The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-10-23
HE CHARGES BRIBERY.
GOV. ATKINSON MAKES APUBLIC STATE.
MEkT. .
Says suborned Evidence Has Been Given
Against His wife =. He Does Not Think
Her Guilty...Tiie Whole Matter Bitter
Family Quarrel,

Gov. Atkinson, West Virginia, who
has hitherto kept still about the trial
about his: wife, has made statement OF
which the following are the principal
points:
II have hitherto said nothing TO,
publication in this case, except to
merely state that I know the prosecu'
ton was aetuated by malice and hatred.
It is aEfamily quarrel, and the public
knoWsstt ihias>they are the most bitter
disputes. have heard every sentence
Of the testimony given in the case.
Independent of the law, which, in my
Judgment, does not class this case as q
probable forgery, and Independent also
of the fact that, in my opinion, it was
error to admit testimony on other mat
ters, which cannot be directly connect.
ed with the crime set out in the indict'
ment, am clearly Of the opinion that
several witnesses, and, oil the real tes'
timony upon which the case hinged,
had been induced to testify for q con.
sideration.
II am led to this conclusion by the
demeanor of the witnesses while testi-
flying on the witness stand and by the
fact and circumstances connected with
their testimony, coupled with the fur
Their fact that offers were made to other
witnesses or their representatives to
pay money to them or be given lands
without the payment Of money there
after, provided they would testify
against the defendant Mrs. Atkinson.
''It is therefore evident that there
was an effort being made to suborn
witnesses, and am thoroughly con-
vinced that two or more of them were
absolutely purchased. ] cannot DO.
ieve that I am mistaken on this point.
"rhe evidence brought out in this
trial also shows that Ms. Atkinson,
prior to her marriage to Judge Cam
den, received an anonymous letter
warning her not to marry said Camden;
that at the time of the marriage let.
tiers were written threatening her un-
less large sum Of money was paid,
and which, if paid, it was promised
nothing would be said or published rel
alive to her; that prierto her marriage
TO me another similar anony mous 1et-
ter. was sent to her threatening her
with other troubles, including news.
paper publications which would be
thrown across her pathway. The de-
mands made in these anonymous black
mailing letters were not acceded to nor
complied With, and the result was that
the vilest of vile publications appeared
against her in newspapers.
".n my honest, unbiased judgment
she is guilty Of no crime whatever, and
most certainly the crime of aiding and
abbetting in uttering the forged pa
pers charged against her in the indict'
ment was in no sense proven in the
trial of this case.
II have no comments to make con-
corning the merits Of the case beyond
my former statement regarding the
matter prior to the present trial, where
by INSCRIPTIONS counsel and the wit.
nesses for the defense tortued; twisted
and lied about me. will hereafter
studiously avoid giving them even
shadow of an excuse to resort to SINH
lar tactics when the case again comes
up for hearing. :.
II have been actuated in this matter
alone by desire to protect tho estate
of my grandfather from the merciless
rapes OF conspiring mercenaries, and
to prove to the world that Judge Cam
den in his declining years, instead of
losing that sterling sense Of justice and
love of bis children which had always
characterized the life of this noble old
man, was the pitiful victim of mis-
placed confidence in those by whom he
was surrounded in hia old age, and that
his mental integrity, which he retained
until the last, compelled resort to
id forged processes to blacken his
fair name and steal the birthri2hts OF
his children. I think the world now
knows this. )"
Army Target Record.
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