Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-24
FAILED TO MAKE A CASE.
That's What the Plaintiffs Have Done in the
Abner Taylor vs.. Hogg suit-Nothing
on Which to Convict.
Fort WORTH, TEX. June %, 1890


Editor Gazette
Your splendid daily has treated the
candidates for governor with such Impair
tial kindness and courtesies that ask
little space to interpose q demurrer
to the indictment filed against Gen.
Hogg, by that great and wealthy corpo-
ration known as the "capitol syndi-
cate, - through its general attorney in
Texas, the Hon. A. l.. Matlo ok Z, & :sFEssse,
A demurrer, you know, proe$kIsfaben
the ground that even If the facts alleged
Tense.
In this case 1 insist that the fact that
Gen. Hogg offered to sell another mans
timbered lands to a wealthy cofpnrstseh,
who was at that time acquiring large
bodies of prairie lands in Texas, and
must of necessity need the timber to i'm
prove the prairie lands. unless he made
the offer with intent to blackmail the
purchaser, is not an offense, either in
law or in morals.
If you will read the charge pre-
ferred by Mr.. Matiock against him,
he does not charge him with any
improper motive in endeavoring to make
the sale, and when the main question
upon which guilt or innocence depended
was put to Mr.. Matlook by the reporter
of the Times Herald, whether he (Mat-
lock- understood that his tHogg's)
motives were bad. Mr.. Matlock declines
to state that he SO understood them, but
answers by saying, 81 have stated the
facts. Well, if Mr.. Matlock stated all
the facts and failed. and refused to state
that Gen. Hogg's motives were bad,
then no offense is charged against him,
because the very fact the intention of the
party that makes the offense is wanting,
and no fair minded court or fair minded
people will convict an honest man like
Jim Hogg is known to be, of an Infamous
crime, upon totally worthless indict-
ment, like this great corporation and its
attorney has brought against him.
Jim Hogg's whole life, as well as his
public services, is complete refutation
of the "capitol syndicate So insinua-
ton, for that is all 1t can be called. That
Jim HOgg was not influenced by any
improper motive is proved conclusively
by the fact that he did not
regard favor and courtesies shown
him personally or as states
officer by railroad companies, such as
free passes extended him, as bringing
him under any obligation whatever to
swerve from his true line of duty as q
high and honorable officer, and we have
seen him, therefore, with free passes In
his pocket, like Ajax, swinging iss bat
tie ak over the heads of .tAe railroad
combinations, 'straffic assoes6tions' and
trusts formed against the people of Texas
and their prosperity, cutting off their
heads and driving them from the, STATE.
If the "capitol syndicate had bought
his lands he would still have per-
formed his duty as attorneys
general like the true and honest man
he is without feeling under any obliga-
ton to the purchasers. The people OF
Texas will be proud of Jim Hogg as their |
next governor, and the rallsoads will |
have nothing to fear If they will treat the |
people right. And this f1imsy insinuazs{
ton against him, brought by this great |
which his sturdy honesty and |
compelled to comply strictly with |
their building contract with the state will |
have no more effect upon the honest, |
fair minded men of Texas than zephyr |
has upon cyclone. Respectfully,
SAM j. HUNTER