The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-11
Governor Of Kentucky Answers
Election Board Criticisms.
HE USES STRONG WORDS
TROOPS WERE ORDERED OUT AT
REQUEST OF CITIZENS.
Declares That He Did Not Go to
Louisville to Call Out the Nation
al Guard, But to Make Three Po-
litical Speeches-Troops Were to
Preserve Order.

Frankfort.s KY. Dec. 1o.-oiovernor
Bradley gave out a lengthy settlement
tonight, in which he says:
The state board of election commits
sioners, after having expressly stated
that they possessed no power to go be-
hind the returns. has seen fit to express
their serious disapprobation of my con-
duct in calling out the state guard. 1t
is source of profound regret that
these gentlemen do not approve OF my
course, for nothing is>to be so much de-
sired as their APPROVAL Not contenting
themselves with an expression of dis
approval, however, they characterize
my conduct as reprehensible, and yet
they say that they should not form
opinions, and have not the right TO
form them on ex-parte af1idavits- Either
these gentlemen formed their opinions
on ex-parte affidavits,, or what is
worse the reports of a partisan press,
agreeing with the board that they
should not go behind the returns in GER
tifyfng the result, no effort was made
to present the facts concerning calling
out of the state guard. But as they
have seen proper to overstep their du-
ties in order to express condemnation.
| will now give to the public the facts
in the case"
Governor Bradley goes on to say that
he did not equip the Legion in order
that they should be used in the cleo
ton, but that several companies had
been organized and equipped months
before the election. One, the Legion Tor
First Kentucky regimenD. had been
unable to obtain an armory until one
week before the election, and for that
reason they were not furnished equip
ments until that time.
THE statement that 1 went to Louis
vile to call out the guard" says Gov
ernor Bradley, was. and is, malicious
falsehood. Appointments were made
for me to speak at three places in the
city on Saturday night before the cleo
ton, and l went there to fill them. At
ter having spoken, number of the
citizens asked me to remain over and
speak at the Auditorium on Monday
night, which / agreed TO do, and the
fact was announced.
Meanwhile. befoIe Monday night. the
press of the city showed very great
bitterness and excitement. The mayor.
issued a proclamation saying bloodshed
was apprehended and extra police were
appointed. On Monday some eighty
seven election officers were summary
relieved and this added greatly TO the
intense excitement already prevailing"
Governor Bradley says that he only
ordered troops to assemble in Louis
davits had been presented 20 him by
citizens stating that soldiers were flec-
essary to help the civil authorities
maintain order and protect the lives
and property of the people. In Louis
vile the troops were not permitted to
go to the polls. except after they had
closed and then only when Judge Toney
informed him that his orders admit
ting Republican inspectors to witness
the coupt. had been contemptuously ig-
nored. So
I ordered out the troops to enforce
the orders of Judge Toney. but owing
TO delays and misunderstanding they
did not leave the armory until after
O'Clock. When they did leave. nearly
every polling place in the city had been
deserted, and in no instance did they
use any force or intimidate any human
being"
In no instance concludes he. did
order the election TO be interfered
with. or soldiers to be sent to the polls
but gave only such orders as was nee
essary to preserve the public peace and
the lives and property of the citizens"