The weekly Iberian., 1902-12-20
An Admirable Appointment
and An Infamous Attack.
Donaldsonville Chief.


ted that happened last Monday
when the nomination of Hon.
Henry Mccall to be collector of
customs at New Orleans was sent
to the senate-inasmuch as Presi-
dent Roosevelt had authorized the
announcement at Oyster Bay last
July that this appointment would
be made-yet the news was re-
celved with general interest and
almost universal qualification in
this community, of which Mr.. Nc
Call Is a foremost and honored
citizen, beloved by his friends, ad.
mired and esteemed by his acquaint.
ances and respected by even the
most implacable of his political
opponents. The congratulations
which poured in upon the appolntee
were not confined in source to any
party, class, color or condition OF
his fellow citizens, but came spon-
taneously from all alike, prompted
by the double incentive of personal
affection or good will and a sense
Of commendable pride because
worthy citizen Of this parish and
section had been Designated to oc-
cupy the highest federal official
station IN the chief city of the
southern states.
Following closely upon the heels
of news of the NOMINATION came the
astounding report that the political
adversarles of the appointee, repre-
senting the Republican Democratic
combination that has controlled and
divided the federal patronage IN
this state for a number OF years,
had not only attacked the nomina-
ton on political grounds-wbich
was exoected-but had gone 70 the
extent of trumping up an accusation
affecting the personal integrity of
Mr.. Mccall. Such a method Of op.
position was a complete surprise to
all but the chosen few implicated in
the ignoble conspiracy to 1mpeach
and defame, for partisan and per.
sonal ends, the character of a man
who has always been regarded, by
friends and opponents alike, as the
soul Of honor in all of his dealings
public and private. Not less gen
eral than the sentiment of approval
elected by the nomination was The
deep sense of indignation provoked
by the manner and matter Of the
attempt to defeat it's confirmation.
Democr Us and Republicans, white
and colored, people in all walks o!
life have united IN expressing total
disbelief of the accusation and Wig
orous criticism and denunciation oil
the persons and policy responsible
for this covert asperslon of an hon
orable mems good name.
The accusation, in brief, is that
Mr.. Mccall has failed to accoun,
for the funds that were placed II
his hands in 1880 as administrator
of the estate of Sukey Jackson, al
old and decrepit colored woman,
then about 80 years of age, who
had come mtos possession of $4,000
bounty and pension money al
widow of federal soldier; that the
old woman dled IN 1894, and tha,
! the administrator ..has never tried
to discover her heirs, and has never
filed an account IN court, both al
required by law, and, if no heirs
has never paid the money into th,
state treasury, the state beng th,
heir IN the absencs of all othe
heirs. Under the laws of Louisl
ana the OBTAINING of this money b,
Mr.. McCall is a crime"
| Within twentY-four hours afte
this charge was made public, au
thenticated documentary evldenc
was prepared which thoroughly rt
fu,es and demollshes the calumn
that Mr.. Mccall either mlsapprt
priated, unlawfully retained 0
failed to account for the funds Q
the Sukey Jackson succession. Th
, facts Of the case are that Mr.. NJ
Call accepted the administration q
the earnest solicitation of the oil
woman's friends, who feared thu
her money would be borrowed {
stolen from her and that she woul