The herald., 1896-10-27
MR.. KENYoN's TALE
He Tries to Explain His Dealings With
Ward Heeler Sam K. Adams

Mr.. Brewster G. Kenyon. the Repub-
lican nominee for the assembly in the
Seventy-second district, has got his
hands full now. He is trying to explain
how he entered into an alliance with
Sam X. Adams to prevail upon James
Andrew Smith, poor, weak old man,
to get his name on the ballot as a Silver
Democratic" candidate for the assembly
in Kenyon's district
The object Of this, of course, was to
take votes away from w. r. Steele, the
regular fusion nominee. 1t was dirty,
contemplate job as was ever put up,
and the full facts have been exposed in
this paper.
Kenyon writes The Herald the follow
ing letter explaining his position In the
matter, and 1t is printed for what 1t is
worth.
'In your Sunday issue, under the
headline "A Job Exposed you attempt
to connect me with plot to put the
name of James Andrew Smith on the
ticket for assemblyman in this district
as a Silver Democrat, with the intent
of injuring my Demo- Populist opponent,
Mr.. Steele, Mr.. Smith stating that Sam
K. Adams had promised him 800 for al
lowing his name to be used for this pur-
pose.
WAS it not that I am the servant of
my constituents 1 should ignore the ar
ticle In question, but, as 1t Is, I shall
state what little know of the transac-
ton. My first intimation that there was
an independent candidate in the field
was about the 1st Of the month, when 1
was told that there was a party in Re-
dondo circulating petition for some
Democrat for the office of assemblyman, n,
and on the following Sunday learned
that this party was in my home town,
Long Beach.
Later in the day, while talking the
matter over with some friends on the
street, two persons were pointed out to
me as the parties who had the petition,
one Of whom I recognized as Sam X.
Adams, former constituent of mine, a
man who had been present at the last
session of the legislature seeking a
clerkship, which he failed to obtain, and
for which failure 1 believe he holds me
more or less responsible.
Il approached Adams and asked him
how 1t was that he was circulating a pc
tition for an opponent Of mine in my
home town. He replied: 1T won't hurt
you as much as 1t will the other fellow
as he Is Silver Democrat and went on
J to say that Smith had been delegate in
the recent Democratic convention, but
had opposed fusion, and when he found
his efforts useless had left the hall, and,
in the field for an office, hardly expecting
to win, but hoping by the advertising
that he would get to have pull on his
party later on. Before leaving this city
Adams asked me to lend him some mon.
ey. adding that could afford to, as the
work he was doing for his friend would
also help me, but positively refused to
give him any. Since then he has made
the same request every time happened
to meet him on the streets of Los An
geles, with the same result.
Two or three of my friends in this
city signed the petition in question, as
they said, believing that it would do me
| more good than HARM but it was not
done at my instigation. I have since
ious town that Mr. Steele and myself
were both Southern Pacific men and
that Smith was brought out to allow the
people Of this district at least one clean
candidate to vote for.
IF Adams was working in my interest
why should he endeavor to thus injure
my reputation as we'll as Mr.. Steele's
On returning home last Thursday, after
an absence of some days, found a let
ter from Mr.. Smith stating the facts
about as given in your paper and saying
that he would keep quiet If I would pay
him certain sum of money.
"As this looked like very pronounced
investigate, so telegraphed him: Letter
received unintelliglble, will meet you
at postoffice tomorrow or words to that
effect.
"Mr. Smith met me and repeated what
he had said in his letter, whereupon ]
informed him that considered him in
O very queer business and as I was not
doing that kind Of politics, left him.
From the above showing l think 1t is
to put It mildly, hardly fair to condemn
me without allowing me a chance tn
| make defense. Mr. Steele 1 believe is
making clean fight. and am doing
likewise. and I think that all that either
of US ask is fair expression of the will
of the people of this district on Novem-
ber 3D."
Mr. Kenyon's explanation does not
explain. He now turns on his quondam
friend, Sam X. Adams, and proceeds to
roast him. 1t is possible the worm may
turn and If 1t does Sam can tell an in :
teresting story.
Mr.. Kenyon has always been in close
alliance with the Southern Pacific Rail
road company and The Herald has few
facts to state in this connection in few
days.
WOMAN IN POLITICS