The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-10-04
MIR. SIMMONS DENIAL.
T. D. ALLEN ESQ, FALLS, N &.

j. D. ALLEN Esq, FALLS, N. &.
Dear Sir Il am in receipt OF YOU
recent favor, in which you say that il
is being charged against me, as an as
pirant for the Senate,
First, that Senator Vance opposed
my confirmation as Collector upon
grounds derogatory to my personal
character.
Second, that / am charged with be.
ing secret agent of the Southern
Railway Company, and that 1t and
other corporations haye been, and are
now, paying me large sums OF money
to protect their interests as lobbyist
and otherwise, and you express the
opinion, in which concur, that as I
am candidate for their suffrage, the
people are entitled to know the facts
with reference to these charges.
In reply, I beg to say that Senator
Vance's opposition to my confirmation
was not based upon personal grounds
and no charge against my personal
character was made in connection with
that matter. At the time of my ap-
polntment as Collector, Senator Vance,
together with the other Senator and
all the democratic congressman from
North Carolina, favored me. The sub
sequent opposition of Senator Vance to
my confirmation arose out of compli-
cations connected with the appoint
ment of the Collector for the Western
District of North Carolina. The re-
cords of the Senate and the delegation
in Congress from this State at that
time will bear out these statements.
With reference to the second charge
to which you refer, beg to say that
it is not true that I am attorney or
agent, either secret or otherwise, of the
Southern Railroad. / have never ap-
peared for that railroad in any capac-
lty. It has meyer paid me cent of
money in my life, except contribu-
ton made to me as Chairman of the
Committee in 1898, which was spent
for the benefit of the party. On the
contrary, I have appeared and am ap-
pearing against it in many suits.
During the last three years, since
commenced to practice law in Raleigh.
1 have been of counsel in recovering q
number of judgments against it, one
of them for as much as slxty-three hun
dred dollars, and I now appear of coun-
sci in quite number OF cases against
it in the tax assessment cases.
It is not true that am, or have al
any time been, d secret lobbyist, mol
that I have at any time been in re-
ceipt of any personal income from any
source whatever except such as comes
legitimately to any North Caroline
lawyer enjoying moderate practice
neither lobbied in the last Legisla
ture, nor discussed with its members
subjects copnected with their dutie:
not pertaining to general legislation
such as the Constitutional Amend
ment, the Election Law, etc. / an
sure no member OF 1899 vii! dispute
this statement.
During the last three years, since
I have been living in Raleigh, my
whole income from all sources has beer
barely sufficient to support my family
although we live economically.
My entire estate, including property
belonging to my wife, would not prob
ably sell for more than seventeen o.
eighteen thousand dollars, and it il
encum bered by unpaid mortgages o
over three years standing for clever
thousand dollars. Even my home Ii
mortgaged for about half Its purchase
money.
do my banking business with thu
Citizens National Bank OF this city
and its books will show I have no
had to my personal credit ct any on
time during the last two years as mucl
as one thousand dollars.
When the campaign of this yea
closed, the Committee was very mucf
behind. There were a number of ur
gent bills to be met, tor which 1 wa
responsible. borrowed, upon the en-
|dorsement of a friend, from the Com
mercial & Farmers Bank of this city
one thousand dollars and gave it to tn