The Florence daily tribune., 1899-04-15
To the Public.

being understood The TMRUNE is 1
in no way responsible for signed |
articles of this nature:
/ have never sought newspaper
uotoriety. nor do | do so now, but
in Justice to myself ! wish to make
a true statement as 10 one Of the
reasons urged against me by DIR.
\. Richardson, one of the town
trustees, for not supporting me for
reappoiutmcnt to the office of city
marshal.
About one week before the CON
tract was let for the water works
Dr. Richardson sent me word TO
come to his Office as he wanted to
see me on important business. l
went one evening, in response to
his invitation. aud he told me there
was chance to make large sums
of money in the letting of the con
tract for the construction of the
water works. He stated that he
and N F, Clark Ind partly ar
ranged matters, and that my as
sistance was necessary. rs Trustee
MAJ Lines had refused to enter in
to the combination, and that he
wantcd me To liz Mat Lines. as he
believed that MAJ had considerable
confidence in me. He stated that
he had talked to Lines and that he
(l4incsl told him that he had new
er done anything crooked in his
life, and that he was making IA
good living: aud further, that on
account of his family, if he was so
disposed. that he would not take
my chances OF bringing any dis
grace upon them. He further
stated that he had seen Trustee
Fraser and Fraser had not given
him an answer, but had promised
to meet him the night previous to
thi niaht that this conversation
took place with me, but that he
had failcd to keep his engagement.
He stated that Clark had seen Peil,
Bedwell and Deibert, and that it
was easy sailing. refused to
have anything 70 do with the mat
ter. and advised him not TO, as it
would be sure and get him into
trouble. and advised him to beware
of Clark. as he knew that CLARK
was treacherous, and would get
him into the peuitentiary This
did not satisfy him, aud he still in
sisted ON my assisting them. This
took place when we were alone.
The next day saw him again
and Clark was present The mat
ter was discussed in full detail,
and | declined, and warned them
of the danger and asked that | not
be consulted any further about
the matter.
The next day he said that heaud
Clark we're going to tackle the
proposition anyway, and that | was
in the way, and that if would
leave town that he would pay my
expenses. ms he felt that Lines
would be sure and consult me in
regard TO the matter, and that the
way | talked it would certainly
discourage Lines. He had talked
to me so much about the matter
that | made bluff at him, believ-
ing that he would back out, and
agreed to 90 TO Glenwood Springs
and rem in for a week or ten days.
He gave me S25. | took the
money still believing he would
back out. In day or so | met
him and told him that | was not
going, and offered him his money
back, and he refused it, stating
that he had made firm contract
with me aud that he would moi
consent TO the agreement being
broke. The money he gave me
was a check on the Bank of Flor
ence, SIS, signed by w. A. Ram
sey, cashier. | cashed this check,
after he refused to take it back, al
McCreery & Widerfelt's and the
balance he gave me in money, all