The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-16
THE TIMES REPLY
TO COY. JOHNSTON
Something Evidently Wrong in
Mobile County.
PAPER MAKES PROPOSITION
Suggests Two Expert Accountants Ex-
anime Books of Officials, and Ex-
presses It's Willingness to
Abide by the Result

Selma, November ESPECIAL -Replying
to Governor Johnston's demand for the au-
thority as to the examination of the books
in Mobile, the Morning Times will tomoc-
row morning publish the following under
the heading, "Amende Honorabley
IA few days ago the Morning Times, in
answer to Hon. e. L. Russelrs interview
endorsing Governor Joseph F. Johnston for
the United States senate, made some state
ments upon reliable information Our re-
liable informant is one of the best men in
Alabama. He has not told us how he got
his information, nor have we asked him.
Our reliable informant told US what was
published. He did not tell us not to pub
lish it, nor did he give us his consent to
do so. 1t was related to us in course of
conversation. When Colonel Russell let
down the bars we waded in.
Never Ordered Examination
"The Times still maintains part of its
charge, i. e., that Governor Johnston has
never ordered the examination of anybody's
books in Mobile county except Tax Collect
or Lott We withdrew that part of the
statement about the governor sending his
examiners to Mobile and then recalling
etiNiii' OSSauSC VIC CdliHOl prove ll-aL pres
ent.
1.-The main question at issue is whether
Or not the books of The officials of Mobile
county have been ordered examined by
Governor Johnston, and found to be correct
The proof so far produced is that the grand
jury of Mobile county has requested an
examination of the books of those officials
and that Governor Johnston has failed to
order an examination since request was
made by the grand jury.
I'VE have been in the editorial harness %
years. During that time we have had a
good many ups and downs. We have had
many hard political battle. When the
fight is on we are for our side, and both
friend and foe can always know where to
fnd us. Our editorial armor has never had
tarnish on 1t. We fight hard but we fight
fair. Nothing that has been said by the
governor, his papers, the Montgomery
Evening Journal, the Mobile News and the
Mobile Item, has nettled us in the lea st.
The card that the officials of Mobile coun ty
sent to the governor did not arouse our ire.
We do not blame men for fighting back;
that is part of our religion.
"Of the men who signed the letter to the
governor, we know only one, Judge Price
Williams, and he is known to us more by
reputation than personally. Some of the
others we have met once or twice. We
regard Judge Price Williams as a brave
chivarous, conscientious, generous man.
too generous, in fact, for his own good
There is nothing that we would not do for
him. He would defend his honor as quickly
as he would his household. His name is a
synonym of all that is sacred to southern
chivalry. If he needed friend tomorrow
and should he call upon us and it were in
our power to aid him we would do so to
the extent of our ability.
but the damage has been done The i'm
preston has gone forth that there is some-
thing crooked in the affairs of some of
in our power to rectify any wrong that the
articles in the Times have produced The
Times will make this proposition: Let Judge
Price Williams, a man in whom we have
the greatest confidence, select an expert
accountant and the Times will select one.
Let them go through the books of the Mo-
bile officials, and whatever the report is, let
1t be published and the Times will abide by
the result and do what 1t can to wipe out
the suspicion of crookedness on the part of
the Mobile officials.
"When a drop of blood falls upon snow
1t cannot be made white again. When a
suspicion is cast upon woman's fair name
# is hard to make people believe that she
10 n,re The suspicion has gone forth that
there Is something rotten in Mobile. That
suspfcion can be removed by the means
that the Times suggests.
tThis Is written without hint from any
bodv. No human being has made the sug-
pestion. 1t is done in the interest or JUS
tice and fairness and that the Times may
ne cleared of any intention of dong the
officials of Mobile an injustice