The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-13

hence could not have been avoiding a
meeting with him
After leaving the springs on Friday, and
while at the Kimball house in Atlanta,
en- route to Mount Airy, l received a COM
munication from Mr.. Beach informing me
of the gossip being circulated. whereupon
| returned Sunday afternoon to the springs
to investigate it, and informing Mr..
Beach and others it was false and base
less and could amount to nothing, left
again on Monday for Mount Airy Neither
l nor my friends summoned Judge Smith,
Senator Mercer or any one else to the
springs in reference to the matter. Sena-
tor Mercer came to me Sunday evening on
my return to the springs and speaking of
the gossip, informed me that being ac-
quainted with Mr.. Faulkner and the wo-
men there, and having talked to them
about 1t, urged and advised me to write
a note of apology for any remark con-
strued by them as meaning or implying
anything improper, and send the same to
them by him with some money, and that
would settle and hush it up which / re-
fused to do, claiming L had said and done
nothing to apologize or pay for, he stat
ing at the same time that the young lady
in question declared that she would be
no party to anything done.
John Byas, the keeper of the bath house,
also subsequently informed me that MIR.
Faulkner stated that what he was after
was to make some money out of me. Mr..
Beach also heard him say his purpose was
to make me spend some money. / yield
to no man in my admiration and respect
for ladies', aud this is true whether they
be rich or poor, and any insinuation that
did not properly demean myself as a
gentleman toward Miss Bradley and
others at Indian Springs, is UNANIMOUSLY
false. And it is not true that the hotel
management or any one at the Wigwam
hotel ever requested, suggested or init
mated that should vacate my room and
leave there. but 1 was a welcome guest
there then, as l have been since.
Relative to the supplemental charges
made, / have only this to say: During
the May term, 1895, of Glynn superior
court l went as an invited guest from
Brunswick to St. Simons Island one night
to attend bankers banquet and to re-
spond to a toast. While at Hotel st.
Simons, and while waiting there for the
banquet. which was late in opening, /
went into a room in the hotel upon an
invitation from Mr. A. II. Lane a banker
of Brunswick and part owner of the
hotel, and who, as l understood, had con-
siderable to do with the preparations for
the banquet, and there, in company with
such gentlemen as Mr.. Lane, G. Down
ing Henry T. Dunn, John c. Lehman
and Frank d. Aiken, drank some cham
payne. l bought none, and treated to
none, and supposed at the time that the
wine had been brought there in connec-
ton with the banquet. This is the
"blind tiger / am charged with having
patronized. Afterwards | attended the
banquet, and drank more champagne
there, responded to my toast about mid
night or after, left the island at l or 2
o'clock in the morning on the boat, re-
turned to Brunswick, went up to my
room in the Oglethorpe hotel, slept
av,1
opened court about 9 O'Clock, transacted
all the business of the day, and, while l
regret to say that I was under the influ-
ence of champagne at the banquet, l was
neither drunk or intoxicated on the bench,
and have never gone on the bench in that
condition, and during the five years of
my incumbency of the office, have never
missed day from court from any cause
whatever.
In the contest for solicitor general of
the Brunswick circuit between Col. w.
NJ. Toomer and Hon. j. w. Bennett, l
favored Col. Toomer, and the little 1 did
in his interest was done fairly and legiti
mately st. Mary's is in a remote part
of Camden county, and from sickness
and other causes there was not a full
attendance of grand jurors at the March
term 1885, and in organizing the court as
is the practice, l directed the sheriff to
summons a certain number of talismen
from the bystanders, which he did. A
Juror who was favorable to Col Toomer
was excused, and the juror supplying his
place, 1 am advised supported Col. Ben
nett, as did one of the other talsmen
leaving only the other to supporting Col.
Toomer, and they, Capt John Richardson
and Mr.. A. G. Wright, among the most in
teliigent and upright citizens of the coun-
ty Mr.. Wright, who was made fore
man of the grand jury and who was known
to me as an ardent supporter of Col
Toomer when summoned by the sheriff
was about to be rejected by me on the sup
position that he was county commits
sioner when the sheriff Informed me that
such was not the case. The matter of
grand juries making recommendations for
Judge and solicitors, may or may not be
proper, but it is no part Of their legitimate
service, and yet this is all that occurred
in that connection at Camden court
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: When
II is seen how false and baseless, absurd
and ridiculous, the charges made against
me are, the wonder will be that they were
ever made at all. and the inquiry will nat
urally arise as to what prompted them
My answer, although conjectural, is
doubtless. the true one, and If the inves-
tgatlon in that direction were prosecuted
the real motive would be developed As
a citizen, lawyer. democrat and Judge,
have endeavored always to do my duty
fearlessly, and regardless of criticism and
consequences effecting me personally. |
have been slandered. There seems TO have |
been studied, persistent effort to tarnish
and impair my reputation by false tales.
malicously told. published. repeated and |
progagated and while It is true that. |
Islander that worst Of poisons, ever finds |
An easy entrance to ignoble minds"
and while the provocation is great, and !
might justly retaliate upon my accusers. |
in kind, as those who live in glass houses.
yet for the present at least. and IN view |
OF the propriety of the occasion, / will |
forbear. but in the language recently ut |
tered by a celebrated artist. 1 can ex- |
claim: II have struggled as no human |
being ever struggled. Independent by ma.
ture detesting falsehoods, / have raised !
M against myself bitter enemies. Those |
/ have deigned to fight against / have |
laid low and conquered rhey have be- !
come my friends. The mud which the |
others threw at me fell In dust dried up |
by the burning sunlight OF my faith and |
will. Respectfully submitted.
j. l.. Sweat.
Atlanta. Ca. Jan. 70, 1897.
Judge Superior Courts. Brunswick Cir /
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