Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-09
THE STOW CORRESPONDENCE
w. $. LEiKE IN THE ROLE OF AN
INFORMER.

A Pretty Kettle of Fish-An Inter
view with Hon. w. w. Stow
Concerning the Letters.
During last summer the San Francisco
Eramiaer published n number of eonfiden-
tal letters purporting to have been written
by Hon, W w. Stow, an attorney of
the Central Pacific Railroad, OF course
Mr. Stow knew to whom the letters had
been addressed, but he refused to initiate
the treachery of his correspondent by max
ing public any part of the supplemental
correspondence Recently ASSemblyman
Breckinridge read upon the floor OF the
Assembly some of those letters as part of
an argument in i;Nor of the summary re-
moval of the Railroad Commissioners This
betrayal of confidence having been used by
a newspaper and an AsSemblvman 10 the
injury of parties having no completely of
any kind with them. our San Francisco
correspondent interviewed Mr.. Stow with
the following result:
Question-Have you seen the published
letters presented by the Hon. Mr., Breckin-
ridge of the Assembly, To that body. pur-
porting to have been written by yourself?
Mr. Stow have seen the letters aS pub
lished in the san Francisco ChroBicle one
of them was not written by me. refer TO
the one dated at Nacayillc.
Q-To whom were those letters written
Mr.. Stow am not in the habit of eN-
posing any part of any confidential CORE
, l. Il 1 II
or of giving the names of my correspond
ents
Q.-But in this ease the correspondent
himself has chosen to make public his
side?
Mr. Stow-Yo>. | see he has; and he
should have given his own name if lac
chose to make public one side oi conf
dental correspondence which he could not
do honorahly He cdoubly dishonorcd him
self by Withholding the name of the party
to whom the letters were written.
Q-Docs not the publication of one side
of the correspondence abSolvc you from all
obligations of secrecy!
Mr.. Stow should be very reluctant at
any time, under amy circumstances. To be
tray any confidential relation which might
have existed between myself and others.
even though a change from friendly feeling
MAY lltlN { tsANt4i HlstNN btNNttll Us. iltt(
which was once confidential viii always
remain so. | am noJ absolved from conf
Dental obligation because the personal re-
lations between myself and persons who
have chosen TO contide in me when our re-
lations were friendly, have changed.
Q.-But in this case, Mr. Stow, YOU will
see that there are other parties interested
You will see that the portion of the CORE
spondence published places Mr.. Carpenter
and other persons mentioned therein in
false light, unless all the facts can be pre-
sented Out of regard for their rights in
this matter some statement might be made
by YOU which would place them in Il
proper light before the public.
Mr. Stow That was view of the case
that had not occurred to me How are
these persons implicated?
Q.-The correspondence goes to show
that some kind of a conspiracy existed by
which Il delegation was To be delivered to
Mr. Carpenter in the State Convention?
Mr. Stow do not underestimate it. There
was no conspiracy in the case 1t is very
well known that take an active part in
the politics of the State and country
1t is also well-known that am an attorney
for the Central Pacific Railroad. 1t is fur
thcr well-known that as Il necessary de-
fense against the hostile exercise of State
control over the rates of transportation my
clients would desire that such regulation
should proceed from the standpoint ofeXact
Justice rather than from the motives of re-
venge on the part of those personally
hostile to them and willing to prostitute
public position to the purposes of personal
revenge.
Q.-The correspondence relates to Solano
county?
Mr.. Stnw-I 20 understand it.
Q.-What were the matters in that coun-
" which were the subjects of this CORE
SpOndence?
Mr. Stow-The general politics of the
State at that time, of which Solano county
is part
ON this case your correspondent
whoever he was in Solano county has given
up your letters for publication, and has
caused them to beread i'll the Assembly. The
object of reading them in the Assembly
was in support of "A bill to remove Commits
sioners Humphreys and Carpenter without
Il hearing. These letters were used as a
part of the argument against these Com
missiOners They were intended to cstab-
lish Il dishonorable relation between YOUR
self and Mr.. Carpenter. particularly.
Mr. Stow-It becomes all the more OBJ
viouS that the correspondent to WHOM the
letters were written has been guilty of an
act of great dishonor because no letters
ever written by myself, were they all pub
lished or read in the Assembly, can posi-
blv show any relation between myself and
Mr. Carpenter dishonorable to either of us.
But since it is true that other par
ties may be interested and therefore have
rights in the premises will not object to
furnish YOU with such statements concern
ing the correspondence as will reveal its
true nature and character.
Q.-Then you were favorable to Mr..
Carpenter nomination for Railroad Com
missioner?
Mr. Stow certainly was, because l be
Geved Mr.. Carpenter TO be a perfectly Just
man; believed that he, as a public officer,
would have due regard to the rights and
the equities of my clients in the exercise of
the regulative power which is placed in the
hands of the Railroad Commission. |
believed Mr.. Carpenter would do justice to
all parties and as against candidates strong
ly preludiced against the Transportation side
of the questions to come before them, and
willing To make any promise for the sake
of Office, and fully determined that the
power To regulate should be exercised de
structively and not cOnservatiyely. | would,
Of course favor man of Mr.. Carpenters
sense of justice and grade of ability as
against the election of demagogues who
would use the power placed IN their hands
TO the injury of my clients.
Q-Who did you depend upon to secure
favorable consideration for Mr.. Carpenter
in SolanO county?
Mr. Stow-Chiefy upon Ed f. Leake
and his brother, W. S. Lealle. Ed Leake
was q candidate for the Democratic nomi-
nation for the State Senate in SOlanO coun-
ty. He was friendly to the interests of the
Central Pacific Railroad On March 18th
he wrote me asking for a personal inter
view. | granted that interview and entered
upon the campaign in full alliance with
Mr.. Leake for all the purposes desired to
accomplish in SOlano county.
Q.-Then Mr.. Leake was the party who
betrayed the correspondence?
Mr.. Stow-The letters written were not
in answer to letters written by Ed. Leake,
but letters in answer to those written by
W s Lealle, with full knowledge and
concurrence of his brother Ed.
Q.-Then iii your opinion it was W. ).
Lcake who betrayed the confidence re-
posed in him?
Mr.. Stow-It is quite evident from the
letters in my possession from W. 5 Lcake
that he is the party who has been guilty of
this dishonorablea
Q.-Wcre the Leakes in full sympathy
with your objects and purposes in Solano
county?
Mr. Stow-They certainly were. This
Will be more fully illustrated by quota