Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-02
Special to the Register.

Special to the Register.
CHARLESTON w. Va, September 1.
Ion. Samuel c.. Burdette, assistant
United States district attorney for West
Virginia, yesterday rendered his resig-
nation, to take effect to-day, Septem-
der l.
A report to this effect leaked out last
evening, and when a representative of
the Register sought Mr.. Burdette at the
Rufner he confirmed it.
Is is a fact" he was asked, that you
have resigned your position as assistant
United States Attorney"
1T is true" was the answer. Il for
warded my resignation to the attorney
general and notified Mr.. Gaines by spec
ial delivery letter of my action. My
resignation takes effect to-day"
Mr. Burdette was then asked:
DO you object to give your reasons
for resigning your Officer
II would pepfer not he replied, ito
give out my reasons at this time.
lnay in the near future publicly inform
my friends fully and in detail The occa-
sion OF my resignation.
Further than this and the assurance
that his action was entirely voluntary
on his part, Mr.. Burdette declined 10
discuss
Mr. Burdette has held his Office for
the past three years having been ap-
pointed shortly after the present admin
Iteration came into power. He was
once before assistant United States at
torney, having held the Office for the
full term of four years under the Harrl
son administration. During his incum-
bency it has been generally conceded
that he has performed his duties with
marked ability. He is recognized to
be one OF the foremost criminal lawyers
OF the State. as a pOlitical stump
speaker he has been in great demand.
After the campaign OF 1886, General
Powell Clayton, chairman OF the ma
tional Republican bureau of speakers,
il personal letter to him, compliment
cd him upon his enecuVe work in the
campaign, and w. J. w. Cowden, chair
man OF the Republican State bureau Of
speakers of West Virginia, wrote him
highly complimentary letter, stating
best campaign speaker under the dlrec-
ton of the committee in this State dur
ing that campaign.
Among those who have learned of
Mr.. Burdettes resignation it caused no
end of comment, and his motives are a
subject of general speculation. Shrewd
guessers have ventured the opinion that
when he makes public the actual rea-
Sons for his resignation something SEN
sational may be expected, since it is not
a frequent occurrence for a federal Off
oeholGer occupying the position that Mr..
Burdette has to voluntarily, on Lne eve
of general election, give it up
Mr.. Burdette is known TO have been
antagonized by Senator Elkins, Mr..
Gaines and others of the Republican
leauers, and his resignation is generally
believed to be due to this fact.
An intimate friend OF Mr.. Burdette
said late tonight:
''Mr. Burdette will take the stump for
the Democracy and against the whole
Republican outfit in West Virginia. He
viii fight the Republican ticket from
President down to the constables, but
viii pay particular attention to the he
publican State ticket and the county
ticket in Kanawha. Mir. Burdette is
one of the most effective Republican
speakers in the State, and his action
has brought CONSERVATION to the Re-
publican machine leaders, for Mr. Bur-
dette's withdrawal from the Republican
party means that other influential Re-
publicans in this county will follow
him.
'"lhe Republican organization in this
county is nearly broken up and it be-
gins to look as though many Republic
cans will vote the Democratic ticket as
Democrats themselves.
at present there seems to be no way
possible to save the county. The prob
ability is that the Democratic majority
in kaGawna will be over a thousand.