Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-02-14
DAVIS CALLED DOWN
Circuit Judge at Evening
Shade Threat ned to
Arrest HIM
IF HE DID NOT CEASE TRYING TO
PROVOKE DIFFICULTY BY
HIS REMARKS.
Davis Admits That the Cook Lette,
Was Dictated to His Stenoera-
p1er in His Office
ONE WAY IN SHARP COUNTY

A correspondent writes the Little
Rock Democrat from Evening Sha !e
with reference to the Davis-Rector
debate there as follows:
The candidates for governor met
here in joint debate yesterday after
noon in the presence of an audience
numbering about $50 voters. Hon.
Sam II. Davidson presiding. It was
decidedly the most sensational discus
sion the candidates have had since
the joint debates began. Gov. Davis
was especially spectacular not to say
pyrotechnic. He singled out several
individuals in the audience and held
heated and acrimonious coloquies
with them, and at times the tension
became SO great that personal Difficult
ties were narrowly averted.
Col. Rector had the opening speech,
and he covered substantially the same
grounds as in former debates. He met
with a most fatering reception, and
it was apparent from the very first
that the audience was almost wholly
Rector crowd. He charged the gov
ernor with dereliction of duty, with
failure to enforce the antitrust law
after the supreme court had pointed
out the manner in which it could be
enforced. He called the governor to
| fOp 7, q hi nf tho. naY Y6n
| ing power. and arraigned him severely
! for clandering and traducing the off
Gals and people of the state. Col. Rec
tor took up the record of the govern
or in connection with the allegol
penitentiary reforms, including the
| brick manufacturing contract and his
threat to pardon the convicts if the
court should enforce the injunction
against the penitentiary board. COL
Rector was greeted with frequent and
continued applause all through his ad-
dress and the drubbing he gave the
willy governor evoked many outbursts
of approval that served as unmistak-
able evidences of the sentiment of the
body
In his reply the governor made no
pretense toward defense of his rec
ord, but pursued the same line of de
bate that has characterized his
speeches during the past few months.
His address was repeatedly interrupt
ed with shouts for Jones, this being
particularly true when he attacked
the senator's record The governor
said he realized he was among his
enemies.
In the course of his remarks he
made an attack on the editor OF the
Hardy Herald, the latter responding
to him, and for several minutes the
affair became intensely personal, but
finally passed off without any serious
results. Later on he singled out Hon.
Thos l. Herrn and engaged that gen.
tleman in controversy. 1t became
so heated that the Intervention of a
friend was necessary to avoid per-
sonal encounter. The governor was
abusing and villifying Mr.. Herrn, en-
ploying such terms as "cringing eur,
when Circuit Judge ]. B. McCaleb
arose and addressed the governor, say
ing: at seems that you are determin
ed to provoke a difficulty here by
abusing some of our best citizens and
as an officer of the law l must ask
that you desist" The governor OF
course quieted down and resumed the
discussion proper. He referred to the
letter that Prof. Cook had published
relative to the Cook-Rector episode.
When Col. Rector arose for his re
ioinder he stated that the difference
between himself and Prof. Cook was a
personal matter that had long since
been settled He charged, however
that Gov. Davis had instigated the
publication of Prof. Cooks letter, and
further stated that the letter was
written in the Office of Gov. Davis and
that the latter had caused it to be
printed in pamphlet or circular form