Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-08-09
UTTERLY DEVOID OF TRUTH
DIR. Witt DenounCes Affidait made by
Representative Fuller.

The pardon Of DR.. Lee Johnson of
Sebastian county, on condition that
ne deed to his attorneys, James and
Fuller of Eureka Springs his real es-
tate in that city valued at about
500, has become a warm issue in
the gubernatorial campaign. and has
already reached the acute affidavit
stage The honors at this writing
appear to be on the side of those
who have been attempting to show
that the pardon was improperly
granted. At Newport Thursday ngat
Coy. Davis produced and read an aff-
iavit from Claude A. Fuller Of the
eirm Of James and Fuller, and repre-
sentative from Carroll county, in
which he cast aSpersions upon the
professional integrity of DR.. C. E.
Witt, the penitentary physician. 1t
is devoid, however, in most marked
degree of any attempt to explain what
authority James and Fuller, attorneys
fer a pardoned convict, possessed to
practically revoke that pardon by
withdra wing it from the beneficiary
unless he should comply with certain
>tlpulatiOns regarding the transfer Of
property. The two affidavits are Civ
en- below:
C. A. Fuller.
Il C. A. Fuller. do solemnly swear
| that was member of the lower
house of the last general assembly Of
his state; that While in Little Rock
rs such member I became interested
in the case Of Dr. Lee Johnson, con-
to the penitentary for seven years.
for the reason that he was formerly
z citizen of Eureka Springs and knew
him we'll. On an occasion Of my Wis
its to the peritentiary during the ses
:iGn of the legislature, | frequently
saw him, and he importuned me to
apply for a pardon for him. l found
him in very delicate health and did
lat believe he could live out the time
f his sentence, for the reason that
was very old man. frequently
spoke to Gov. Davis about the m
ter and asked him to pardon this old
| man. The governoH told me if |
could furnish a certificate from the
penitentary physician that his health
| was failing and he could not live out
his sentence and it was necessary to
| pardon him in order to save his life,
! hat he would grant the same. ap-
| piled to Dr. Witt. the penitentiary
this certificate, and on those several
occasions he promised to give it to
me, but finally said he would not do
so because I was not voting right on
penitentiary matters which came up
before the house; that l was not vot-
ing against the governor, but was
voting against the penitentiary inter
ests, and would therefore not give the
certificate to me. l never disclosed to
Gov Davis at any time that l was
getting any fee for this pardon. That
was a matter entirely between my
client and myself. Gov. Davis sent
the pardon to my firm because of the
reason | had requested him to do SO.
Il did not disclose to the governor
that Dr. Johnson was my client. but
told him he was my friend of former
years. and told him | had always
known him to have been a good citi-
zen.
(Signed) &C. A. FULLER.
81, C. A. Fuller, do solemnly swear
that the facts set forth in above aft
davit are each and every one true.
| (Signed) c. A. FULLER"
Sworn and subscribed to before
ne this 1st day of August 1903.
&c. NJ. SWOPE, J. P"
Or. c. e. Witt
c. E. Witt, being duly sworn, says:
My attention has been called to the
| affidavit of c.. A. Fuller, present rep.