Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-10-06
HON. c. Z. HOOKER.
Capt. A. X. Jones Makes a Dig
nified Answer to His Card.
An Answer, Though, That Is
Crushing i'm Its Argument
and Facts.
Our TODlOftical Congressman
"Put In agHoIe" and
Left There.

! III bHc Ibit UlUsDu ReEcIlIe. date
of September l6, 1892, Col. cllas. Il.
Hooker attempts reply to certain
charges which ] preferred against
| him through that newspaper ON the
24th of August. His defence is per-
haas the best that the facts permitted
him to make, but take upon me 10
say 1t was q poor one. 1t does not
meet the points at issue between us.
nor will it change the judgment al
ready formed by the public as to the
merits of this controversy. might
indeed well refuse to notice his publi-
cation were it not that he las allowed
himself to use language aud make iu-
situations that do not choose to ac-
cept in silence. But in performing for
the second time the unpleasant duty
of publicly critieizing the gentleman
who represents this district In Con-
gress, shall forget neither my own
dignity nor the courtesy which, even
IN case like this, custom requires to
be observed toward meA holding high
office. disdain to initiate his exam
pie by STOPPING to vituperation and
insulting epithets, and it is not neces-
sary that | resort to such metllods. a
bare statement of the truth is suffi-
cient to convince all candid minds of
the justice of my accusatioD.
Briefly stated, the contfoyersv
stands thus: First, in private conver-
sation at various times, afterward.
Aug. 10, 1892, pnbiicaIy, III the pres
ence of Col. Hooker, alta Democratic
meeting in Port Gibson. aud still later
(Aug. 24tl) through the columns Of
the Reveilic, inserted tie following
facts: That III 1883 when his seal II
Congress was contested by Mr. Kerr
naghan, ! served Cpl Hooker by TAX
ing the depositiens of "A witnesses
who gave important testimony In his
favor; that at once sent the speaker
of the house all these depositi0ns with
an Iteniized fee bill of costs attached.
naming each witness, his per diem and
mileage; that though 1 knew Col.
Hooker to be individually responsible
for these costs did not demand them
of him until learned from newspa-
pers that Congress had appropriated
$4,000 for their payment that there
upon wrote to him in respectful terms
asking that these costs be paid, en-
closing second itemized cost bill:
that having received no reply after
months of waiting, ] wrote again to
Col. Hooker, who was then IN jack
son, Congress heing adjourned, and
sent him third itemized cost bin
that getting no answer, after consid
cradle interval addressed third let
ter to him in Washington, whittier lac
| had returned on the re- assembling of
Congress; that being still unable to
hear from him. some months later
wrote him again saying that he.
might retain my share of the costs,
provided he would pay the Witnesses,
and thus free me from their importu-
mites, and that until this day he has
paid neither the witnesses (mostly
poor men from the country nor my
self q single dollar of these just debts.
Each of these letters was mailed III
an official envelope bearing my name
and address and none of them were
ever returned to me from the dead let
ter Office or elsewhere.
Col. Hooker in bis reply says II
have letters from the most reputable
citizens in Claiborne cbunty stating
to me that this man A. X. Jones had
been industriouslys circulating the
slander that had reeeivdd 5000 to
defiay the expenses of the contested
election case of Kerneghan VS. Hooker
and had pocketed the money and paid
none of the expenses. | deny this.
No man in Claiborne county will face
me with the assertion that he ever.
heard these words from my lips. On
the contrary knew that he had paid
some of the expenses. | knew that be
had paid Mr.. Martin of Port Gibson
800, and knew that he had paid his
son, Mr. Allen Hooker, $3.50. What
| did say was that he had received
the appropriation of $1,000, had paid
Mr.. Martin his fees, had paid his son
a fee, but would not pay my costs, aud
what was worse would not answer
any of my letters to him. In NY re-
| ply to Col. Hooker | said s.iu1qinu
from mg experience he had not paid
out one dollar in the way OF costs 4
All intelligent men. especially law
yers, know the difference between at
torneys' fees and costs. The char
ges of attorneys are fees, costs annIv
to what is due court officials aud Wit
nesses.
Nearly one-half of Col. Hooker's
card is taken up in showing what
disposition he made of the. appiopri-
alton, and it shows that the entire
fund of 5000 vas paid to attorneys
aud type writers, except the palfrx
sums of $9i paid Mr. Lowe, $50 paid
Mr.. Brown aud $50 paid Dir. Potter:
nota single witness paid unless, per-
haps, in Mr.. Loves account. Themen
/ who tranlped through the cold and
the rain to testify IN his case, and
whose testimony won him his case,
have been "scaleds out of existence
4 Again: he says in his reply, II
distinctly stated in my public speech
i that when settled switlf my attorney
in Claiborne eounfy, Mr.. J.. Mc('. Mar
! lin, and gave him a cheek for his fee,
J 100, that ! called al the Office 81 tIi<
J man, A. X. Jones. aud found that he
/ was not in the county. and was told
that he was out of the siate Ihis
! Is bis only plea for not paying thes<
{ fcOSfs. Ii his statements were true