Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-12-09
JUDGE FLEMING WRITES,

JUDGE FLEMING WRITES,
+ The Transcript published last
week an article from the Brsinerd
Dispatch, referring to the recent
legislative campaign. In the ar'i.
Gle it was stated that H. G. Stivers
offered to help Judge Fleming, if
the latter entered the race for
representative. The article brought
out the following letter from Judge
Fleming, which appeared in the
Brainerd Dispatch of Dec. 2:
Having been asked many times
if 1t is really true that Mr.. Stivers
pledged his support to me as stated
in the Dispatch, wish to state
the facts. When 1 was first talked
of for representative. Mr.. St;vers
came to me voluntarily and asked
me if I was going to be candidate
for the legislature. and said he
wanted to know, for if was going
on the ticket, he would support it
and do all he could for it. This
he repeated in one form and al.
other several times. Again, some
days after this, he asked me what
/ had made up my mind to do. l
told him had not yet determined
what to do. He then entered into
quite lengthy discussion Of the
matter, and said that I would have
no trouble, and that 1t would be
the best thing I could do. He
pledged me his support, and said
there would be no opposition to
amount to anything. He wanted
me to make the run, in fact, so he
could show his appreciation of
what l had done for him. He said
l was the best friend he had in
Brainerd, and so forth. Before
making up my mind to run, [
went to Stivers and had a talk
with him about the matter. He
repeated and repeated all he had
before said, made all kinds of
promises and pledges in fact. and
said he would do everything he
could do in his own way for me.
It was in this conversation that I
asked him what about senator, and
he said, if DR.. Hemstead wanted
to run and get beaten let him do
so, and said he would see to it that
Mr.. Ferris and l had no trouble,
and much more;to the same import.
And it was as much on acc ount of
what Mr.. Stivers said to me that I
made the ruu. knew he was
playing traitor to his own party,
but did not think that it was any
concern of mine. After I was
nominated, he was loud in his
promises of support and seemed
pleased to have the privilege of
doing me a favor by supporting
me. What is more, to show the
mans perfdy all around, he actu.
ally went to work to put up what
he called a weak ticket against
Ferris and myself. [ met him one
day, and, with that broad griu of
his, he told me he had found one
candidate-''The Tailor Olson. -
How's that! he said. Told me they
hadn't found man little enough
known for Morrisons county yet,
but he was looking for one. In
fact it was not until he saw a
chance for the nomination himself
that he let up on his treachery to
his party and turned sneak to
Ferris and myself. These are the
facts and he will not deny them.
l just want to say one word IN
connection with this. was de.
feated because I would not turn
traitor to both Fuller and Ferris.
There were those right here in
Brainerd who wanted to down
Ferris and elect Stivers just as
badly as they wanted to down
Fuller, and, as I say, because I re.
fused to go back on Fuller and
Ferris, the Buckmanites downed
me, and I thank God from the
bottom of my heart, that 1 was
beaten as I was, for, to have been
elected a traitor to my associates
would have made my name
"Stivers. Rather defeat with