The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-05
he FRAsER.RoCKwELL CONTEST.
What Mr.. duBignon Hes to Say With
Regard to 1t.

What Mr.. duBignon Hes to Say With
Regard to 1t.
Mr.. duBignon reached home last night
from Atlanta, where he remained yesterday
20 represent Mr.. Reese. the sitting member
in the contested election case before the
Senate. When asked II he desired to say
ANYTHING about the contest for solicitor gem
eral in this circuit, he answered that in
view OF some Of the sensational kilograms
which had been sent out. relative to, his part
in it, that it was, perhaps, proper that he
should speak.
sin the first place." said he, sit is but lust
TO say that Inever encouraged my kinsman,
Mr. Rockwell to make this race l never
at any time requested either Mr.. Guerard
or Mr.. Doolan to vote for Mr.. Rockwell
until after they had publicly stated that
they intended supporting him. In the in
dorsements Of the bar the names of my
partners appear upon neither petition, nor
did I ever request them to indoVse MIR.
RockweIl's candidacy. Up to the day when
the general assembly convened had hoped
that the contest might be averted, aud did
what | could to prevent il. When l re-
turned from New York and was shown
written statement that Messrs Guerard
and Doolan would support MIR. Rock
well | saw Mr.. Fraser and endeav-
ored again to agree upon some arrange
ment that would avoid a contest. When
IL became evident that nothing in this di-
rection was practicable, | stated to Mr..
Frazer that felt constrained from a sense
of obligations TO those who had served me
In the past and who we're related to me by
blood to do what l could to secure Mr..
Rockwell's election. 1t is needless to say
that the situation was most embarrassing
and disagreeabe. Mr.. Fraser had been my
partner in business and my personal friend,
and against him as man or as an officer
not IA word could or has been said to my
knowledge. So much by way OF preface.
When l reached Atlanta last Friday
it required but little time to discover
that the race would be a close aud exciting
one with the chances all in Mr.. Fraser's
favor. l was not unfamiliar with such
fights and never shirked one for such rea-
sons. Ii was perfectly well known last
week that the influences which defeated Mr..
Fleming for speaker were favorable to Mr..
Fraser's election, and any one who has ever
been connected with legislature knows
that In these elections no influence Is SO
powerful as that Of the speaker, especially
before the announcement of his committees
Do not understand me as critcising or CEN
surfing any one. take no part In the out
cry against the so-called slate
Combinations by mutual friends have,
and always will be, entered into in these
elections, and generally the only objection
to such methods come from those who could
not get upon the slate. But the fact re-
NAMED that my man was not upon the slate
and my only hope Of winning was TO break
1t. The light from start to finish was fast
and furious, but as far as know in perfect
good temper. heard nothing from Mr.
Fraser's friends against Mr.. Rockwell per-
sonally, and | am quite certain that moth
ing was said against Mr.. Fraser personally
or as prosecuting officer. Had
Mr.. Rockwells canvass been started earlier
ba hIy n huu hoo
As it was, he had a clear majority on the
night before the election, and nothing but
the treachery OF four men, who had
pledged him their support and participated
in his caucus, defeated him. When the bail
lot disclosed the result l made no con
cealment of my Indignation at their course.
Two of them attended a meeting in my
room the night before and shared in all OF
our counsels The sensational dispatch from
Atlanta, personal to myself. so objection
ably head-iued, has only this Of truth In it.
! - did IN the arcade of e the
kimball house refuse the proifered hand of
one of the men who had 90 shamelessly
abused my confidence, aud did, in language
perhaps too violent. denounce HIS conduct.
did upon meeting Mr.. Thompson in the hotel
1nreServedly condemn such practices in
terms which now regret using, but there
was no threatened personal difficulty be-
tween him and myself, nor did | denounce
question refers TO a meeting between Judge
Gober and myself it is absolutely untrue.
| had no meeting with Judge Gober
in the arcade of the Kimball
house, nor did l there or else
where ever say to him or to any one that
/ believed sthe charges which have been
made against him to be true. We did have
a conversation in the capitol on the morn
ing Of the election, when no one was pres
eDt but ourselves, relative to his attitude in
the contest, but it amounted absolutely to
nothing.
So far as the vote of the third party is
concerned, MIR. Fraser aud his friends had a
perfect right to secure it if they could do 80
by honorable means, and have no informa-
ton that any other were employed and no
idea that he would permit the use of any
other. Mr.. Branch voted for Mr.. Rockwell,
on my account. We have known each other
for years and were at school together in
Virginia when boys. | have no. acquaint-
ance with any other member of the third
party in the legislature, and Of course ap-
preached none of them upon the subject. I
was informed on Sunday that the third
party members with the exception of MIR.
Branch, had decided to vote for Mr.. Fraser,
and very naturally concluded that this
action was attributable TO the fact that /
had taken some part against their movement
and for the further reason that represented
Mr.. Reese against third party contestant
before the Senate. One word more and
am done. Mr.. Fraser and his friends have
made gallant and successful fight and are
entitled to the full credit and enjoyment Of