The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-08-17
JUDGE MANN'S PLAIN ANSWER
Candidate For Governor Discusses Freely News
paper Charges Against Him.


Editor The NcWs-LeadcT
Nv attention has just been called 7"
the editorial which appeared n your
issue oi the llth instant. in which }'d
copy aud comment on am artlcI"that o.
pearcd i'm the Emporia Mr~~rngrr whrl'
IL Is alleged that was liauduI'hlt
elected "a the State senate ln lN''
do not deem 10 wise ordinarily %
take notirc of campaign charges but DE-
asmuch as this chargealirct- me- person" .-
ly. and both your paperand t"r Einpoi' d
Messenger have made tI" same "I''"''
any specification. and without any a'-
tempt To tell your readers upon what &
was based. deem lt proper 4" state 'i'
facts iu reference 90 that election.
WAS first elected tO tie state Nrial
i'm lSg9 ON the second day after il'
election. th, commissioners otrhctlouinr
Nottownv county met. and made thor
returns in duplicate a~ required hy Jaw
and adjourned. 10 hud h7u thr custom
of our old clerk 90 forward the returns
ON the day following the meeting OBJ o..
commissioners. but the old cirlA hd
died. ana his successor con- thr day i."
commissioners met sent th" returns io
Richmond. That night the clerk , oih''
was broken into and pl PLlOAIE III
/ Turns aud POLL BOOKS stolen.
THE BALLOTS AND REGIS lltAl ~
BOOKS WE'RE LEFT iNplSIl kbfll
The poll books only showed, a. tA'
law reduir,d the names ui those who
voted. and then stated now many ballots
had b,eu east Tor each candidate. TIL"
pou,e nj earh person who had voted WAS
,.I,...L.d nm th,. registration books 10 the
manner reouired bv law. and the ballots
vsre intact
I'll. ORIGINAL returns of the election
commissioners had been sent 20 Rich
mond. So that. for the purpose oiiuve--
tigation. every fact could have been e,-
tablished AZ we'll after a. h,tor' the poi
books were taken Certainly nothing
/ in INV favor was accomplished 10y the
/ TAKING of fhe poU books. Fortunately
/ for me fine original returns of the COM
missioner. were in Richmond: utherV lse
/ III. taking Of the papers would have
/ l.a,, worry much against my interest as ]
wonll have had To- establish my seat hN
( legal proceedings. ~ it was no harm
/ was done 10 any one. further than 10
/ furnish "A preteXt for a cry oi fraud ON
/ the mart OF some OF my political encmles.
immediately declared that. II 1t We're
shown bv any reliable evidence IN "a con
test or otherwise. that there was AM
fraud in NY favor in the election. or that
/ the papers had been taken 10y any one
friendly TO me. ! would at once resign !
did not ask for proof OF the facts. il
there had been produced substantial cyl
dence which would rai-eeven a suspicion
of fraud il would have been sufficient
and | would hayes sent inmy resignation
To havedouc otherwise would have been
to charge INV friends with a crime oil
which Ibelieve they areentinly innocent
was opposed in the election 10y an in
dependent Democrat. and the white Re
publicans and negroes united with The
nponlar Democrats in voting for me
Only two votes were east against me at
nv own precinct, and only fifty IN Not
tnwov comfy. so that it would hay,
heen very easy TO show fraud if any OK.
;.,ad r. was known who those fifty
,.,,ta,. ,,.oro and nnhliclv stated that d
i ,,.ere shown that one single other voter
had voted against me. and his vote had
not haen connted | would resign. ! did
avervtbin0 Thought an honorable man
cnuld do in tbe PREMISES.
Voevidence ri any kind whatever wa
o,.o,. nroduced ~ any fraud i'm the cleo
zion. mo cbor,,. of fraud was ever made
.,"m, ~ ~, nv nolit;ral enemies. who
Ia ga i" ~ and Who did NOT hay,
o op0O,I faitb in fieir own charges 10 in
omGu7 a. than, whom o,erv onnortunir,
,r - ;,,rasti@otion was or,an to them and
~, ~, ;nrastigation was invited
no show that the people here do not
connect mo in any way with this matter
Iii LIN toto tbnt at tho last election will
.L' Gauor oIe,ne,,t oronnized and ear
.ne ,PI w.; ,.;r,, NV defeat and with Nc
- - ~, ,,,. part / received at my own
. .' i' ,re|inct 115 votes Will,
',',. ,,,,,,onent received only \ Not ia,
ny Dll ". ',,,t;or o r. nv election wa,
9nh me-
r",7c H.. l., r,,o nr,nIor If the most rem
49,. - ee'S '' heennrnI I'LL cit;1ons nf Rruns
eaoio e'n'I ,',n,,t'r', oonnt;os tho otber
WIN G"' ,-hinb IN 600 termed with Not
t tomnr NV JANITORIAL district are sun
'o"aS 10y ''o ,,'1,. and ,,,,. fr;ands in tbos,
PoItS NV ''o" ~ '' ','ii ,aa,.l - ,.o,.,
coui'es yen NV ,';,'' Lo,h 80 thon than
lllu0 ;. ~ 81 s,.hon nandato for tLe Stat,
lece',e" Iii ,'';ii oSat soraral inns az man,
Sena.e, Yo "ti county nsmv onn1