The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1906-01-31
Your aye Before buay Vote and Avoid Being Published as DELINQUENT
the Attorney Generals published


the Attorney Generals published
statement:
MY attention has just been
: called to the card Of Hon. William
Williams in the Clarion Ledger Of
today, in which he refers to the
Statement of Chief Justice Whit
field in his dissenting opinion in
the Sandy Bayou case, that it was
stated at the bar that the Attorney
General declined to bring suit,
and says that the statement of the
Chief Justice is not warranted by
the facts. This statement may be
misleading. The facts are these:
When my firm was employed
by the Governor to file The in
junction, ! drafted the bill, and
secured the fat, but before fling
lit, took it to the Office of the At
torney General to acquaint him
4 with it and ascertain whether he
would bring suit or join in bring
ling it. Mr.. Williams was not in
the Office, and / was told he would
probably not be in again that day.
The draft of the bill was thereup-
on presented to the assistant attor-
ney general, Hon. j. N. Flowers,
and he was made acquainted with |
it. He promptly stated that, in
view Of the position taken by the
Attorney General, and the fact
that he was member of the
Board of Control, he could not, of
course, bring the suit. / inform
ed Mr.. Flowers that assumed
that this would be the position of
the Attorney General and of him
self, and ] did not consider it es-
sential that he bring the suit, but
that | thought it matter of cour-
tesy to them to make the request,
and besides, that | wished to be in
a position, if occasion required, to
show that the request had been
made. appreciated the fact, as
well as Mr., Flowers, that the At
torney General could not consist
emily bring the suit.
i stated before the Supreme
Court that il such request and re-
fusal should be held essential, the
facts as to it could be shown by
amendment to the bill. Mr.. Will
liains was in the court at the time
and entered no denial or dis
claimer.
Il do not consider the above
matter material from legal stand
point, but as the statement of the
Chief Justice and inferentially of
counsel, seems now to be brought
il question, ! think an explana
ton proper.
&c. III. ALEXANDER"
The Attorney General has made
no attempt to answer (at least not
in print), this stunning, knock
out blow by Attorney Alexander.
But the most binding blow the
Attorney General received after
publishing his card in self-vindi-
cation was dealt by his Jealous
friend and eulogist, the jackson
Evening News.
In the same issue of the News
in which was published the Alex
ander card, appeared an editorial
quite laudatory Of Attorney Cen
eral Williams, and quoting from
his card. It is more than likely /
that this editorial was in typeo
before the News editor knew the
Alexander card would be offered
for publication; but be that as it
may, said editorial article CON
tanned the following exceedingly
interesting statement in connec-
tion with a quotation from the
Attorney General:
Attorney General Williams
says: Il was never requested to |
bring the suit, or to allow the use |
Of my name to bring it. The bill
was sworn to by the governor and
the fat issued By the chief justice
before ] knew any litigation was
contemplated. =
This rs unquestionably a fact.
The first intimation the Attorney
General had that proceedings we're
about to be instituted we're con-
Veyed to him by News reporter
a few minutes after the Board of !.
Control had reached its agreement
with State Senator McLaurin for
| the leasing Of the Sandy Bayou
place. The reporter entered the
Office of the Attorney General and
informed Mr.. Williams and others
who were present that the gover-l
nor was preparing an Injunction
proceeding to restrain the opera
Ition of the lease. They all APP
peared much surprised, but, not |
to be forestalled By the chief |
Executive, the contract was imme-
ldiately prepared and signed by /
three members of the prison board +
before the governors attorneys I
could obtain service on the in
Junction writ.
The evident intent Of the At
ltorney General BY his card was to
ldiscredit the declaration Of Chief
Justice Whitfield, make il appear
| THAT he had never been requested
lby the Governor to represent the
State or allow the use Of his name |