The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-02-03
leader In this country, its pertinacity
will be apparent:

Memphis, Tenn, Sept. %, 1896.
Mr., Chas. Scott, Rosedale. Miss:
"Dear Sir-In reply to your favo
! will state 1t has been the custom
for the past twenty-five years 0
more for the sheriff to keep account
with leading law firms OF the coun
ty. followed this custom and ex
tended accommodations to you a
times on your checks, but EXTENDED
exactly the same kind Of accommoda
tions to Others, taking due bill
sometimes or letting the accommoda
tlon be evidenced by open account
or, as In your cast recently discussed
taking checks. | have INDUCED il
the way mentioned. Mr.. Walter Sill
Ter, Messrs, Moore K Jones, Frank &
Reinach, Frank & Co. and others.
VIII add that you and ! have hat
transactions first and last amounting
to hundreds Of thousands OF dollars,
aud that you have always paid every
cent promptly as per agreement,
whether verbal or written; and can
also add that not iufrequeutly during
my incnmbency in office yOu adyanc-
cd he considerable amounts which,
at the moment | needed. Your &C
count and Frank & Reinach's were
always cminently satisfactory IN all
respects, Yours truly.
GEO. i. MELCHOIR.n
Third. Now, Anse, listen to this:
You, the governor of the great state
of Mississippi, 50 far forgot the rules
decency and the dignity Of your
office, during your Meridian speech as
to try and make political capital Of
the personal affairs and financial re-
of one who you condescended
consider as your chief opponents
my humble self. In this connection
you parade with a great flourish of
Irumpets the trust deed given by me
to Mr.. &. l.. Jones, county treasurer,
n November, 1892, to secure a debt
about Sill, 900, 90. l fail to see
lnythiGg discrcditable in this trans
Just the reverse. These, as
you doubtless know, are the facts. |
vas a banker at that time, and Il
number Of people, Mr.. Jones among
hem, kept their bank accounts with
ne. The payment Of some large Sc
debts, the stringency in none
AIRY circles. and the general depres-
ion In values, forced me to suspend
"a yments, as l found it impossible to
ealized with prompitude on my
Issets, including some Ii, 900 acres OF
and, which | then owned in this
The moment | discovered
his, | secured all the creditors |
ould. but especially gave ample Sc
urity to every one who had funds
eposited in my hands. as above
Mentioned, and am glad to say that
hat not one Of the number has lost
single dollar.
The security given Mr.. Jones was
0 satisfactory that by using it as
.ollateral there was no Inconvenience
not the slightest jar eyen-in his
.usiness, private or official. He re-
Lied on it cent per cent long and
Jerry ago. and settled his accounts
l full with his successor Immediate
on the expiration OF his official
srm. The purchaser Of the security
also collected in full, partly by a
lie under the trust deed. In short
very dollar OF the debt has been paid.
on, Governor NcLaurin, doubtless
new all this, or your busy informant
ID, but here again, you with a view I
injuring me, Intentionally leave
lie impression OF the public mind 8
lat this large sum is past due and 6
npaid. The insinuation that this '
.ansaction grew out of any matter S
taxes is alike false and gratuitous. G
Fourth. Now comes the unkindest
1t Of all. Do you remember the eu- I
gy governor? You read it to the G
lmiring audience at Meridian with S
eat self Qualification and pardonable Q
ide, A charming .idyl, truly, a t
owing eulogy which you said was the
oduct Of my poor pen. For months b
st your newspapers have produced n
ID reproduced this florid and lauda. +
~ article 'ad nauseam. l said moth c
6. They were ignorant Of its origin \
d were, therefore, not to blame. 0