The Florence tribune., 1897-05-08
MR. SMITHS CONFESSION.
His Story of the Conspiracy Against the
 Public Treasury
From the Phoenix Republican,


 in the late legislature an attempt was made to procure copy of an affidavit said to have been made before Judge Joel T. Olive, who was sent to Arizona from the Interior Department to in- vestigate certain charges against Gov ernor Hughes. An item in the deas ciency bill was intended tocomplete tue robbery, which, it was said, Mir. Smith and others had begun. The affidavit conld not be found and it was at length denied that such an affidavit was in ex- istence. A copy of it, though; has been lately obtained from the Interior De- partment and unpublished below. The Arizona Republican, whose manag- CT, T. J. Wotdeyi is frequently referred to by MT. Smith as q fellow conspirator, came into the.hands of it's present own CT more than six months ago. Mir. T. J. Wolfey has not been connected with the paper in any capacity since it was sold.
 Mir. Smiths story of the conspiracy against the public funds is eloquently told in his affidavit. It effectually dis poses of the assertion of the Gazette that Mir. Smith is Ia man of probity," "square man, etc. Here it is:
 Territory of Arizona, County of Mari
 copa. ss.
 "W. T. Smith being duly sworn on oath says, that he is resident of Phoe- nix, Arizona, and has been such for more than fifteen years last past, that he is and has been for more than one year last past, the president and man. aging director of the Arizona Gazette company, which publishes daily and weekly newspaper at Phoenix, Arizona. That during the month of December, 1894, he suggested to T. J. Wolhey, the editor and manager of the Arizona Re publican, published also at Phoenix, Arizona, who was on very intimate terms at that time with Governor Louis c. Hughes, that he see Governor Hughes aud obtain from him the job Of printing all the reports made by the Territorial officers to the Governor for transmission by him to the legislature, and that the Republican and Gazette do the 'worls of printing said reports, and divide the profits made therefrom. Mfr. WolAey agreeable to said suggestion, called on Governor Louis c. Hughes and asked for the job of printing said reports; after some talk over the matter Govern F or Hughes agreed to give the job for printing said reports to Mir. Wolfiey and the Gazette company, provided the Tue son Star, the Governors personal news paper, would be allowed to participate in the profits of said printing equally with the Republican company and Ga ettecompany, which proposition afiant and Mir. Wolhey agreed to accept and print the said reports, provided the EGoyernor would stand his equal share of the actual expense of the printing. This the Governor declined to do, but said that the Star office would print the Livestock Commissioners report and his biennial message to the legis- lature as his part of the expense for do- ing the said printing, the cost of print ing said Livestock Commissioners re- port and message being estimated to cost about $20 and $50, respectively, and that the Gazette and Republican to pay the balance of the expense for said printing. This proposition was finally accepted and contract entered into on the above basis, for printing all the said reports between T. J. Wolfley, for the Arizona Republican; W. T. Smith, for the Arizona Gazette, and Governor Louis c. Hughes, for the Tue son Star.
 "It was also agreed between the above parties that Governor Hughes should explain to the legislature in his message to that body the reasons for having said reports printed prior to the meeting u the legislature, and recom- mend payment therefor. Governor Hughes made such explanations in his message, which he in person read to the legislature at it's convention on January | 2I, 1895. Thereafter all the reports submitted to Governor Hughes for transmission to the legislature by the various Territorial officers. were by him turned over to T. J. Wolfey and affiant, and by them printed, with the exception of the report of the Livestock Commissioners and the Governor: message, which were turned over to tho Tucson Star under the above agreement however, it was to be understood by tn, public and the legislature that said re port and message, together with all tn, other reports, were printed by the Re publican and Gazette, and that tn Tucson Star was not to be known ii the transaction; and to cover nor completely the Tucson Stars con nection herewith, the Republicai printed and put on covers tt it's offic in Phoenix on the same.