The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-13

Referring TO two articles which ap-
peared in the Tribune of yesterday,
treating of the canvassing of the
Weber county election returns, Chair
man Letcher, of the Utah commission,
and Judge Dey have handed The Her
aid the communications given below.
which give the lie direct to the asser-
tons and inuendos in the scurrilous
articles, which attack a gentleman
$ lNhose integrity and thorough honesty
1are above suspicion and reproach.
From Chairman Letcher.
To the Editor of The Herald:
NIa the Tribune of this morn
) ing it is stated that 1 asked for the
resignation of the Hon. Charles C.
Dey. late chairman of the territorial
canvassing board, and Of William
Rarcombe. one Of the members from
Weber county.
The statement is false.
In the case of MIR. Dey, he accepted
the appointment on the condition that
he should be relieved in few days If
his business so demanded. He was
frequently interrupted by pressure OF
professional duties, but continued on
the board because he desired to see
the Weber county matters completed
On Monday morning, December 3, he
told me that he had been called Il
Provo. but would return on Tuesday
and as he expected the canVasslne
hoard to close up Weber county b!
that date, we could be hunting for
man to take his place as soon as ina
county was finished.
On Tuesday / learned from Ogder
parties, that the mandamus proceeding:
had not been disposed of, which would
dalav the board in finishing the Weber
county canvass. 1 consequently. tele
phoned Mr.. Dey, asking if he still in
sisted on being relieved, to which he
replied yes but that he would prefer
not to be SO until Weber county wa.
disposed Of if that could be speedily
done, and yet, if 1T had to be delayed
he could not remain. I then asked i
we should appoint his successor at once
and he replied that it was a matter o
, Indifference to him, except that he dis
liked to seemingly shirk the response
bility of Weber county, and the mat
ter was dropped. a little later he tel
ephoned me not to appoint his sue
cessor until he came up to the Com
mission and learned what could b,
done regarding Weber. Soon after, h
came up and arranged for Judge Kinl
to hear the mandamus case that even
ing, which was done, and the following
morning Weber county was disposed O
and Mr.. Dey resigned. 1t was, all tn
time. my desire to have him remain OF
the board OK canvassers, and still, III
desire was to accommodate him nm
relieve him when he could no longe
remain. That is all there is of tina
matter.
With reference to Mr.. Harcombe,
saw him Tuesday morning, December
walking up and down the hallway Q
the commission building, looking wor
rled. I said:
What is troubling you this morn
>fng?" He replied, THAT Weber count
4 matter 1 then asked, DO you fee
embarrassed in deciding that matter b
reason of residing there?" He an
severed, Eyes, 1 would have preferre
not to have had anything to do wit
st." 1 then said, THE commissio
could select some one in your place
you 50 desire He rejoined that tn
matter had gone TOO far then, and b
would see ii through.
r was in no way interested in tn
matters before the canvassing board
other than I felt a concern in the out
come of the mandamus proceedings, an
wanted that disposed of and 1 and a
TIE members of the commission pre-
ferred to make no change in the boar
OF canvassers unless to accommodate
them.
Enclosed find letter from Nessrs. De
and Harcombe regarding the matter
which I desire published in connectio
with this. JERROLD r. LETCHER.
Salt Lake City. Dec. u 1894
Judge Dey's Statement.
Hon. ]. R. Letcher, Chairman of tn
NJ Utah Commission:
Dear Sir:-Our attention having bee
F-ealld to the article in the Tribune c
Dec. 18th, 1894. entitled "A Conten