The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-04-19
REPLY TO JUDGE GOBER'S LET
TER CIRCULAR.


said that all persons eligible for jury
duty should have equal opportunities of
serving.
In that letter, l made no charge
against any one, and did not misrepre-
sent any one. l contented myself with
stating what should be, though had
heard something's and knew others. I
had heard from good men whose names
are said to be in the box that they have
not been drawn to serve in years. |
had heard from others that their names
had been taken out of the box. because
they had refused to endorse Judge Go
Der for office. knew that in my own
town large per cent Of the best men
we're out of the box, for no other reas-
on than that they had not been admir-
ers and supporters. of Judge Gober.
His friends are in, but those who might
refuse to endorse him are out. No man
who knows anything of the situation
here can question this statement for
moment. If you doubt it come to me
and 1 will furnish you list that will
satisfy the most skeptical.
The Judge practically admits that
there is a wrong, but says that he is
not responsible for it, and that he can
not remedy it. 1 disagree with the
Judge about this, and say that he is
responsible.
Take Marietta for illustration: The
Jury Commissioner here is the Judges
closest personal and political friend.
Does any one who knows their relations
imagine for moment that this Com
missioner would do any thing that
would displease the Judge? The Judge
is directly responsible for the condi-
ton if he agreed, consented, or even
winked at it, and who doubts it? But
the Judge says that we must wait six
years before we can do anything. He
ought to know better. If he has Com
missioner who is not discharging his
duties, or who is violating the office he
fills, the Judge ought to remove him.
1t is strange idea that Il Jury Com
missioner can't be removed from office.
A Judge can be removed, so can all
other officers. If l am honored with
the office of Judge, most assuredly I |
shall not wait six years to get rid of o |
Commissioner Who disregards his duty
or oath Of office.
The Judge INDUCES III q lOt of slurs ]
which | suppose he aims at me. These
might be answered in number of
ways. There are a great many things
that l have not been guilty of. 1 shall !
content myself, however, win only one |,
reply. Following, this card, appears
letter written by Judge Gober in my
behalf. 1t is not private letter, but
one filed with the Governor and open
to inspection of all If what the Judge
says of me in this letter is true, or any
way near true, l am in all respects
qualified to fill with credit
the Office of Judge of the Superior
Court, The position for which he
was then endorsing me was very re-
sponsible one; it was to represent the
interests of the State in the Western &
Railroad, and to bring and try
cases involving in some instances hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars. 1t was a
position that required far greater abili-
ty than to be Judge of the Court.
A number of prominent lawyers of
Georgia were applicants for the place,
and Judge Little, now Judge of the
Supreme Court, secured this appoint
ment. Read the letter and you will be
convinced that the Judges slurs come
with bad grace at this time. l might |
add that the Judge was in better humor
when he wrote this letter to the Cover
nor than when he wrote his circular,
and consequently better able to do his
neighbor justice
Judge Gober says he is opposed to
short cuts There is an old adage that
1SOplc VIII live Ill glass houses SnOulu
not throw stones" If l remember cor
rectly, the Judge on more than one oc-
cason tried to take short cuts on the |
Supreme Court to get seat in that
body when there was none there, and
Notwithstanding the Judges candidacy |
his own Circuit defeated the amend
ment to the Constitution, and thereby
defeated the Judge, and they contin-
ued to defeat the amendment until
it was provided that they should
say who fill the seats. If my
memory serves me we'll, they have not
yet called the Judge up, though Barkis
haS been willing all the time. The
Judge says That he got call" twelve
years ago from the Circuit. Surely
they did not call him for his whole life.
But happen to know how that "call"
came about. Judge Gober and were
in Fannin county. He received a tele-
gram, and, turning to me, he said: