The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-15
THE CITY COURT cLERKsH1p.

T. huSERH
SAVANNAH, GA, Jan. 14.-Ediior
MoTnieg News: In your account. con-
tanned in to-dsy's issue, Of the Harmon
nesting, find the following statement.
Judge P. N. Russell, after oOnplinentinz
Alderman Harmon. turned to his own re-
cent defeat and said be would not he human
II be could forget the treachsry Of one par
tlculsr alderman who is seeking reelection.
and he proposes to do everything against
him that he can election day. .Ths.
alderman said Mr.. Russell. lis W. l
OBrien-' He came 20 my house and
solemnly promised to support me and then
went back on me.n
The implication would be that had been
at his house recently during his late contest
with Mr.. Bailey, and had made a promise
which had violated. The charge is serious
ana demands direct and specific state
ment from ma
l was never in the house Of Judge P. NJ,
russell but once in my life. That vas
quite two years ago, when l was a candi-
date on the Schwarz ticket for the position
OF alderman, and short time before the
election. went there then upon Judge Rus
selIs Invitation to confer about the munich
pal campaign, then in progress. and he
then being a supporter Of the ticket that I
was on. My mission was political purely.
MY acquaintance with Judge Russell was
shRnC- | had never been in his house be-
tors and have not been since. II any al
fusion Whatever was made to the clerkship
OF the city court. or 10 the fact that Judge
russell two years from that time would be
candidate for reelection, it has passed out
OF my memory and my ability to recall it.
absolutely and completely. ! am satisfied
that no allusion was made and that did
not say anything about supporting him.
he could not have referred TO Mr.. Bailevs
candidacy or any opposition to himself be.
cause this was two years before the election
and had never thought Of any opposition
to him. It would have been highly i'm
proper for me TO have told Judge Russell at
this time that / would support him, no
matter who opposed him, and to have
bound myself against all contingencies to
do this. / am confident that I did not do
this, and this conviction is the more
reasonable in view of what has occurred
recently.
Some two or three months ago after Mr..
Bailey had become a candidste) Judge Rus
sell came TO my Office on West Broad street.
handed me his Recommendations and in
dorsements and asked me to consider them.
and said that, il could do so, he would be
very glad TO have me support him. He
same place, talked about his election, ex-
pressed the hope that would support him,
and in effect. asked me TO do SO. told
him that could not promise what would
do. At none of these interviews did he
claim or intimate that l was under v
promise 70 vote for him. The purpose
Of his coming 20 see me was to secure q
promise. II he already had one why did
he come2 II he was armed with this reason
I
promise" Ia controlling reason with every
honorable man, why did he not mention liz
And yet, positively and solemuly declare
that be never alluded to it. He knew that
was laboring under the impression that
waS under no promise to him, and, in COM
mon justice TO myself as well as to himself,
he ought to have reminded me Of the prom
ise, IL he really believed that had made
one. Why did he leave me under the con-
viotion that was untrammelled by any
promise?
Mr.. Waring Russell, the present county
treasurer, called upon me about six weeks
ago and requested me to support his brother
for the clerkshIp Of the city court. | re-
fused to make him such a promise. He did
not say or intimate at this time that was
under any promise to vote for his brother,
and yet, IL this had been the case, how
natural, how unavoidable, It would have
been for him to have said 80. He also came
10 secure a promise, not to remind me of
one, and never hinted that I was under any
promise.
After this. Mrs. Russell, the wife OF
Judge Russell, drove TO my place Of bust
mesa and requested me TO promise her 10
vote for her husband. replied to her that
could not make any promise. She did
not say or suggest that was already under
promise to do so, but on the contrary.
came to secure my promise.
On the day Of the election Mr.. Waring
Russell, Jr., called upon me and asked me
to support his father aud l declined TO
promise to do so. This member of the
family did not say or intimate that had so
promised. At various times l have been
importuned by different parties and in all
manner OF ways TO cast my vote for Judge
Russell, but at no time and upon no occa-
sion did eingle one CT them ever say or in
innate that was under promise to do so,
and did not say or intimate to any one OF
these parties that would support Judge
Russell. | always care ullY avoided making
any promise, or any statement that would
Ue r6ntamount to promise.
a few days ago, since the election.
learned that Mr.. George Meyer had stated
that l had made the promise, had gone back
on 10 and that for this reason ! could not
live in this town, aud that he had been try
ing to see me, but that had been avoiding
0lTEis Az soon AS ledrQ Oh JDlS lOOkeQ I'D
Mr. Meyer, found him in the office of a gen
tleman in this city, asked him il be had
said that had promised to vote for Judge
Russell for the clerkship OF the city court,
and understanding from him that he hsd so
said. told him that he was a liar and
struck him, whereupon MIR. Meyer beat a
hasty retreat and the Interference OF friends
prevented further difficulty. Except to
try to get out of the way, Mr.. Meyer took
no part in the difficulty.
In conclusion wish to say that voted
for Mr.. Bailey because be was my personal
frisnd and because / believed him to be
competent for the office. Had not thought
him competent. his friendship would not
have controlled my vote; but the two CONS
biued ga isfied me that it was my duty TO
vote for him, aud / did only what con-
ceived my duty required. Against Judge
Russell have nothing to say except that
his statement is incorrect and unjust TO me.
On account of his years, it would be OBJ vi
ously improper and unmanly for me TO say
more than this or to make any issue with
him OF a personal sort. But while Judge
Russell's age will protect him, wish it to
be distinctly understood that il any man
other than an old man will say in my pres
euce that was false TO my promise, be will
at ones receive from me the reply and the
treatment Of which Mr. Meyer has been the
recipient. w. l. OBRTEN.
SEVENTEEN FOa THE GANG.