The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-17
Develops, However. That He
 Cleared $3,264 on the Excursion.
'sEvery Statement of The Advertiser and More Has Been Proved" Says Member of the Execu- tive Committee of the
  Association.

sirmineham. Oct. 1s.-(speciai )-Before | a special committee of the Aiapama |Press Association raised to lnvestigate in the conduct or the San' |adian trip, J. A. Rountree, secretary, to- day admitted he made money out or the .frip. but denied he imposed on the raii- roads. ,,,S After repeatedly saying that ne wouiu give the executive committee an itemizeo |statement of money collected anu us &bursed on account of the trip. MT. Roun- [free fiatly refused to-day to give up 'nis |information. The executive committee. nearly every member of which was present, dlo not demand the statement until MT. Roun- #free, through his attorney. had dechneo |to give the figures to the special com 5mittee. saying it could only be properly j demanded by the executive committee Rounree Sill Secreive.
 Then the executive committee met ana 4 sdonted A resolution demanding the statement. MT. Rountree, still retreating, 9amazed the executive committee oy hatiy to make the statement He saio & the admission that Rountree mace money was sufficient, unless the assoclatloh at His annual meeting demanded it. Chairman Doster announced that from ,ficial sources the committee had ascer- s fained that Rountree cleared $3.264 on the \ trin. He asked MT. Rountree if this was 4 correct. He still had nothing to say. 4 The investigating committee was m \ session practically all of the day, ad- < burning finally at 6:3O o'clock tnis even 4ine. lis findings will be submitted to a special meeting of the association nere F Oct. 30.
 q There Is no doubt of the nature of this #reDort Men who have been disposed to % doubt charges made by The Advertiser have expressed amazement at Rountree 7 conduct and his attitude to-day, ,s.:
 .'Every statement made by The Adver. 4 tiser has been proven and Naore, toqo.s < said. an executive committeeman to- might. Tt Is shameful piece or Dusl- ness"
 Rounree Has Lawyer.
 Mir. Rountree was represented by law yer who fought every inch of ground. He M opposed hearing on the ground Of lack ,f written charges. but was overruled bv the committee which adopted editor lals in The Advertiser as charges
 H. s. Doster of Prattville, J. c. Law * renee of Union Springs, and M. w. & Camper of Florence. members of the * committee, sat at a long table and the room was filled with members of the Axecutiye committee, and members of the N association. The hearing was somewhat # informal and almost any one present was # permitted to ask questions of witnesses who were not sworn. The only member If the executive committee who spoke < tavorably of Rountree was A. J. Okeete ,e Birmingham, formerly editor of a la Y nor paper and member of the executive N committee. Now and then W. H. H. # Judson of Bessemer took a hot shot at $ Rountree.
 Z Captain J. M. Falkner was severe in X o,s denunciation of Rountree. He made {he closing argument in which he ap- oealed to the committee to raise the stig- " ma from its association.
 The sentiment of the executive com nittee is shown by a resolution adopted unanimously tonight praising Captain T FaIkner. and thanking him for his in- terest in the association.
 Committee Nests.
 The committee met at 10 o'clock this morning in the rooms of the Commercial X Club, Messrs. Doster. Camper and Law renee being present
 Chairman Doster said that the Commit tee had been appointed by President Yer J by of the Association, to investigate "cer- x lain charges" against Secretary Rountree. x It was an unpleasant duty for the Com 8 mittee, he said. Its report would be sub- 4 mitted to the Association which was the < hnal tribunal
 He said the Committee was desirous of knowing if MT. Rountree was ready.
 MT. Rountree said he had asked for an & Investigation of the charges made by * seven editorials published by The Adver- X Eiser. He had expected written charges would be preferred. and had not been Y Furnished with charges or list of wit nssses. He had employed a lawyer, J. M. raldwell. he said, who would be present # ht Il o'clock and he hoped the matter would not be taken up until that time. He also suggested that A. Gorham be designated as official stenographer.
 Chairman Doster said that the Commit lee would be governed by a sense of Justice to all concerned.
 MT. Rountree then said he demanded he name of his accuser or accusers.
 ''Who Is responsible for this investiga- tion?" he asked ''Who brings these H bharges?"
 Doster to Rountree.
 Chairman Doster replied by reading this letter:
 Prattville, Ala, Oct. 5. kfr. J. A. Rountree. Secretary, Birming-
 ham. Ala;
 Dear Sir-Your letter of October 3 re- eeived. Under the Constitution you de- handed a committee to investigate the hharges made against you in The Mont komery Advertiser, and the committed
 Vill proceed to investigate these charges bn the 16th in Birmingham, regardless oi
 whether you appear before the commit Eee We will hear all of the evidence then.
 We wish to be fair and impartial to you
 hut will not be delayed by technicalities Me have no code of written rules to gov Arn our proceedings. but will be guided H py our sense of justice to you and the 4 Association. As stated in my previous
 etter, you are charged with using youl
 ice in the Alabama Press Association
 ,r your personal gain, and by reason oi
 Tour office imposing on the railroads.
 We desire you to furnish to the commit lee a list of those who voted for the Ca hadian trip. list of those who went or he trip, the amount each paid to you md how that money was expended. We