Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-01-25
STEWART.-FOUTE AGAIN.
How. Democratic Journals will
Misrepresenf.

Misrepresenf.
Mr.. EDITOR: In the Nashville
American of the 21st instant I see
published editorially an article in
which I am represented as having
made certain statements In reference
to the Stewart-Foute controversy,
now pending in our Legislature.
Inasmuch as I am grossly misrep-
resented IN the American I respects
fully ask that you do me the kind
ness to republish the article, together
with this correction thereof.
The article referred to is as fol-
lows: So
Mr.. T. J. Gaut, promising young
| lawyer, of good standing in Cleveland,
and son of Hon. Jesse Gaut, was one
of the clerks of the election in Clever
land. Bradley county, Tennessee, on
the 2nd day Of November, 1880, and
says that he is Republican, and voted
fot Foute In that election, and that
the vote at Cleveland should be
| thrown out, If 1t is desired to conform
! to law and justice. He says that the
| election was conducted in such a
scandalous manner in one or two die
| tricts in Bradley county that it would
be downright criminality to count
| their returns. He says that In the
sixth district of Bradley cOunty-the
| town of Clevefand-the ballot box was
not prepared according to law that it
was not sealed in the presence of the
/ judges and clerks; and that at the
hour for dinner it was carried off by
| one of the judges to his home unsesled.
When the votes were counted the re-
suit showed two more tickets in the
box than there were names on the poll
list; yet, in the face of this discrepan-
cy, the vote was declared legal, and
| Foute was accredited with his msj ori>
| ty. Mr.. Gaut says that he thinks that
it would be an outrage for the house
of Representatives, sitting as judi,
cial tribunal, to allow this poll to be
counted.
| Where the American got this
piece of information am unable to
say, for am quite sure that I never
did, at any time, make any such
statements, neither did I furnish, di-
rectly or indirectly, the information
embodied in the Americans article,
either to any newspaper representa-
tive or to any private Or public in
dividual. In short, every statement
in the Americans article is incorrect
" and falsely attributed to me, for ]
never made them further than that
have, perhaps, asserted that I am a
i Republican and voted for Foute.
i On the 14th instantthere appeared
in the Chattanooga Daily Times the
following paragraph, from which the
American has doubtless indirectly:
and through some very knowing and
wise person, derived it's information
in the matter, but which misrepre-
sents me just as much as the Ameri
cans editorial.
The Times article is as follows:
Mr.. T. J. Gaut, of Cleveland, was In
, the city yesterday and favored tn
!. Times with short talk on the Foute-
Stewart controversy in Polk and Brad
ley counties. each claiming to have
been elected representative.
The face of the returns show tie
but Mr.. Gaut assured US that the cleo
ton was carried on in such loose
{ slip>shoddy manner in one or two dis
tricts that for their returns to b.
, counted would be Cownrigt criminal
= ty. OF this number. in the sixth
bradley county, district, the town o
Cleveland, which gave Foute larg
, majority, should have been throw
out, if any intention to adhere to til
: requirements of the law is manifested
, Mr.. Gaut says that the ballot-box il
this district was not prepared accord
e ing to law; it was not sealed, and a
noon was carried off unsealed by on
of the judges.
8 When the votss were added, the re
q, suit showed two more tickets for Presi
u dent in the box than actual voters
n but yet, in the face of this discrep
ancy, the vote was declared legal, :,
= Fouts accredited with his majority.
Mr.. Gaut says Fouts does not CLAIM
that he lie entitled to his seat, but ~ ere
r ly asserts that the vote was q tie, an.
, asks a new election.
The last sentence of this article i
the only one in which I am correctl,
9 reported, and the only statement
/. did make to the Times as fact.
When called upon by the Time
: for information in the Stewart-Fout
0 case I expressly told the reporte
that I knew nothing about it, AM
( instead of so reporting me I am re
:. ported as stating as facts things tina
I knew nothing about. AS to havin|
!, expressed any opinion in the case,
a never did to any one,
Resides, the Chattanooga Time
'' has only published garbled portion
9 of what I did say to them, and tn
q omission of the balance changes tn
whole tenor of my talk and make
the article represent me to the pub
? lie as talking in very different wa
/ from that in which ] did.