The Brookhaven leader., 1891-07-09

letter from Supt. smith TO MT. ben
son. In this second letter, which was
quite lengthy one, Supt. Smith
plead ignorance and declared he had
had no intention of violating the law
in making the proposition lie did, but
assured him at the same time that he
had used his influence and done all he
could to have Lippincott's books
adopted by the text book committee
but that things had worked out con
trary to his calculations and his efforts
proved futile also urging Mr.. Benson
to keep what had passed between
them as strictly confidential
Having presented the foregoing, the
editor of the LEADER will add state
ment as to how this correspondence
came into his hands and why it is pub
lished, which only emphasizes Supt
Smiths unfitness for the Office tc
which he is now seeking reelection
For convenience of expression this
statement will be written i'll the first
person, singular number.
Some time last winter Il can't recall
the exact date was met by DR.. V
b. Watts on the street and told that
Supt. Smith had been guilty of trying
to sell his influence to some of the
school book publishers in New Orleans
and asked if the proof were furnish
ed if | would publish it and advocate
having him turned out of office.
Knowing, as | did, that DR.. Watts
had a grudge against the Smiths be-
cause of their opposition to him i'll
the campaign, two years ago, particu-
larry against Treasurer Allen Smith,
father of Supt. Smith, l was disposed
to attach little or no importance to
what lie said, and replied by telling
him that | would first want to see the
proof. / also added that such inform
alton was rather in between seasons
any way, us the text books had been
adopted last October for a period of
five years, and as it was too late to
what had been done, if there
was anything in what he charged,
about the best thing to do wodld be
to get his proof and use it provided
Supt. Smith should seek to be re-
elected. This seemed to give the
Doctor little satisfaction, and he had
a good deal to say to the effect that he
believed Supt. Smith had been paid
bg the American Book Co. for his in
tlucnce i'll securing the adoption of the
books that were adopted, and with
this | left him.
Two or three weeks later he stopped
me on the street again and told me he
was ready to show me the proof OF
what he had charged against Smith
when he last spoke to me about it, and
with this pulled sheet of paper from
his pocket on which, as well as | can
remember, was copied in Watts own
handwriting the third paragraph OF
the above letter, bnt which was a
mere fragment, containing neither adj
dress nor signature, and which he
claimed had been copied by him from
the original i'll New Orleans the day
before. | made rather light of the
matter and told the Doctor that that
was no proof that he couldn't con-
Wet man of wrong-dOing on any
such scrap of paper as that, and if he
wanted any body to believe what he
was saying he would have to produce
the original letter or a certified copy
He replied, if l would go to New Or
leans with him some time he would
carry me around and show me the
original, as the book firm that receiv-
ed it kept it on file, and that if | didn't
do that, he would get a certified copy,
and with that | left him, little think
ing | would hear of the matter again
Several weeks, perhaps two months
after this, on the afternoon of the first
Friday in April when the county ALI
ance met, well known gentleman in
town who is not member of the AL
lance, came to me and told me that
Watts was talking around a good deal
about Smith and threatening certain
damaging exposures as to his cOnnec-
ton with the text book matter, and
suggested to me that as a friend OF
Smith ought to inform him of it. !
replied that had been thinking of the
same thing, as | had heard some talk
to the same effect and didn't believe
there was any thing in it, and that at
the first opportunity l would inform
Smith of the situation. This CONVEX
sation took place in front of Sherman
g. Davis Bank and in few moments
| saw Smith and beckoned him to the
corner, and, taking him to one side,
stated that as friend / wished to ac-
quaint him with certain grave charges
being circulated against him by one
who wished to injure him mot, how
ever, calling Watts name). told
him distinctly what the charge was,