The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-02
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paired with Mr.. Carter on the silver BILL
-Chas. J. Boatner.
TRACKED HOME.
The following communication adj
dressed to the editor of TIN INDEpEND-
ENT has been received at this office:
HEADQUARTERS REPUBLICAN STATE CEN
TRIAL COMMITTEES. HELENA, Mont, Nov. l,
1S9O.-Mr. A. W. Lyman, Editor Independ-
ent-Sir: In your issue of this morning in
an article on the local page in reference to
the letter purported to have come from the
Sons of America, you used the following
head lines: '"rhc Letter Undoubtedly Came
From the Republican State Committee"
Further down in the body of the same arti-
ole you say: "There is strong reason to
believe that the document was Matched un-
der direction of the republican state CEN
trail committee"
In your editorial on the same subject,
headed "a Clumsy Fraud,'' you say: "The
democratic state committee is in possession
of clear and positive evidence that the
forged letters are in the handwriting of an
enlploye of the republican state committee,
and, ii not actually concocted by the mem
be of that committee, were approved and
sent olt from the committee headquarters
in this city, with the full knowledge of
some OF its members. The letters were
sent to Butte in charge of an agent Of the
committee and there mailed in order to
ave, suspicion of their origin"
The undersigned, members and ex-mem-
mers of the republican state central CON-
mittce. deny as base fabrication and
brand as malicious falsehood the entire
charge made in the above quotations from
your articles on the subject. and stand
ready and willing to substantlate this asser-
tin. You say the democratic committee
has positive proof that "the fraudulent
letters are in the handwriting of an en-
p.oye of the republican state committee
Such plain statement demands plain
answer. We challenge you and the demo.
cratic state committee to produce any par
t;cle Of evidence to that effect, and demand
that you either produce such evidence i'm
mediately or stand confessed as the author
of malicious and willfnl falsehood. No
member of this committee, no employee
attache of this committee, had the slightest
cognizance Of the existence OF such letters
until copy of the same appeared in type.
Where the documents originated we do not
know or care, but we do know that your
assertion in The INDEPENDENT this morning
was grave charge against the integrity of
this committee. and we reiterate our de-
mand that you either produce proof at once
of such charges or stand convicted as liar
before the people of Montana.
b. +. WHITE, chairman.
II. y. HICKMAN, asst. chairman.
JAS. b. WALKER, secretary.
Jos. DAVIS, treasurer.
A. !. SELIaMAN, ex-chairman.
w. A. CHEssMAN, ex-treasurer.
To which we have to say, to begin
with, that when the editor of The In
DEPENDENT is placed on trial for lying
it will be before q jury Of his peers and
that he will therefore challenge for
cause State-Stealer Benjamin r. White,
the man who was aptly characterized in
public speech in the United States
senate as one Of "triple coil Of adders,"
and shat governor from Gomorrah"-
the governor who "forgot" to sign the
certificates Of election of democratic
members of the legislature whose seats
we're not in dispute. He will challenge
for cause Elk Probate Judge and chronic
candidate for mayor, Joseph Davis,
whose official character has been over
hauled and condemned by grand jury
OF his fellow citizens He will chal-
lenge for cause would-be juror A. ].
Seligman, the ransomed duke, general DO
litical jackanapes and villifier and SLAM
dercr Of eminent citizens of Montana.
As to Mr.. w. A. Chessman. OK treasurer,
we charitably assume that in the closing
hours Of campaign in which he has
taken no part he has been misled into
signing statement in relation to mat.
tiers concerning which he has no knowl-
edge. He is not the sort of man to
knowingly engage in disreputable polit-
ical methods.
No state stealer, no boodler, no shaft
house prisoner. no wrecker in politics or
business. shall sit on any jury that tries
the editor Of The INDEPENDENT. Had
he no additional facts to offer he would
confidently rest his case and invite COM
'arisons of character with the men who
,:sn that card But he has additional
acts to offer, and no reiterates here and
now that copies Of the fraudulent letter
signed aSons Of America" received
through the mail by voters OF Helena
were in the handwriting Of an employee
OF the republican state committee. The
editor Of this paper has carefully com
pared copies Of this letter with speci-
mems Of the known handwriting of said
enploys. and in his judgment there can
- 49, ~ sesiT-st q