and
also when I was a candidate for governor
in 1906, 1908 and 1910. The reports
of the investigating committee
referred to, will show the testimony of
Mr. E. A. Smythe, taken before that
committee, in which he stated that he
was present at the conversation beTjanahan
and Parks:', at which
Lime Parker claims Lanahan made the
statement that I represented his
house, and Mr. Smythe says that no
such statement was made by Lanahan.
Soon after Parker's statement,
[ published affidavits of a number of
gentlemen showing conclusively that
tie had misrepresented both Lanahan
md myself. These affidavits I submit
herewith, and a statement of Mr.
Smythe, taken under oath before the
investigating committee.
" ' i
State of South Carolina?County of
Richland. ?
Personally appeared before me William
G. Childs, who first being duly
sworn, says, that he ?s and has been
for years, a resident of the city of Columbia,
county and State aforesaid,
that he is the president of the Colum
bia, Newberry and Laurens Railroad
company and of the Bank of Columbia,
S. C. That he has known Samuel
Lanahan for many years and knew
trim quite well at the time of his death,
ind that he has known Cole L. Blease
'or many years.
That he knew a good deal about the
business of Lanahan in this State and
that when he first heard of the statenent
of Lewis W. Parker connecting
~ T -tiM+Vl QQIrl 'hnCSinPHSR ha
JU. Ultooc tm.i? wvi.vi _w
inew the fact that Blease was not in
my manner connected with said firm
md toid Blease to prepare an affidavit
:n answer to Parker; that he soon
thereafter was in the city of Baltimore
and saw Samuel Lanahan and
isked him about the matter, and that
Samuel Lanahan told him that Parser's
statement was untrue, as he had
lever had Blease employed and had
aever at any time or. placo said so
:o Parker or any one else That he j
:hen said that he would make affidavit
:o that effect and dictated an affidavit
md sent for a' notary and had the
:ame signed with the official seal paying
50 cents for the* notary fee. That
this deponent has seen the affidavit
erhich is now in the possession of said
Blease and has also seen the copy
thereof as published *n the news+Vii^
C+o+zi o that Vi Q cow
o U1 CJLXl.^ KJ .wuu VAAMV uv WV. I?
:he same affidavit and lieard Samuel
Lanahan swear to it in the presence of
Jie notary public in the city of Baltimore,
State of Maryland,
That this deponent Knows of his
jwn knowledge that Cole. L. Blease
;vas not the agent of the Lanahan
louse in their transactions with the
State or county boards of control for
;he sale of whiskey or otherwise.
W. G. Childs. (:
i
I
Sworn to and subscribed before me 1
this ISth day of June, A. D. 1909.
J. F. Livingston (L. S.),
(Seal) Notary Public for S. C.
State of Maryland?City of Baltimore.
Personally came before me Samuel ;
J. Lanahan, who being sworn says that
he never told Lewis W. Parlrer, or any
other person, that Cole. L. Blease was
in his employ, or was employed to
i InAt aftter hia interest in th<-. whiskev
business in South Carolina, and as a
matter of fact lie did not have Cole. L. *
Blease so employed.
Augustus W. Bradford, 1
(Seal) Notary Public.
1
State of South Carolina?County of 1
Richland.
Personally cam? before me Jodie i j
rM. Rawlinson, who, being duly sworn, L
- - * i? jLt ni-_ j I
says that ne is a memoer ui uie oiaie
board of directors of the South Caro.
lina dispensary and chat Cole. L 1
Blease has never directly or indirectly
solicited business or asked that pur- c
chases be made from Samuel J. Lana- *
han or any other party engaged' ii c
selling "whiskey or other articles t?
the "State dispensary.
Jodie M. Rawlinson. ^
Sworn to before me this 4th day cf 1
August, 1906. 1
W. T. Lucius (L S.), 31
Magistrate for S. C. h
State of South Carolina?County of 1
Richland.
Personally came before me Johi
Black, who, being duly sworn, says i
that he is a member of the State 1:
board of directors of the South Care- ii
lina dispensary, and that Cole. L. d
Blease has never directly nor indi- e
rectly solicited business or asked that n
purchases be made from Samuel J. P
Lanahan or any other party engaged o
in selling whiskey or other articles to Iti
the State dispensary. d
John Black, d
Sworn to before me this August t, t!
A. D. 1906. tl
W. Boyd Evans (L. S.), y
Notary Pablie for S. C. tl
_ t
State of South Carolina?County of
# Chester. S
Personally came before me Jos. B.
Wylie, who, being duly sworn, says
that he is a member of the State board S
of directors of the South Carolina dis- s
pensary and that Cole. L. Blease has
never directly or indirectly solicited ^
business or asked that purchases be
made from Samuel J. Lanahan or any ^
other party engaged in selling whiskey fl
or other articles to the State dispen- d
sary. Jos. B. "Wylie. u
Sworn to before me this August 7, s
1906. C. B. Beits (L. S.), a
Notary Public for S. G. ^
a
s
State of South Carolina?County of ^
Newberry.
Personally came before me H. H. r
Evans, who, being duly sworn, says s
that he was a member of the State v
hoard nf directors of the South Caro
? " " u
lina dispensary and that during his g
term of service Cole. L. Blease neither e
directly nor indirectly solicited business
or asked that purchases be made ^
from Samuel J. Lanahan or any other f.
party engaged in selling whiskey or
other articles to the State dispensary. a
II. H. Evans. ^
Sworn to before me this August 3rd,
1906. A. T. Brown (L. S.),
Mayor of Newberry, S. C.
|n
State of South Carolina?County of e
Lexington ii
Personally came before me Jno. e
Bell Towill, who, being duly sworn,
says that he was a member of the
State board of directors of the South
Carolina dispensary and that during (
his term of service Cole. L. Blease
neither directly nor indirectly solicited
business or asked that purchases j
be made from Samuel J. Lanahan or
any other party engaged in selling j,
whiskey or other articles to the State a
dispensary. John Bell To will, i+i
Sworn to before me this August 3rd, ^
1906. A. C. Joaes (L. S.), s
Notary Public for S. C. #
? o
State of South Carolina?County of s
Kershaw. ^
Personally came before me L. W. 0
Boykin, who, being duly sworn, says *~
that' he was a member of the State s
board of directors of the South Carolinn
/licnprienrv and /hirine' his ?
term of service Cole. L. Blease neither a
directly nor indirectly solicited busi- 13
ness or asked that purchases be made r
from Samuel J. Lanahan or any other ^
party engaged in selling whiskey or
other articles to the State dispensary.
L. W. Boykin. t
Sworn to before me This August 4th, 0
1906.' J. R. Alexander (L. S.), a
Notary Public for S. C. c
_ ' i
i
T "ho-tra in -mv nnccPKQfnn rr.nv nf thA !*
testimony taken before tfce dispensary
investigating committee, February 13, a
. (
1901.
I
Mr. E. A. Smyth being duly sworn,
and being examined by Mr. Stevenson,
testified, in speaking of Samuel Lanban:
I had known Mr. Lanahan for some
years.
Q You w?re associate with him in
what matters?
, A None at all.
Q You didn't hear him say who
(vas the agent who he retained at a
salary of $2,000 a year?
A No, sir; he didn't mention his
iaae.
Be continued his conversation with
Mr. Parker along the same lines, but
ie did not mention the name. He wad
rying to get Mr. Parker to suggest
jome one who would influence the
msiness. He did not mention- the
lame.
At the bottom of this is the followng
certificate:
"I certify that the abo^e is a true
:opy of the testimony submitted to
he commission and introduced in the
ase above mentioned.
(Signed) "F. F. CoTington."
This shows that Parker lied, because i
>mythe here testified that be heard
he conversation between Lanahan and
>arker and that Lanahan did not
aention the name of the agent. Par;er
swears that he did. Who is the
iar, Smythe and Lanahan or Parker?
Felder and Goodiran.
Felder alleges that while I was a
aember of the State senate, certain
iquor dealers paid me $250 for fightQg
legislation providing for certain
ispensary matters. Among his wittesses
to prove this allegation he j
ames Morton A. Goodman and J. S. i
"arnum. , You will see by tnc affidavit
f Mr. Farnum which I append hereto
hat he denies any knowledge of Feler's
statement. Goodman, like Feler,
is a fugitive from the justice of
he State of South Carolina, and I
herefore am not in a position to offer
ou any affidavit from him. It may be
hat Felde: can get one when these
wo fugitives shall meet again.
tate of South Carolina? County of
Charleston.
Personally comes before me James
L Farnum, who, being duly sworn,
ays that lie has read the following
/ 1 i
i the Columbia State newspaper of
uly 13, 1912.
"In this connection I desire to state
hat when Cole. L. Blease was senator
rom Newberry and a bill was Intro- !
uced to appropriate $15,000 to be!
sed by the attorney general of the |
ftate in conducting the prosecution |
gainst the grafters, that the liquor ;
ealers employed the said Blease, th6n
senator, to oppose the passage of
aid measure; and, as a matter of fact,
tie said Blease did oppose by speech,
ote and influence the passage of said
esolution, and that he received for his
ervices the sum of $250, in. cash, j
rhich was paid to him at Wright's I
otel in the city of Columbia, State of
louth Carolina," and that I,had knowldge
of said transaction.
The statement that deponent has
nowledge of any such transaction is
ilse.
That deponent has heretofore made
flRHavit rAnlvinc fr? r?.haTere<j madp hv
his same Felder, and in this affidavit
e desires to, and does reiterate, th
tatements made in the former affiavit,
and further avers that he has
ever, at any time, given or contributd
any amounts "towards buying votes
i Charleston for Blease" or any othr
person or persons.
(Signed) J. S. Farnum.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
his 20th day of July, 1912.
Signed) H. Wilkins (L S.),
Notary Public for S. C.
Iloekiflg the Investigating Committee. (
Another absurd effort to do me injstice
is the charge, made without any
ttempt at proof, that I obstructed
tie proceedings of the legislative comlittee
investigating the State dispen- i
ary. This charge is not only a reflec-1
ion on me, but it rejects upon the
ther members of that committee,
ome of whom are not friendly to me.
ls a matter of fact, I was the author
f the resolution which provided for
hat investigation. The record of my
ervices as a member of that commit&e,
and the report made to the genral
assembly, will show that there is j
bsolutely no truth in Felder's statelent
relative thereto. This matter is
epetition, and I disposed of it in my
rst race for governor six years ago.
' ? 11 - - *r 9 1 l rm
"Statement ot tnaruoa wngni."
The statement is made by Felder
hat Charlton Wright stated in the city
f Columbia that he handed me, in the |
nte-room of the senate chamber, a '
heck for $500 as compensation for 1
iy services in defeating a bill affectQg
the interests of the railroads.
I have never, at any time, received
ny sum from Charlton Wright or
I
any other mail for services rendered
any individual or corporation as a ;
members of the general assembly. The
same issue of the paper in which this |
charge of Felder appeared, the Co- i
lumbia State of July 13, 1912, carries
a denial from Mr. Wright, in these
words:
"Denies bribery Cfmrge.
- <* /i-1 i
"R. Charlton Wrign:, or *.:ojumum, |
who is quoted in the documentary evidence
submitted by T. B. F=lder to
the dispensary investigating committee
as saying that he gave ?f.00 to Cole.
L. Blease, for blocking some Tailroad
legislation in the senate, denied last
night that he had ever given Blease
this or any other sum or that he had
ever told any one that he had done
so."
Mr. Wright, on account of an urgent
call to New York, left the city that
day; however, I presume the committee
will not care to hav? any further j
statement from Mr. Wright since he is
so prominently connected -with the Columbia
Record, one of the newspaper
combination opposing me, and as his
denial appeared so conspicously in
that sheet which the committee is so
fond of reading.
The $25,000 Slush Fund.
The insinuation contained in a purported
copy of a letter of one Pickett
voir?AT\ -which it is stated that Fel
W * ,
der produced before- the committee,
that certain liquor dealers were to
raise the sum of $25,000 to be turned
over to me as a member of the State
senate, and that a syndicate, to be
composed of myself and Mr. Block
and others, was to be formed to control
the entire liquor business of the
State dispensary, is an entire, fabrication.
Those who have read this letter '
should note the fact that the alleged
original has not been placed before
the committee and that even in the
alleged codv Pickett does not make |
these statements of his own knowledge,
but states that they were made to
him by another party, and no affidavit
has been taken from that other party.
I submit herewith the affidavit of Mr.
Block, denying that there is any truth
in the statements credited by Pickett
to Wilson.
Georgia, Bibb County:
Before me, an officer July authorized
to administer .oaths, personally
came N. M. Block, who being first
duly sworn on oath, says that he has
read in the State, a paper published
in Columbia, S. C., under date of July
13th, 1912, the report of what pur- !
ports to be a letter to T. B. Felder, 5
Atlanta, Georgia, and signed by Smith
D. Pickett, in which the statement is
made "Wilson further stated that the
plan formulated by Blease to compass
a defeat of pending legislation
miscarried for the reason that Nick
Block, of Macon, who was one of the
syndicate, stated that ths amount pro- j
posed to be raised was out of ail reason
and that the same results could
be accomplished upon the expenditure
of the sum of $25,000."
Deponent says that the remarks attributed
to him are entirely without
any foundation in fact That he never
used such language nor language of :
that. imDort. nor any language that
could be so construed, and further that
he never hadf any conversation with (
Wilson on the subject and that he has
never either directly or indirectly been 1
advised or had any knowledge of the
effort or the attempted effort to raise '
$25,000 or any other amount for the 1
purposes stated in said letter from
Smith D. Pickett to T. 3. Fcfder. De*- *
ponent is entirely ignorant of all the allegations
set out in said letter. 1 J
N. M. Block. '
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 17th day of July, 1912.
'r"r *1 VT "D | 3
(Seal; w. .ti. ju:ubuu, n. x. t
_ h
My Campaign Fund in 1910.
The suggestion that the Wind tigers
of Charleston subscribed to my cam- *
paign fund for governor two years ago 1
is not original with Feldor He is
simply repeating what a few unscru- '
pulous enemies of mine have stated i
heretofore. I presume that if these ;j
alleged blind tigers had subscribed to !1
the national Democratic campaign '
fund or to the campaign fund of Ira
B. Jones, that their action would be
considered patriotic and the names of
such subscribers would be published *
at the head of the list la the Columbia '
State. It is a fact, however, that 11'
have not, at any time, received from |'
a blind tiger in Charleston a single !
penny for campaign purposes. Two !;
years ago my campaign was managed :
by my brother, Eugene S. Blease, and '
my law partner, Fred H. Dominick. I!;
submit affidavits of these gentlemen, |'
to the effect that they never received j
for me, or for my campaign, the sum j1
charged by Felder as having been sub- j:
scribed by parties set out b;v him.
State of South Carolina? County of;
* Richland.
Personally comes before me Fred, j
H. Dominick and makes oath that dur- i'
ing the year 1910 he was connected j
with the management of Gov. Cole. L.
Bkase's campaign; and as to the
charges that any amounts were contributed
by the alleged blind tigers of
Charleston and used in the lurtheranceof
Mr. Blease's candidacy, this deponent
has no knowledge whatsoever;
that he has never received one cent
from any blind tiger as contributions
to Mr. Blease's campaign, and that if
such a fund was contributed, he has
never received same and never used
same nor has he any knowledge of it?
the first intimation he having had of
this charge being the charges as made
by Thomas 33. Felder.
As to the charge of his having goneto
Charleston between the first and
second primaries, after Gov. Blease
had already been there and got a suit
case full of money, and when that ran
out, that I went there and got another
suit case full, the chaige is absolutely
false. I have never received
and never made any requests for any
uajupaigii cuuuiuuLiuxjB ironi any tuma
tigers in Charleston.
Fred. H. Dominick.
Sworn to before me this 19th July,
A. D. 1912.
G. C. Dismukes, (L. S.)
Notary Public for South Carolina.
i 1
State of South Carolina?County of
Richland.
v Eugene S. Blease, being duly sworn,
says that during the campaign of*
1 A ? 1 L.J 3 TT f\_ 1 ?
13IV ue asmsiea rreu. n. jjumimcK iu
conducting the campaign of Cole. L.
B lease for governor of the State. Deponent
did not, at any time, and hasnever
in his life, for any purpose^
whatever received any sum of money
from any blind tiger in the city of"
Charleston.
Eugene S. Blease,
Sworn to before me this 19th July,
1912.
G. C. Dismukes, (L. S.)
Notary Public for South Carolina.
Trip to Charleston.
The statement of Felder that I
went to Charleston for the purpose
of getting money during the time intervening
between the first and second
primaries of the campaign twoyears
ago, is but another exampleof
this man's quickness to make statements
without even reflecting. During
the whole of the two weeks between
the two elections, with the
exception 01 one day ana one mgnt.
spent in the city of Columbia, I remained
at home in Newbewy. I waenot
in Charleston between the first
and second primaries.
"Grace's Insinuations."
As to the statement that I have
been and am getting graft from the
blind tigers of Charleston as immunity
for protection extended them.
This originated with John P. Glace,
the present mayor of Charleston, on
flppfmnr of mv not allowine him to
have the control and .appointment of
the constabulary force in Charleston,
and to run the matter of enforcing
the dispensary law and the sale of
whiskey in that city. The investigating
committee has already heard him
and his attempted proof and the people
surely are convinced that there is
no foundation in any one of "his
charges." Each and every one of his
false accusations have been denied?
even my bitterest enemy, th^ Columbia
State, admitted that tnere was no
criminality traced to the governor's
office. I answered Grace's insinuations
at the campaign meeting in the
city of Charleston and stated in his
presence that any man who made that
accusation against me was a malicious
character thief-and cowardly lair.
Internrban Bnilway.
In regard to my signing the bill
for the Piedmont-Norther company,
commonly known as the interurban.
This bill, as passed by the legislature,
provided for the building of an
electric line around Spartanburg,
Greenville, Greenwood and other
points in this State. I thought it
contained too much power to give to
a corporation, and, after carefully
looking over it, stated that I did not
think I would sign it. I received requests
from a number of people of
that section, stating that the road
would be of great benefit to them.
Among otners caning upon uic w xa*or
of tli? measure, I now recall Hon.
D. H. Magill, of Greenwcod; D. E.
Smoak, Esq., of Greenville, and Sam.
J. r:ichcls, Esq., of Spartanburg.
I did not receive one cent of money
for approving this measure, nor wae I
threatened by any one on account of
this bill, and if any lawyer received
a fee for appearing before me in be
half of the bill, it was without zn.y
knowledge, and the payment of any
such fee, if any was paid, exercised no
influence whatever in causiDg me to
take the action I did thereon. Some of
the very members of the committee
who are attempting to injure.me were
very active in the passage of this
bill.
The Criminals?"DeFord and Porter."
In regard to the matter of applica