Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-01

En- Wiik6 OF LIS hEeuls, dHu tuAt
had only carried on the negotiations
to see how far they would go and get
from them il possible some written evil
dence OF the transaction in order that it
| might be produced at the proper time. l
deem that that time has now arrived. l
then went to Judge Dooms' Office in the
Masonic building and asked him II ne had
drawn for Butter mortgage or deed
Of trust on the printing press
OF the Dispatch. II remember correctly,
he told me he VAS then engaged in doing
SO, and told him he need not trouble
himself further, as had determined to
have nothing more to do with the mat
ter.
This is a plain, simple statement of
all the facts, and the public can
judge as to VINO are the parties guilty OF
tue attempted blackmail or bribery.
Neither Governor Ross, nor Mesers.
Wilke, Butler, Mayor Nslle or Judge
Doom, 1 apprehend, will question the
truth of that part OF this statement which
| Immediately connects their Individual
names with certain passages"
Mr.. Harris also makes some ssVsge
charges and insinustions against the
virtue of the Statesman OF this City and
daily in Houston.
Contractor Wilke tonight gave out to
the newspaper correspondents the follow
ing statement, which covers the case:
"M. C Harrls published in the Evening
Dispatch to-day what ne terms en- attempt
to bribe. He attacks me in that article
and attempts to convey the idea that my
friends and 1 have been trying to
hire him to cease his scurrilous
attacks against the construction Of
the Few capitol. This attack was not
unexpected to me. have been informed
time and again through friends of Harris
that he Was preparing to renew his at
tscks, and that ne could be purchased,
but l hsve refused to purchase
him. He has been threatening
to make statement every day since the
Legislature convened, and hiss made 1t
convenient to let the word get to me, In
order that or the citizens OF Austin VINO
are anxious to get the use Of the state
/ capitol for the drill would pay
him hush money. was informed
this morning at 10 O'Clock that Hsrris
| had his article prepared to put into the
Dispatch aud WAS advised to go down
| to that cfflce and see it, which | refused
| to do. As far back IS g year sgo gen.
| tlemsn came to me who claimed to be
representing Harris and wsnted to
know il 1 was willing to put up money
| for the i, duence of Harris paper, which
| promptly refused to do. Harris began
his attacks on the construction OF toe
capitol in November last. The capitol
board employed three eminent architects
to come to Austin and examine the de-
| fecEs which he claimed existed. They
made thorough examination and in their
report completely retuted the charges
and vindicated the contractor. The
statement of Hsrris that I ever offered
| or attempted to bride, or that l ever su
| thorIzed any friend OF mine to bribe him
| is absolutely false. Some three or four
months ago o gentleman came TO me and
| informei me that he had conversation
| with Harris regarding the capitol and
| that Harris hsd minated that
his paper could be silenced for $1,000
The articles published In the Dispatch
| though false aud unfoundGd were ex
ceedingly annoying to me, as they tended
to create 3 suspicion in the
! minds of many persons who
we're unscqusinted with Harris methods
and plans thai there might be some de-
fects in the bulldog. l told the party TO
fnd out sill he could from Harris, and the
next day he came and told me
Harris had demanded as his price
certain house and lot in the city of
Austin for himself and $500 for the paper.
1 then and there refused to accept his
proposition and the matter rested.
was approached few days later st the
Driskill hotel by man with whom Har-
ris clsimed intimate friendship, and WAS
told that for homestead in Austin and
$500, the articles in the Dispatch would
be stopped. again refused to pay him
one cent. l communicated to Msjor
Holmes, the Governors private secretary,
the whole transaction. In reference TO
the propositions of Harris, l asked his
advice, and he told me to let him go on
with his articles and psy no attention to
him. Agsiu l was approached as sho
posto flee by man in position to
know the motives of Harris and
he informed noe that an article
would sppeer in the Dispatch that would
cost me $4,000, and that the matter
could be stopped. 1 stated then
in the presence of witness that
II would not pay one cenC
to have 1t stopped, The same party
about two weeks ago stated to me that
he hsd heard Nose Harris say he in
tended to make the charges
be had brought sgainst
the capitol building cost me
from $4,000 to s5o,Os0, and said the
matter ought to be fixed up. replied as
1 hsd done in every instance, that l
would not pay him l cent
About ten days ago the
same party who had approached me at
the Drlskill came up to the capitol build
| ing and told me he had seen an article
that was to be published in the Dispatch
that attacked he capitol building and sd-
vissd me Ihad better stop the publication.
l replied tnaf would NOT psy one dollar.
have repeated to number Of my friends
the various propositions that have been
| made to me and 1t has
been no secret in Austin
| for over q week that Harris was holding
back his article and threatening to publish
it in order to extort money from me.
About three weeks ago Harris fol-
flowed me to the Travis county
courthouse as I WAS going home and
asked me II could help him with $1,000
to take up draft at James s. Rsymond's
bank, that he had bought new press and
| b. n.;6 aSE0 nm Tho prcea and that the