The evening times., 1900-09-08
4 LETTER TO MIR. HANNA
Maryland Republican Leaders
Charged With iIismaRagement.
Discovery Of the Communication Re
suits in u Scene at Headquarters
in Baitimore-AIiegatio of In
competency and misrepresentation
og Fsnds-State Chnirnlan's Action.

BALTIMORE. Sept. S.-There was a
sensation at Republican headquarters yes
terday when Chairman GoIdsborough dis
covered that a letter signed by eight Re
publicans, one of whom is said to be a
member of the State Central Committee.
charging certain members of the commit
tee with mismanagement, Enisappropria-
,ion of funds, and incompetency, had been
sent ten days ago to National Chairman
Hanna,
The letter cited the campaign of two
years ago as the basis of the charges, and
advised Senator Hanna that If he desired
to carry Maryland for Mckinley this year
he had better see that the officers of the
State Central Committee were replaced
by men who knew more about politics.
The mornings mail brought the letter
to Chairman Goldsborough and a hasty
conference was held with Senator McCo-
mas concerning the matter. While the
conference was going on William T, Rob-
erts, member of the committee on publ
cation and literature, who is also law
yer. residing at 1894 West Saratoga Street,
entered the room. 1t so happened that
Mr.. Roberts name was signed to the let
ter and Chairman GoldSborough met him
at the docr with the stern request that
he sit down and read the document which
he held in his hand Mr.. Roberts
quick to see something was in the wind
and was a little shy about reading the
! letter He did not, he said, like the man
ner in which Mr.. GoIdsborough addressed
him, and asked him what he was driving
at. VIII you kindly sit down and read
this?" said the chairman
/ Mr.. Roberts started to comply. but aft
! er brief glance at the letter threw it
aside with the remark: 1T is not nee
/ essary for me to read that. Mr.. Goldsbor-
/ ough, because I wrote it,
Chairman McComas had apparently been
! attracted by the voices of the two men
and now appeared on the scene, coming
from the adjoining room He took the
situation in at a glance, and, turning upon
+ Mr.. Roberts. said: is this the MANI"
Yes said Mr.. Roberts, I am the
man. What are you going to do about it ?''
I want you to sit down at that desk,
/ said Mr.. GoIdsoorough ''and write let
/ ter to Senator Hanna, which l viii die
tate, stating that every assertion in this
letter is a falsehood''
/ MIR. Roberts refused absolutely to write
such a letter, saying: Every word and
/ every statement made in the letter l
] wrote is strictly true, and can be proved
/ If necessary. Why not ask one of the
+ other seven Republicans whose names are
attached TO retract?"
Chairman GoldsbOTough insisted that
the whole thing was false and was de-
termined that Mr.. Roberts should write
( the retraCting letter. Mr.. Roberts was
/ equally determined not to write il and
objected TO being dictated to. He told
the chairman that he was a member of
! the State Central Committee before the
4
bluff him Just here Senator McComas
took a hand in the matter and asked Mr.
Roberts whether he did not know that he
could be sued for criminal libel on the
/ strength Of the letter
4 know that you could not sue me.
said Nj. Roberts Il am lawyer, and
you cannot blum me in that way, either
/ The letter will have TO go as written. as
far as l am concerned In fact. We only
told half the truth. and if l had had my
/ way about it it would have been twice as
strong"
/ \ small crowd collected about the outer
door leading into the reception room by
this time. attracted by the loud tones OF
the speakers, and Senator McComas with
drew. followed by Mc. Goldsborough, leav-
. ing Mr.. Roberts in possession of the field.
/ After remaining in conversation with one
Of the spectators for a few minutes Mr.,
Roberts descended 10 the street.
Mr. Roberts said the trouble had been
caused by a letter written by himself and
signed by eight Republicans here, which
stated among other things, that If the
! Chairman OF the Republican National Com
mittee desires that party to carry Mary
land in the present campaign he had bet
ter replace the officers of the Maryland
/ State Central Committee with men who
I understood their business and have the
/ interest Of the party at heart above their
own personal interests" The letter further
asserted that the present. officers OF that
committee do not know as much about Bal
timore politics as a tree-frog knows or
! trigonometry-"
Its all true reasserted Mr. Roberts.
u am simply tired of toadying TO a set OF
old fogies and have determined 10 assert
my rights as a free-born American citizen.
Yes" after moments thoughtful consid-
eration Il will say frankly that the ac-
count of The affair as you have it is en-
tireIy correct. No. he added, 4 am not
alone in my convictions, as the Republi-
cans Of this city and State will soon learn
TO their sorrow. unless some radical
changes are made, and made quickly. That
is all care to say at present"
Chairman GoIdsborough, of the Republi-
can State Central Committee, was asked
/ last night for statement about Roberts
letter and the discussion it caused at Re
publican headquarters
"All | have TO say he answered, lis
this: scurrilOus letter was written. un-
derstand that the party who wrote it will
retract.''
"Was there not a lively encounter be-
tween you and Mr.. Roberts, who is said
to have written the letter, at Republican
headquarters"
.As to that" said Mr.. Goldsborough, Il
nave nothing to say
Chairman Goldsborough was at headquar-
fprs all day Yesterday He expects 10 go
to New York some time next week to see
National Chairman Hanna and Senator
Scott, as Mr., Hanna has, it is said ex-
pressed desire TO talk over the situation
n Maryland.
Spoke Against AIiiitarism.
WILI4IAMSPORT, Nd, Sept. S.-The