, 1896-10-10
THE TRUE STORY.

Push him along.
THE TRUE STORY.
Auditor Owen Frankly Relates All
There is in the Van Meter Story.
From the Cheyenne Tribune: Audi
tor of State Hon. William o. Owen, hav-
ing returned to the city, a Tribune re-
porter interviewed him concerning the
purported affidavit read by Rev. tO
Melvin Nichols at Turner hall on
Thursday evening. Mr.. Owen said:
Mr.. Van Meter formerly worked for
me in the execution OF government sur
veys. l had always considered him a
friend of mine and endeavored to treat
him as such. The latter part Of Sep
TENDER Mr.. Van Meter requested mi in
a personal letter to ascertain from the
office of the secretary of state II Mr..
Elliott had filed the certificate Of nom
nation of the populist presidential
electors, and stated that Information
had reached him leading him to believe
that Elliott had undertaken to sell out
the populist party to the democrats and
would probably fail to file the certif-
cate.
Il complied with his request, writ
ing him as desired.
From this l naturally believed Mr..
Van Meter sincere in his dsire to pre-
serve the populist party by keeping 1t
in the middle Of the road In this cleo
ton. the same as 1t made the fight in
1894. My belief in his sincerity was
strengthened by his vehement assertion
that he would remain on the populist
ticket and run as a populist only. and
that no power on earth could bulge
him from his purpose. His card. re-
Gently published in the Cheyenne Sun
Leader. is in line with the statement;
here 1t is:
VAN METERS LETTER.
Sundance. Wyo., Oct. 2, 1896.-To the
People of Wyoming: 1t has been re-
ported to me that it has been rumored
in Cheyenne that my name will be with
drawn from the peoples party ticket.
l desire to deny this most emphati-
cally; l am for Bryan and Watson, and
for Brown for congress. mo Brown.
no silver!" is the populist campaign
slogan Of Wyoming today.
As between the other two candidates,
should Brown be taken down, l have
no choice, neither would I cast q vote
for either Of them. l wish 1t to be un-
derstood by the peoples party that my
name will remain upon the ticket until
the Sd Of November. 1896. Yours truly,
D. L. VAN METER.
| PEOPLES Party Candidate for Presiden-
tial Elector.
II saw Mr.. Van Meter at Newcastle,
1t is true, and he told me he had been
informed that two populist electors
mad been Withdrawn, and that he would
be endorsed by the democratic party. !
asked him II, In view of his letter to me
and his published card, he intended to
| 90 into a scheme Of that kind: he re-
piled evasively. advised him. in view
of his sincere views heretofore to reject
the endorsement and stand as a popu-
list pure and simple. winning or losing
upon their platform. l made no secret
Of my desire as an ardent republican
for the election Of Mckinley and the
success Of the republican ticket
throughout in the coming campaign. In
this connection-since Van Meter had
formerly worked with me on govern
ment surveys told him frankly that
having had experience in such work 1
should. If Mckinley was elected. solicit
further contracts, hoping to thereby
secure employment after the expiration
OF my present engagement. assured
him l would probabaly be able to Se-
cure work the same as in past years,
and that l expected to offer him q posi-
tion in doing this work, as heretofore.
1T is we'll known government survey
ing contracts In Wyoming. under exist
ing rates, are not bonansas, but simply
a fair compensation for services rem
dered when performed by experienced
Industrious and economical persons.
Now. as TO any alleged attempts on my
part at bribery, securing railroad trans
~portatton. giving Mr.. Van Meter q half
interest in surveying oontracts, ETC.,
49, -