Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-02-16
CARD TO THE PUBLIC
Editor Mail-Telcgram.

Editor Mail-Telcgram. -
Judge johnson. In an open letter,
published in your yesterday evenings
issue, and by circulars distributed
throughout the county, propouHds a
number of questions to me concerning
my administration OF the office of coun-
~ Judge. l have hesitated TO answer
his questions because OF my lndlsposI-
tion TO enter into this sort OF scram-
BILE for office. II he had only spent
one-half OF the time he has devoted to
citing up his questions 81 inNcstigat-
ing their truth. there would have been
no necessity for this unsCCmly news
paper correspondence.
For the benefit of the public. and
that no one may he misled by the
mnuendos OF his questions | will briefly
reply TO them.
cials OF all the county. state and DIS
trict officers elected, but In iilling out
the numerous blanks for mat purpose
by some oversight l neglected to MI
out the blank for governor and lieu
tenant-goveInor. My recollection Is
that when the matter was called To
my attention / then forwarded the
returns to Austin. 1t was immoterinl
however as Culberson and Crane
were elected by unquestioned ma
jorities Independent of the vote
of Tarrant county. II. how
ever, the matter was OF such vital
importance, my predecessor should
have attended TO II, the precinct re-
turns being in and the vote countetd
before his retirement II was his duty
to make due returns to Austin.
2. His second question II so absurd
on Its face that / hardly feel justified
In answering It. II Is a fact that |
have been out of the state once and
out of the county a number of times
since In IniInti Ion IN M
never except on the occasion OF my
leaving the state, obtained permission
from the commissioners court. and |
do not intend to do 30 In the future.
1t would be inconvonient and eNpen-
sive TO the county, at the rate OF !l5
per day, to call meeting OF the com
| missloners' court every time ! wanted
to go to Dallas or Weatherford
g. ! Will probably answer this, the
third, question more fully In Joint de-
bate with Judge johnson later In the
campaign. For the present will only
say that during my distinguished pre-
| decessors reign all criminal cases In
which there was not II trial or y plea
| OF guilty were marked on the docket
Dismissed" or Filled" But now
| when the county attorney desires to
i no longer prosecute case ! inquire
| into the case, and II II appears that the
| evidence Is insufficient to convict
| give the defendant a Judgment ac-
| quitting him. to which in law he Is
| entitled. For these Judgments ! was
| entitled to and did collect fees during
! the first month or two of my oiiicia
career. My right to these fees being
| questioned. the matter was, by agree,
mcnt between the commissioners cour
and myself. submitted TO judge
Greene and Harris It being understood
that II their decision was adverse Il
| me I should repay al fees collected
but that pending their decision
should not collect such fees, Thes'
fees are collected by Judge Nash o.
| Dallas county and other county Judges
and their right to the fees SO far as
| know have never been questioned
II Is absolutely untrue that In any
of the cases there was written con
frssion of guilt.
coal to w. r. Stewart, but II wa
awarded by the commissioners chur
OF Tarrant county to the Fort Wortf
! Fuel company. am willing to bpai
my share Of the responsibility of wha
has been done by the commissioners
court. and especially In this instance
The bids referred TO disclose that tn,
! Fuel company hid was $3.50 per tor
| for genuine Usage McAlester coal. A2i
for Brier Creek McAlester, 1925 foi
bridgeport coal. LilIey a. Bib bid si2t
for MoAlester without naming thu
quality of McAlester) and s3,io fol
RrIdrenort etc. The Usage Nc Alester
which was not handled by Lilley
Bibb, II IL well known. Is the bes
grade OF McAlester coal, and, prefer
ring It. we accepted the bid, with th'
iigbt 10 use any OF the other grades
Of coal at the prices named IN the bld
Having answered serlatlm the ques
lions asked, trust that | VIII be abl'
60 avoid any further newspaper CORE
ppondence, for have neither the tint
nor inclination for II. Judge johnson
| can alwavs obtain any Information h.
NAV desire by addressing me in thu
usual way through the mails. Ana
am ready to defend my record on tn
stump at any time In the usual way
nut I cannot afford TO notice dodgers
Nils ana rosters and literature Of tina
Character While ! am more thai
willing to discuss my own record, Judg
( Johnson can hardly expect me TO com
mare my record with his. for hts ma
neen pnssed upon. adtndged and con
demned II would be brutal In me
dip II up. At the last election he wa
tho bindmost candidate In the race, re
ceivinr nearly 1900 votes out Of nenrl'
cooo votes cast. Three-fourths OF tn
neonIe Of the county expressed q de
aided dlsapproyai of his administra
,ion n The people OF this count
mss such n numbering decree upon m
record / think /. for one. shall b
yiiIInv 10 lei II remain In oblivion.
GEO. W. ARMSTRONG;.