Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-12-01
tx- GOVERNORS APPEAL
Mr.. White Explains His Case at
Grea Length
REFUSED COURTESY OF SPACE
Parkersburg Dfspatch,News Which
Made Attack on Him Refused to
Publish Reply.

Publish Reply.
The following article appearing in
The Parkersburg State Journal is self
explanatory:
Editor of State journal: THE fol-
lowing is communication which /
sent to the Dispatch-News of Parkers
burg, but as that paper has not seen
fit to publish the same request that
you publish it.
Editor Dispatch-News.
Sir:-In an editorial commenting
upon the decision of the state SUI
preme court, to the effect that the com
mittee appointed by the house of dele
gates in 1905 did not have authority to
require witnesses to appear before it
and testify, you state that the truth of
the charges against Governor White
remain undetermined.
Those charges were in effect that
had appointed a secretary of state and
then divided with him the fees and
statement is true. then / was guilty
of a criminal offense under our stat
utes and should be punished and pros
ecuted, which includes, if guilty, a
term in the penitentiary. If | am not
guilty of that charge, am entitled to
my good name.
public statements on this subject since
the committee was appointed. In your
editorial comment you proceeded to
say:
Whose fault is it that it is not
determined? On whom will the blame
fall? All of us will agree that it
should fall where it belongs.
In determining this, one fact as a
beacon light will always stand out at
tracing the attention of searchers for
the truth. One question will always
be asked: Why did not Governor
White, when Judge Blizzard and Sen.
ator Caldwell were before the COM
mittee of the senate appointed to in.
vestigate the charges against him, de,
mand that they then and there testify?
Governor White and Governor Daw.
son were there. Judge Blizzard and
Senator Caldwell were there. The SEN
atorial committee was there. 1t had
undoubted and unquestioned authority
to investigate. 1t was very appropriate
that this committee alone should in
vestigate, because the matter in ques-
ton had arisen in the senate. The time
for investigation was propitious. The
entire matter was recent in publicity
and fresh in the minds of all. No one
had thought of the effect which the
evidence adduced might have on
friends. There has as yet been no in.
tervention of friends to keep anyone
from testifying before the committee"
If you have any disposition to treat
me, as private citizen with fairness
you will observe first. that | could not
control the action of the seante com
mittee but that did demand that they
thoroughly investigate the charges
against myself. l demanded it of the
committee: | demanded it in the pres,
ence of those who had made the
charges. | never took any other po-
sition for one moment but that Of de-
manding q prompt and thorough inves-
tigation of these charges, which af-
feoted my personal honesty.
The report Of the senate committee
shows that / made such q demand as
that and made it at the time and
also goes on to state what the posi-
ton of the committee was in this
matter The report Of the senate in
yestigating committee, Honorable o.
s. Marshall, chairman. was offered as
follows: tsee page no, Journal OF the
Senate, 1860
Governor White made statement
denying in every particular the
charges made against him. He also
laid before the committee the original
/ communication and newspaper article
from which he had received his infoF-
nation, and they are herewith submit
ted. along with all the evidence and
all that was said before the committee,
and asked to be made part Of this re-
port In addition, the governor ex-
pressed the hope that the committee
would investigate the matters which
affected him to the very bottom; that
is, the charges contained in the resolu-