The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-01-14

Respectfully,
j. j. CONAN.
Walter McLaurin stated to me that
he does not remember George Sutton;
and II. j. McLaurin, to whom /
wrote about the matter, writes me, in
that he defended Jerry
Sutton, who was charged with muir
der, for which George agreed to pay
him 5000 with 10 per cent, interest,
for which he took two notes, and one
OF them has been paid and the other
unpaid, and when George offered to
employ him TO assist his son to get a
pardon he told him he owed him
more then than he could pay, and he
would do what he could to getas III
son a pardon without fee.
The convict was a one-legged ue-
gro, whose leg had been amputased
before arrest and Capt. j. J. Eynis
presented an application to the board
Of control to recommend him for par
don, on my promise to the father Of
the convict in the presence Of Capt.
Evans, to pardon him if the board
would recommend it. The board
recommended the pardon, as may be
seen on the minutes Of the board, and
l thereupon pardOued him.
AN IMPORTANT STATE ISSUE.
Now my fellow citizens, | will I'M
cover one of the most important state
issues that we have to meet. 1t is
also one of the most dangerous, be-
cause there will be a concerted and
persistent effort throughout this
campaign opened here by Mr.. Smith
to cover it up under abuse by them
of your chief executive.
The Illinois Central R. R. Co.
practically owns the Y. & NJ. V. r. R.,
and the company, the Y. & NJ. V. R,
R. Co, owes more than a million
dollars Of back taxes in this State
that will exempt them from the pay
ment OF these taxes. II they could
but create a nucleus Of such senti-
ment, and out of that elect a major
ity OF the legislature while public at
tention was decoyed away to some
other subject, and at the same time
elect a Governor who would appoint
supreme judges in harmony with
such sentiment, it might serve their
purposes. Don't let them say now
that l am rejecting upon the judic-
larry. We have an honorable judic-
larry, but honorable and able men
may have their minds trained to
think in certain channels.
REFERS TO JUDGE COOPER.
Just here allow me to digress: The
effort of Mr.. Smith to prejudice the
friends of Judge Cooper, by a palpa-
bic misconstruction Of what l said at
is far fetched-about on
a par with his effort to prejudice the
school teachers Of the State when my
official acts show that l am the
steadfast friend of the common
schools.
| did not intend to reflect upon
Judge Cooper. l did not think then
and do not think now, that there is
any reflection on Judge Cooper, but
If there is any reflection it is not my
language that does it, l say what l
believe when l say that Judge Cooper
decided impartially between the rail
road and people, when he was on the
bench. His legal mind had not been
trained in railroad employ. The l.
O. r. R. Co. had a great suit. involy-
ing more than a million dollars, be-
fore the Supreme court, and a prOpO-
sition was made to Judge Cooper,
while he was supreme Judge, to ac-
'ept law partnership with lawyer
Of the l. G.. r. h. Co., in Memphis
which would make him a lawyer for
that railroad company, and Judge
Cooper rendered his resignation TO
accept that offer. His resignation
was accepted and ex-Gov. Lowry re-
luested me to let him procure the
return of the resignation to me, and
10 investigate the eligibility Of Judge
Cooper for reappointment, which l
lid, and on investigation | found
That Judge Cooper was ineligible, not
being a resident of the district from
which the appointment was to be
made, having ceased to vote at Halle
hurst, but voted i'm Jackson. do
not think it a reflection that the
company regarded him as an
ucorruptible judge, nor do think it
4 reflection that he accepted employ
neut Y the railroad company as an
attorney
When the question Of the liability
# the Y. e NJ. V, r. r. Co for taxes
vas presented to. and decided by tho
supreme court. the most Incorporate
ienunciation OF that tribunal was at
cred. It was denounced as highway
and, Of course, the supreme
'ourt was, therefore, q robber.
The Commercial-Appeal of Mem
lhis. in milder tempered article. Of
December 3Oth 1898. which reads
ike the production Of an able lawyer,
O correct my Information that the
/. C. railroad carried loaded cars
.arring revenue while the empty
mes mourning expense were
'arried over the Y. & NJ. V. f. r.
concludes with this utterance; The
Illinois Central people have not only
)een liberal, but lavish In their in-
'esuments i'm Mississippi, and the
tate should keep faith in every par
icular. Welding whenever tho"o Is
nv doubt, There is no don t.
But il there were douli shy
should the state yiold its taxing