The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-05
STATEMENT By W. ). HiLLES.

Editor The Sun: l deam it but right
that a public statement should be made
by me in answer to statements made by
John W. Goodwin, Jr., in lis testimony
bnfne the Senate committee in the Ross
McNulty contest. / say unequivocaily
tat all statements or insinuations OF
this witness which in any way attempt
tc connect me with any improper pro-
ceedings are absolutely false.
The exact facts of the case are these:
Until Monday, the 2lst day of January,
never knew CT had any reason to sus-
p"ct that there was anything improper
about the afiidavits in this contest.
Sometime in the morning OF that day in
formation came to me that some OF these
afidayits had not been signed by the
persons whose names appeared therein.
| Immediately endeavored in every way
TO ascertain the trnth OF the matter, and
ecmetim. in the afternoon of that day
was tod that seven of these atiidavts
were fraudulent. Immediately directed
that they should be ascertained and
thrown cut, and not used in the contest.
Later on the afternoon OF the same day
Howard d. Ross and John W. Goodwin,
Jr., cam. to my office, without any pre-.
vious knowledge on my part that they
were coming. soon learned that the
purpose OF their coming was to give fur
ther information about the aflidavits,
and Ross and Goodwin took the affidavits
for the purpose of removing any which
Goodwin knew were fraudulent. Goodwin
having said that he knew of no others
than those which were then thrown out,
was asked by me whether he was pres
ent at the time and knew that the ilp.
pesonation wa being practiced. He
stat ed that he was, and did know it. !
then said to him, ''why in the name OF
God did you do this thipP?" He replied
that he had nothing TO do with it. Mr..
Ross then stated that he would rather
his contest were lost than that such
thing should happen. Goodwin then said
to ne, 81 suppose you won't need me
for a Witness" said to him that under
the circumstances which he had just mar.
rated his testimony certainly would do
Mr.. Ross case more harm than good.
Goodwin then said that for some time he
had been intending to go upon q hunt
ing trip to Virginia, and that il Mr.. Ross
did not need him to testify in his case
he thought he would go now, to which |
replied, and think my recollection Of
the language is correct, II don't give a
damn whether you go or not" This wa
said juet as Ross and Goodwin were leay
ing my office. At this interview, which
was the only interview ever had with
G,dwn on this subject, neither Mr.. Ross
nor myself, directly or indirectly, sug-
gested to Goodwin that he should 60
away, or made any of the statements
which have been testified to by Goodwin
other than the above.
cannot believe that this statement on
my part is necessary, but | make it in
order that there may be no doubt about
my position in this matter.
Goodwin was summoned by the con-
testant for the purpose Of proving among
other things that all OF the fraudulent
affidavits had been thrown out. When
in his testimony before the committee,
Goodwin intim tied that there might be
other fraudulent afiidavits, thing
which was then for the fret time known
to us who were Mr.. Ross counsel, we
we're unanimous in the opinion that the
contest should be abandoned.
William S. Hilles.
Wilmington, Feb. 4, 1901.