The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-01-03
Governor Hnbbard In Hl. own
Defense.
AUsEIs, Texas, Dec. Is, 1877.


Col dim Ewing, Palestine:
My Dear Sr-You have, doubles.
seen the published vindication of NV
self from vile publication in the IN
dependent, which is, as everybody
knows, q miserable, blackmailing shee
issued weekly in Galveston, accusing
me of venality in connection with Bur
nett Sc Fitzpatrick, temporary lessees OF
the pSDitentiary, and asserting that
had drawn a note or draft on them,
the consideration being the lease, etc.
But for a mere reference to it by the
STATESMAN of this city, l would not
have noticed the base sheet. On the
publication of that reference, however,
l did promptly ask Col. Henry B.
Andrews, Ball, HutchIns & Co. and
Messrs. Burnett & Kilpatrlck to explain
it. They have done so-both in print
and by letters to me. All these parties
stamp the charges as lie.
The firm of J. ii. Burnett & Co., as
you know, is cotton commission
house in Galveston. For over six years
they have been my commission mer-
chants there. / have farm in Smith
county, with nearly 700 acres in cult
walton, raising on it mostly cotton, and
have done so ever since the death of
my father, In 1865. During nearly all
this time l have shipped cotton to J.
Fl. Burnett 81 Co., and when I gave
Burnett & Fitzpatrick the temporary
lease of the penitentiary, backed by a
$400, 900 bond lit was worth that, l did
so partly because for so many years had
had business relations with the firm of
j. II. Burnett Sc Co. Mr.. Fitzpatrick
never has been, nor is he now, a mem
Der of this firm. B. IL Il. and ]. II.
3. & Co. are two distinct firms.
Needing some money, Col. Andrews
advanced some means to Inc Gas he says)
and drew OF j. II. 3. & Co., at nine
ty days, openly, because it was in
bank Endorsed by Andrews, "agalnst
cotton to be shipped, and to be charged
to that account" etc. j. II. b. & Co.
asked for thirty days extension, at ma
turity, and it was granted; but the
bank (Ball, Hutchings IL CO.. did not
get the telegram from Col. Andrews,
and hence the draft was protested for
a few days. This Is the whole story
in a NUTSHELL purely personal, pri-
Nate commercial transaction; and IL
would never have been noticed by this
infamous scavenger (the independently
had it not so happened that j. ID.
Burnett, one of the members of the cot
ton house, was also one of the firm of
Burnett & Fitzpatrick, lessees of the
peniteutiary.
Surely, If the Governor had any in
terest in the lease, he would have con-
tinued 1t until 1879, which he refused
to do, though earnestly prayed for by
B. s. K. and their friends. Not only
so, but hearing that malicious parties
had intimated that l was interested,
demanded an explanation from Messrs.
B. & X. and obtained from them q
sworn denial of the statement.
The Attorney General, the peniten.
tiary commissioners (Messrs. Shepard,
White and Galnes), and Hon. A. j.
Peeler (attorney for the State in the
matter of releasing the penitentiary)
all know that / gave written pei
emptory orders to Messrs. B. & X. thai
they must obey the regulations, anG
particularly that they must furnish the
necessary clothing for winter wear tt
the convicts as required, on pain o.
immediate deprival of the lease. Fur
ther than this, have, by this. letting
of a new lease just made, saved to thu
State thousands of dollars, obtaining
under said new lease over $50, 600 pc
aunum, or over a quarter of million
dollars for the five years that the leas
has to run. And my office shows tina
I have already saved to the Stat
by my temporary lease, thlrt!
thousand -dellaEs, appropriated b.
the Legislature for the purpos
of resumption = which, nigh
have used-beside the twepty min
thousand paid by MesSrs. B. y K
(the latter paying all the expenses>o
the State officers at the penitentiary,
against twenty thousand dollars only
paid by Ward, Dewey & Co. Thus
will be seen that the State, at least
does not suffer, if do, by these damI
ing calumnies of designing enemies.
am not asking any one to be m
champion. am not on the defensive
nor do propose to be. My politics
and personal friends have right
know just how it is, and then 1 hay
performed my duty, and will then d.
fly, as have heretofore, these enemie
You have seen, presume, the prom
and indignant card of Col. Henry
Andrews, of San Antonio, pronnuncln
the whole statement of the hndependel
malicious falsehood. He is the frien
who favored me, and is my indorse
and knew all about this transaction
Very truly your friend,
r. B. HUBBARD.
-Palestine AdcOcdte.