The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-16
DIR. BOWDOIN REPLIES.
He Denies Charges Of Mr., Mat
thews and Courts Investigation.

editor Of The Times-Dispatch:
.Si,s PLEASE give space to the follow
;ng reply to the letter Of. Mr. 5. aWlKlns
Matthew's dated January 3, l9oa, anu
published III your issue OF January ., .,
iGnl, which letter l had not seen until
lac, Saturday night. take UP Mr.. Mat
thcws' charges In the order III "iicii
he makes them:
Isl. / did say that the information that
Mr.. Matthews had polled the Legisla,
ture as between Senator Martin ana
Governor Montague, came frG>a Governor
Montague, but it did not come BY let
ter; Governor Montague wrote me no
such letter, and l never tod MT. MAJ
thews or any one else that ne qua. itliu
ever said that ever had such Il letlet
frem Governor Montague.
3D. | did use my personal influence
to defeat Mr.. Matthews, hut did NOT use
nv official influence either as county
chairman of Accomac county, or rs
chairman of the Board OF Fisheries 10
defeat him.
1t is not true that my personal, pc.
litical and official friendship for them
(oyster inspectors and others) 'de pendcu
ON their voting against Mr.. Matthew'S,
TO, did by act, word or deed give any
Of such persons, or any voters IN Ac-
comnc county, any grounds for thinking,
believing or understanding such n thing.
In regard to the judges III the primary
at Tanglcr Island J. saw Inspector w.
d Disc, who had acted as judge for n
number Of years and who was sup
porter of Mr.. Matthews opponent, anu
told him should appoint Mr., Joe DAILY
to act in his stead, explaining that did
so because Mr. Disc was inspector and
some objection and criticism might arise
| on that account. Captain j. H. Costin
was appointed us the other judge there.
! Neither. Captain Costln nor Mr.. DAILY IS
| in the State oyster service, nor connect
| ed with tho State Board of Fisheries as
| inspectors or otherwise. Captain Costln
was captain of the State steamer Acco-
| mac, but resigned from the service about
a year ago, Whether these two men,
who were tho ones appointed, served
or not, do not know, hut II any one
| WAC appointed or acted as substitute for
! ci, her of them it was done without my
Knowledge, and ! had nothing whatever
10 do with It. directly or indirectly It
! il absolutely untrue that ! sought to i'm
| properly Influence any police boat cap
tain, Inspector or officer, or any other
voter in the county against Mr., Mat
| thews,
AS TO officers OF election: AT Tangier
Island, one change was .aadc in the APP
pointmcnt as to Mr.. Disc, for the rca-
| sons stated above; In Atlantic District,
two changes were made, because TWO or
the judges appointed because candidates
themselves, and one other change was
made because of resignation and one
by request of some OF the candidates.
All other judges serving In this district
nnC in the district OF the islands were
named by Mr.. Matthews, and the list IN
his own handwriting was givcn to the
printer. No changes OF tho old officers
were made in tho other three districts
except where necessary from resignation
inability TO serve or request from varl'
GUS candidates.
The judges In Pungoteague Distrlc
were made by tho members OF the Coun
, Is Committee from, that. district, | hay
ing nothing to do with II, and the ls'
being handed me by Mr.. l.. G., Mears
Ii. Lee District tho officers We're np
pointed by tho members OF that dislric
in consultation With mo, In Matompkil
District they were selected by me, reta 7
ing the regular officers wherever possibl
and no fairer or w0rthier set of officer
could be selected by any one In an!
election deny as absolutely untru
thar as county chairman ! dlsplace
' any judge of election favorable to Mi
s Matthews. in any instance, and It A
false that Iappolnted any election OF
I ficer to favor my schemes, or favor an
schemes by any one. or attempted t
make these or any Of these election OF
o. f!cers partisan In any way.
Q ! deny cmphatically that ! appointe
any Republican, If any Republican wa
appointed did not know it; nor do
. know It, or believe il. l do deny en-
,phatically that at my own precinct