Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-12-01


outstanding the fact that Senator
Caldwell had withdrawn the charges
against him and Governor White, he
thought it proper to himself to make
brief statement before the commit
tee, in which he denied that he had
ever divided any fees or had any con-
tract with Governor White to divide
the fees of the office of secretary of
state and had never made any division
with him or given him any money. He
also stated as to the John Baker White
matter that he had never had any un-
Outstanding with Mr.. White whereby
he was to receive any money whatso-
ever under certain contracts to have
the fees of foreign corporations reduc-
ed
John Baker White himself, made a
statement before the committee, com
pletely generating Mr.. Dawson from
all charges and insinuations made
against him in that respect, as also
did Governor White in his statement
exonerate Mr.. Dawson from the charge
that he had received any fees or divis,
ion of any fees of the secretary of
states office.
Respectfully submitted,
20. S. MARSHALL,
CHARLES E. CARDIGAN,
wv. H. McGINNIS.
Committee
What other position a self-respecting
man could have taken | am at loss
to know. When the senate committee
made its report was outraged at their
refusal to investigate these charges,
and as the house of delegates has
the right of impeachment under our
TContinued on Second Page.l
constitution, I at once asked them to
appoint committee to investigate
these charges.
You are pleased to say in regard to
Messrs. Caldwell and Blizzard that
they have been ready to go before a
properly constituted committee but
object ito being dragged before body
without power, whose only design was
to whitewash the charges Senator
Caldwell made on the floor of the SEN
ate" To anyone who is acquainted
with the personnel of the house inves-
tigating committee, namely Hon. Hay.
mond Maxwell, of Harrison county,
Hon. John A. Preston. of Greenbrier
county, and Hon. James A. Seamon, OF
Jackson county, it is not necessary to
comment on this ridiculous statement.
But If Messrs. Caldwell and Blizzard,
especially Mr.. Blizzard, believe in the
truth of these charges 1t is their duty
to have me publicly prosecuted, and
especially so, if as one of them claim
ed he had evidence to substantiate the
charge. | demand that he produce the
evidence. AS demanded of the SEN
ate committee, and as a | demanded of
the house committee, l now demand
of Blizzard and Caldwell that. if they
have any evidence that would convict
me or justify, the charge that | have
been guilty of a fe'onious crime, and
have betrayed the people who elevated
me to the high Office of governor, they
produce that evidence.
If the charges are true am I'M
worthy to occupy the responsible posi-
ton | now hold OF a flduciary charac,
ter in one of the large financial insti-
tutlons In this state. Messrs. Blizzard
and Caldwell have no right to attack
my personal honesty and to hide long
er behind teehnicalities
Your editorial comments on this
mattor ara SO much at variance with
the facts and the course Of your papel
has been so severe and unjust to my,
self during all the months that have
interviewed since I became a private
citizen that it may be asking too much
Of you to state for me that / am as
guiltless and innocent Of the charges
made. in regard TO he sharing of the
fees of the Office Of secretary of state
during my Office Of governor, as a new
born babe, 1t is cruel, positively cruel.
to attack a mans honesty, % seek 20
drag down his business character and
standing unless one is willing to prove
his charges.
1 am not guilty in the slightest de-
I gree Of these charges, and / did do
just what YOU said did not do name
I ~, ! did demand Of the senate invesu-
eating committee a run and sweeping
investigation of these charges. did
it in the presence OF the gentlemen
ahmed by YOU and the report Of the
senate committee so states. That com