The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1891-04-25
An UGLY LETTER.

McAlllslcF, IA lelter 20 the DAILY
News. Feproduces a letter from Con-
gresham Beeman, relative TO McAllls-
ter's charge that the State Lecturer,
Frank Burkitt, as a member Of the
committee Of the Oeala convention TO
Investigate the charges against Dr. Me
Cuue in the matter of the Georgia
Senatorial contest, joined ia report
whilewashing McCune. Congressman
Beeman is one ofthe twOAlliance mem
bers Of the Oeala convention whom
MeAllister cites as his authority.
Hon. w. 5. McAllister;
My Dear Sir-In reply to your in-
quiry as TO what | know of the matter
of the MeCune investigation before the
meeting Of the National Alliance at
0cala. Fla, December last, and Capt.
Burkilt's connection with il, have TO
say, on hearing that investigation was
to be made of the conn lalnts against
President l.. L. Polk, DIR. MeCune and
Col Livingstone, in the matter of the
Senatorial contest in Georgia, and that
a committee, TO be composed of one
delegate from each State represented
in the meeting, was to be appointed
for the purpose, the Mississippi delega-
ton selected Capt. Burkitt for this
duty, believing, as we stated TO each
other, that he possessed peculiar fit
ness for work of this kind; that ii any
thing should be found wrong he would
certainly have the courage to assert il ;
that should any attempt be made to
paliate or whitewash wrongdoing
Capt. Burkitt would never be a party
to 1t. lie was accordingly appointed,
and served on the committee.
During the progress of the investl-
CATION Imade inquiry of him (Burkitt)
touching the likelihood of the charges
being sustained. To this he made the
reply thai il had been agreed by the
committee that nothing should be give
out appertaining to the testimony or
the action taken until the investigation
should have been completed aud the
report had been prepared. Some re-
marks were made or some insinuations
dropped by which | inferred that the
report, so far as DIR. McCuno was con-
eerncd, would be damaging. Exactly
what was said or limited at do not re-
member. No disclosures were made,
but was prepared for and expected
that the report of the case Of DR.. Nc
Cune would be anything but favorable.
was surprised when il was submit
ted, and especially so to learn that
Captain Burkitt, had signed ii. TO
him expressed this surprise at the
first favorable opportunity. When he
told me that IN the interest of harmony
il had been done. That TO have acted
otherwise would have resulted IN
bursting the organization and from
this statement of Captain Burkitts |
was lead to believe that he was i'm
pressed from the testimony before Its
committee that DR.. McCuno's conduct
was reprebensibie, but for the fact that
ho (McCunel had large following in
the meeting tho report would have
been different, or n minority report
would have been submitted.
| remember saying to Captain Bur
kit when he mentioned having signed
the report In the interest OF harmony
or for the good of the organization that
while we owed much to harmony we
certainly owed more to principle.
My information obtained from Cap
tain Burkiit is that the report as first
drawn was complete yindication of
President Polk and that the clause ex-
pressive of regret at the writing of the
Norwood letter was added to appease
tho friends of DR.. McCune aud that he
himself (Burkitt), did this in the inter-
est of harmony.
thus fusnish you with all know
OF the matter or all that is material.
There are some minor details which |
deem unimportant. thought at the
time, and have not ceased to think,
that a mistake was made IN thus lightly
passing over what seemed to affect,
the high standing Tor purity which the
organization had assumed.
j. A. BgEAIAN.
M'CUNE NERDS MORE WHITE WASH.
Austin, Tex, April i6.-In the
Farmers Alliance libel trial in prog
rcss here evidence was brought out
how the farmers are scooped
by tho Alliance Exchange. Tho evil
dence was from Alliance men of good
standing who had been losers through
the Texas Alliance Exchange.
The leaders of the Alliance and
of the Exchange created
a system of notes upon which farmers
could receive supplies through the Ex-
change. Members Of a sub-alliance
goods TO carry them over the
season would execute a note payable
IN full with three indorsers on 1t.
This note would be placed TO bis credit
In the Exchange and he would be sup
Piled with goods as needed.
Farmers in Texas sent up as was
shown to-day by McCune Of the
National Alliance reputation S4l5,000
of these notes, but II is not in testimo-
ny how much they. received In return
for them. A witness testified that he
gave his note for $1,000 and only re-
ceived $3.50 worth of goods. His note
was placed with Morris & Co., wagon
makers of Cincinnati, by the exchange
IS collateral to secure the payment of
purchases made aud the exchange GO
ng into bankruptcy, he had to pay
he full amount Of bis note. lie mcn-
tioned four other farmers in his ooun-
y who, 10 his personal knowledge |
suffered loss in the same way. McCune
testified that he and the officers of the
exchange would deposit these farmers
notes in banks as collateral and bor-
row money. They were also used as
collateral with wholesale men. II was
IN testimony to-day that when COM
mittee was appointed to investigate
.he books of the concern, the expert
appointed was not shown the impor-
liant books at all and could not make
heads or tails out of those lie did see.
lie wrote a report, however, but did
il under the direction of the commit
Ice. The invoice books and cash book
The expert did not see, nor can they
be found, and officers of the exchange /
testify that they do not know where
hey are. The evidence places the
exchange in very bad light, and
shows that through its agency the
Alliance farmers of Texas have lost a
rast sum of money.