Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-04-03
THE OTHER SIDE.
Statement of Hon. j. B. sommerville.
WHEELING, w. VA, April 2. 1898.

To the Edttor OF the REGISTER
The statements published In your
issues of yesterday and to-day concern
ing the contest now going on in this State
for the office of United States District
Attorney and the connection Of r. +.
Kidd, of Gilmer county, Herewith, rem
der it necessary for me to make state
ment in order that the public may
know the exact facts. On Wednesday
last, about noon, Samuel Hayes, q mem
Der of the Gilmer county bar and a
former law partner of Mr.. Kidd, said
to me at the entrance TO the National
Hotel in Washington City, that either
Mr.. Kidd or myself should withdraw
from the contest for District Attorney,
and as / seemed 10 have a better show
than Mr.. Kidd, he thought il Mr.. Kidd
could get some position In Washington,
he would cease to be candidate. l
told him l had not determined what
course l would pursue, and we
separated without further conversation.
About five or six o'clock in the evening,
I met Mr.. Hayes again at the National
Hotel and he renewed his former sug-
gestion. told him l had no objection
| to meeting the parties concerned and
| talking the matter over with them. We
then agreed to meet at my room at the
the Randall Hotel at $50 o'clock that
evening, nutMr Hayes aEd-his parties
! did not come and th6re was no meeting.
In the meantime had arranged with
Hon. John o. Pendleton to take me out
Thursday morning at 10 o'clock and in
troduce me to the President. Shortly
after that hour Mr.. Pendleton came TO
my room accompanied by Mr. Kidd,
Mr.. Samuel Hayes and his brother,
| French Hayes. who is member OF the
Legislature from Gilmer county. Mr..
Samuel Hayes stated that he had not
been able to get the parties together the
evening before and had not therefore
kept ghis engagement with me,
| but that they were now present and
wanted to talk about the District At
torneyship. then stated in the pres
ence of Mr.. Pendleton substantially
what had transpired between Samuel
HAYES and myself the day before. Mr..
| Kidd then said il we were both candi-
dates from the First Congressional Dis
trict it would probably result in neither
Of us getting the appointment, and the
only way to defeat General Watts was
| for one or the ether OF US TO withdraw,
and as he thought had better chance
TO be appointed than he, he was willing
10 withdraw IL he could get another po-
sition. l then told him that II he be-
came a candidate for some other posi-
tion 1 would endorse him. He then an
nounced that he would not be a candi-
date for District Attorney, and proposed
to go with the delegation TO see the
President In my behalf. Mr.. Pendleton
took no part whatever in this converse
ton. On the way from the no.
tel to the Executive Mansion Mr.
Kidd talked very freely about
the District Attorneyship and was ap-
parently very earnest and emphatic in
his opposition to General Watts. laying
particular stress upon the disposition Of
! the Third Congressional district to
monopolize all the offices. He asked
me if there was anything that | par
ticularly desired him to say to the Pres
ideut, and said IL there was he would
gladly say IT, Mr.. Pendeton intro
| duced US all to the President, and l
maze statement CouCtIu AnE VI Cdu-
didacy. After | had finished. Mr..
Samuel Hayes made short statement
MIR. Kidd assented TO everything that
was said by either Of US, and added a
few words advocating my appointment.
After the interview with the President
and while Mr.. Kidd and l we're at the
head of the stairs leading to the execu-
tive Offices, waiting for Mr.. Pendleton to
ioin US, Mr.. Kidd took occasion to refer
! TO Gen. Watts in very uncomplimentary
terms, telling me of an occasion upon
which he had q case In the Federal
Court and General Watts was District
Attorney aud General Watts treated
him so badly that Judge Jackson had
to protect him. This is a fair state
ment OF what occurred between Mr..
Kidd and myself with regard to the
District Attorneyship. and this is the
reason why l stated TO you and others
on yesterday that Mr.. Kidd had not
withdrawn in favor of General Watts,
but had Withdrawn in my favor.
Yours very truly,
J. 3. SO3f1IEEYILLE.