The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-27
lend OF Van SAN"
Consequence Of Babcock's Election
as Viewed BY One Of His
Supporters.
Existence Of Damaging Letter Is
Certified To in an A.
fidavit.

Friends of Lawrence II. Johnson, can
didate for speaker OF the Minnesota house.
have in their possession a copy Of a let
ter written, in the interests Of Dr.
Babcock, to one Of his supporters. The
language of the letter bears out all the
claims that have been made of the
motives that underline the Babcock cam
paign. The letetr was dictated and writ
ten as follows:
Dear Sir: Matters are getting into il
critical condition and we need you here
Z for SPELL There is no denying the fact
the opposition has made serious inroads
in our ranks and we must get back at
them. II we succeed in placing the M. D.
in charge Of that body, it means the be-
ginning of the end Of Van SAINT and all
the others and we can shape legislation
in such a way that some of VANS pet
measures will never see the light of day.
Who signed the letter does not appear,
and it may never have been sent How
ever, Johnsons friends have not only the
copy, but an affidavit certifying that it
was so written.
w. E. Verify, DR.. Babcock's manager,
has made an affidavit denying any knowl-
edge Of the letter, which throws the re-
spons1bility for'it on some one else.
7abcock Issues Denial.
copy of the letter has been quietly
circulating among members of the legis-
it. One of his supporters who saw it re-
ported the fact. and DR.. Babcock secured
afftdavits to counteract the letter, which
is fatal proof of the hostility to railroad
Legislation that turks behind the campaign
for DR.. Babcock's election. It was un-
derstood that the letter was addressed to
r. j. Wells of Breckenridge. and signed
by W.. E.. Verify. Both made affidavits
of denial. Wells swears that he never
| received such letter, and that he did
not know Verify until after the date the
letter was supposed to be written. Verify
sWears that he never dictated or caused
| to be dictated such a letter, a garbled
copy Of which is included in his affidavit
DR.. Babcock has sent the affidavits
abroad in a2Scircular in which he says
that the alleged copy has been "stealthily
shown to members elect by Robert
Jamison. cra>H : : ID
Owing to the manner in which the cops
came into the hands Of Johnson's friends
general circulation was not given it. but
now that DR.. sBabcock has taken it ur
publicly, there is no reason why it should
be withheld. That the letter was die
tated and written the affidavit states
positively. Who signed it. and whether
it was sent or not, the evidence does not
show. The evidence does show that it was
written by one supporter of DR.. Babcoch
to-. another, 80 and it's text shows
the reason these men gave each othe
for wanting to place the M. D. in charg
Of that body -. a.
.>> -. johnson Hasn't Seen 1t.
:. Lawrence H. Johnson. Dr. Babcock'
opponent, said to-day that he knew moth
| ing Of the letter, and had not seen it. H
| spent the day in st. Paul, and his bushes
is now in such shape that he can remain
on the ground until the caucus. He, i
making "a clean, hard fight, and is conf
dent of winning. e,
-. Meaning OF Dark Horse Talk.
The Babcock managers are playing
clever game Of politics just now The
are trying to bring out dark horse can
didates in different sections of the stat
to break up Johnson's strength. The
are trying to get the seventh district be
hind Frank Clague and the ninth fc
George Perley of Moorhead. They ar
hoping to. forestall the break to Johnso
in the first by getting out Nolan. The
would use these men to scatter Johnson
II strength, in the hope of capturing the
fro 1crf1 Of fha Ice i,