Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1900-11-30
OUR JACKSON LETTER
SURVEY OF THE JACKSON. COLUMBUS
AND NORrHEASTERN.
Gibson VIII Make no Statement ms to the
Serious Charge which hangs over him.
Simply Says the Governor did not under
stand Him---Prssbyte, ian synod.

jackson, Mississippi - The SEN
setional arrest of ]. E. Gibson, the
Indiana building contractor, last Sat-
urday ON the charge of attempting to
bride Governor Longino is still the
absorbing theme of discussion in po-
litical circles and many conjectures
are being made as to the outcome Of
the sensational case.
1t is not known when the prelim-
mary trial will be held, but it is like
ly that the case will not be re-opened
until the January term of the circuit
court. The defense has not yet made
manifest an inclination to show its
hand, and Gibson declined to make
any statement at the hearing Satur-
day which was for the purpose of fix
ing the bond The only statement
that can be secured from him or his
attorney is in the shape of a general
denial contained in the plea of not
guilty. He simply states that he was
! misunderstood by the governor and his
story will be made public at the
| proper time.
There is an inclination on the part
of the public to place some little Gre
| dence in Gibson's story to Governor
Longino that combination is being
| formed among contractors to capture
| the state house contract, as it is only
what might reasonably be expected
when such large piece of work is in
| sight, and people naturally expect
unfair methods and colossal steals in
| public works. No credence is placed,
| however, in Gibson's story to the
effect that Mr.. Theodore c. Link, the
| supervising architect employed by
the capital commission, is party to
| this combination. Link is known to
be a man of high personal integrity
and his reputation as an architect is
too excellent for him to risk a sacri-
| flee by becoming involved in such a
transaction. We're he person inolin-
| ed to such undetermined methods the
matter would have been made known
to the CAPITOL commission before his
| plans and specifications were accepted
as a most searching Investigation wac
made of his personal character and
reputation as an architect. Link is a
member of the board of directors of
the Society of American Architects
and has supervised the erection of
some of the finest buildings in the
country, among the rest being the
mammoth union passenger station at
ST. Louis, admittedly the finest in
the world.
1t is not yet known whether the
capitol commission will take official
cognizance of the ugly charges made
by Gibson against other contractors,
but if it is decided to do SO there will
| be no postponement of the date select
| ed for the opening of the bids, which
| is the tenth of December, unless it
should be discovered in the meantime
| &c, do for
Gibson's story. As he declined to
furnish Governor Longino with any
substantial proof of his story, or give
a narrative of facts, it is extremely
unlikely that he will do so now. 1t
can be stated as certainty, however,
that the capitol commission will not
consider any bid made by Gibson or
his associates.
In the public mind it is the belief
that Gibson is guilty as charged and
nobody thinks that the governor mag
nified the overtures that were made
| to him by the Indiana contractor.
Mississippi secured decidedly the
best end of the bargain in the divis-
ion of the Presbyteriar synod at the
meeting at Hattiesburg last week.
The matter evoked considerable dis
cussion, and failed to carry by an I'M
animous vote, but no ill-feeling was
engendered The division was not
made according to state lines, the pro-
posed new synod of Louisiana secur-
ing ten counties in the southern part
of Mississippi, but this concession was
made by reason of the fact that the
ten counties are more convenient to
Louisiana points than they are to
places in Mississippi where synodical
meetings are usually held.
The next meeting of the Mississippi
synod is to be held at Natchez one
year hence, unless a special meeting
should be called for some purpose in
the meantime. The date for the next
| meeting of the synod of Louisiana
will be named by the assembly at Lit
tie Rock in case the overture is
adopted.
Capt. A. F. Farrar has complete
the survey of the proposed new rail
road from Water Valley to Clarks-
dale, and thence to the Mississippi
river, and the bonds of the company
will shortly be placed on the market.
A meeting of the board of directors is
to be called within the next few days
! Captain Farrar reports several routes
feasible for construction, and the peo-
| pie of the section to be traversed are
| clamoruos for the road and will make
| liberal donations for right-of way.
The road will open up one of the
| finest hardwood timber sections in
| Mississippi. The road is to touch the
| river at Friar's Point and Twill prob
ably cross the Illinois Central at
| Harrison Station.
The survey of the jackson, Column
bus and Northeastern, which proposes
| to run from jackson to Birmingham,
| will be completed by the end of next
| week and when the surveyor {
report is completed President Cayce
| will call meeting of the board OF
directors to consider plan for float
ing the capital stock.