Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-09-18
CATRON EGSTHE QUESTION
Replies to GOV. ThOrntOn's Open Let
ter-But Does Not Deny That the
Anonymous Screed Emanated
from His once.

Gov. Thornton received through the
mail yesterday afternoon the following:
Gov. W. T. Thornton, Office of the Executive,
Territory of New Mexico Santa Fe N M.
Santa Fe, N. NJ, Sept. 16, 1S96.-Dear
Sir: am this morning in possession OF
your communication of the 10th inst,
written from the "office of the executive"
having just returned from Colorado,
where have been looking after some
mining interests.
As citizen of New Mexico of over
thirty years. standing, interested in her
welfare, deplore sincerely that you, as
her chief executive, have SO far forgotten
the dignity and obligations of the office
you hold as to write such letter as the
one you addressed to me and published in
your newspaper on the 18th inst. 1t has
the appearance of being designed to pro-
woke me to some act of violence which
might give your adherents an opportuni-
ty to injure me physically, but am I'M
willing to attribute to you such design.
I prefer to consider your act that of one
smarting under some fancied injury to
such degree as to render you temporari-
ly insane. shall try to AVOID your ex'
ample. As left Santa Fe ON the same
day of your publication, and did not re-
ceive your communication until this
morning, your delay in writing it is to
be regretted. The coincidence in time OF
my going and of your publication was
of course, purely fortuitous, but SONS
may not so believe.
lam surprised that you could imagine
that would write an anonymous letter
about You or any one else. We have
known each other very many years; AND
you will bear witness that when have
had anything to say to or about you
have not hesitated to say it in person
and there is no reason for any change.
1t ought not to be necessary for me to
assure you, Of all living men, in view Of
our long and intimate association-muct
of the time when You we're my "willing'
law partner, in which the most intimate
and confidential relations existed-that
have not written and will not write any
anonymous attacks upon you or any one
else. After your letter you do not deserve
such statement; but do state that have
not written, dictated or inspired the mat
ter you quote or refer to, about you
either directly or indirectly; that never
heard of it before its publication, and
never saw 1t until saw it in your letter
nor have written, dictated or inspired
any other communications about any
other official, as you suggest.
shall not attempt to reply to your
scandalous insinuations, believing them
to be the effects of mental alteration, OK
cept to say they are untrue In substance
and intent. Should, in my judgment
the proper time ever arrive for me to ex
press myself as to you or any one else,
will do it openly and directly, as You vel
know.
can not notice your sourrilous anc
s]anderous statements. They are I'M
worthy of your high official position, ana
do not elevate your character as a gentle
men; and it would degrade me to other
wise notice them. leave you them will
simple denial, declining to follow your
precedent, and will let the people who
know us Judge. Respectfully, ETC.,
| (SiRnedD T. B. CATRoN.
In the above it will be observed by thu
discriminating reading public that Dele
gate Catron makes no denial of the direc
allegation in the governors open lette1
that the venomous and malicious anony
nous communication, appearing in the Al
buquerque Citizen of the 4th instant, ema
mated from Oatron's Office. The Cover
nor says he is perfectly willing to rest tn,
case with the people of New Mexico.