The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-04-05
PattersOn's Career.

SOuhuJ 0h0 PAObVhl hAp Ava phO
democrtic nomination. He will of
course enter upon canvass OF Knox
county at disadvantage. Gov. Cox is
from East Tennessee, and he therefore
has the geographical advantage. There
are two newspapers in Knoxville, one
of which-the Journal and Tribune-is
republican, and the other-the Sentinel
is opposed to Patterson.
The Sentinel enjoys the reputation of
being straight and honest democratic
newspaper, and it seems to us that in
the gubernatorial contest it ought to be
scrupulously fair. 1t has perfect
right to be for Gov Cox if it cares to
be, and no one could complain if it
elected to support him. But we think
we have right to ask that it shall not
give the people of Knox county an er-
roneous impression of Gen. Patterson.
\ g credit Editor Milton with desire
to do the right thing, and we therefore
Invite his attention to a plain recital of
the facts.
The Sentinel has occasionally alluded
TO Gen. Patterson as a sort of question
able politician, who has an ohjectiona-
bic record. This is an entirely errone-
GUS view Of the West Tennessee candi-
date, and We therefore place before the
Sentinel true account of Gen. Patter-
sons career We do this from personal
acquaintance with him, extending over
nearly quarter of century, and we
know whereof we speak. We indulge
the hope that the Sentinel will, in JUS
tice to him, lay these facts before its
readers
When Malcolm r. Patterson came
back from college over twenty years
ago he was nominated without any So
licitation on his part on the democratic
ticket for the legislature. At that time
the democratic leaders here, recogniz-
ing that the negroes were then in a
large majority in this county, conceived
the idea of trying to win over a part of
the negro vote to the democracy, and
negroes were several times placed on
the city and county tickets. This policy
was favored by Gen. Forrest, Col. Gal.
loway, Senator Harris, Col. Heating
and other democratic leaders. The
ticket on which Malcolm R. Patterson
was nominated was, however, defeated.
For several years after that he devoted
himself to the practice of his profession
and made an eviable reputation for
for himself as one of the ablest young
attorneys at the bar.
About eleven years ago he announced
his candidacy tor attorney-genera of
this county. His opponents were Gen.
Geo. B. Peters, the incumbent in the
Office; G.. T. Fitzhugh and j. M. Steen.
All of the candidates were strong men,
and it was probably one of the most re-
markable contests ever witnessed in
this county. The race was run on its
merits. There was no such thing as q
machine or organization in those days,
and no one has ever claimed that Gen.
: Patterson won by any unworthy means
AS prosecuting officer he made one ol
the ablest and most vigorous in the
state. He prosecuted without fear and
favor One of the most noteworthy ot
: his prosecutions was that OF number o.
white men charged with the lynching o.
some negroes. Gov. Cox has dug intC
= Patterson's administration for the pur
pose of showing that he unduly multi
piled indictments against certain per
sons in order to get fees for his services
The Ward case is quoted as an instanc
and the governor has charged that b
got over 81 ,000in this case alone. War,
- was charged with having had over
hundred transactions with various par
ties, aud the amounts that he wa
Y charged with having obtained unlaw
fully reached the total of about $500
% 000 There was no way to lump thes
= cases, as each transaction was separat
from tho others In drawing 100 il
dictments against him, Gen. Patterso
J. was doing only bis duty, and his actio
was strictly in accordance with the lav
But whatever Patterson's motives ma
have been in his endeavors to enforC
- the law, he got nothing from the War
case. On the contrary, he was out
pocket by it, as he had to make trips
Washington to secure extraditiou p
IA pers for Ward, who had fled to Hond
ras. We have never heard-befo
Gov Cox broached this matter th
any one believed or charged that Ge
Patterson did anything but his duty
these cases. The other charges broug
by Gov. Cox are so transparently ina
n cnrate that they fall of their oy
90 weight The people Of Shelby coun
have always regarded Gen. Patters
as an able and upright prosecute
whose record was absolutely without
flaw.
When Gen. Patterson announc
~ himself as candidate for congress t
on organization was against him. He b
n no faction, no machine, no organizati
"a behind him. The Tenth eongressiol
! district was composed then, as now,
~ Shelby, Fayette, Upton and Harden
no counties. Before the congressiol
ng committee had met aud taken any
nc tiop whatever. linton county. ut a e,