The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-01-10
SOMETHING DOING IN RALEIGH
Base Charges Will Be Probed
TO The Bottom Blackburn Takes
Water Upon Flimsy Pretext. But
The Governor Is Not Satisfied.
States Honor Shall Be Defended,
He Declares.

He Declares.
The, Washington correspondent OF
several State papers sent out copy, So
called, of Spencer Blackburn's letter to
r. N. Hackett, congressman-elect from
the eighth district serving notice that
he would contest his right to the seat to
which he was elected last November.
Among other charges o: general char
acter, the following allegation ap-
Feared.
"Agsin clam and shall prove that
prior to the election an unlawful and
corrupt agreement was made and enter
ed into by and between yourself and Gov
ernor Glenn, OF North Carolina, and the
American Book Company, you being at
that time the attorney and representa-
tive of the said American Book Com
pany, by which compact it was agreed
that Governor Glenn was to recommend
to the State board the adoption for the
schools of North Carolina the books nf
the American Book Company. in return
for which service you were TO use all
your influence, particularly in the
Eighth Congressional District, for the
election of Governor Glenn to the Unit
cd States Senate. claim and shall
prove, that in conformatory with the
terms OF that agreement Governor Glenn
did PpcOmmon0 tO tho Gtoto hao rfl opd
force the adoption of the school books
for the. said American Book Company
and this in spite of the fact that large
majority of the teachers of North Caro-
lima had repeatedly protested against
the use of the books of the said COM
pany. And further, in carrying out the
terms of this corrupt agreement, Gov
ernOr Glenn was to and did throw the
weight and influence of his office and
patronage in favor of your candidacy
for Congress, and the said American
Book Company was to and actually did
contribute large sums of money as cor
ruption fund to br1be the voters of the
Eighth Congressional District
Absolutely and Utterly False.
Governor Glenn's attention being call
ed to these charges of Spercer Black
burn, said:
"Every one of these statements, so
far as I am concerned, is absolutely
and utterly false and without a scintilla
of foundation Blackburn cannot pro-
dnce eyen suborned witness who will
testify to one single. solitary fact there
in alleged. If the other allegations in
his complaint are equally as frivolous
and false there is absolutely nothing
whatever in his contest"
PrepOaGeroua and Absolutely False.
An interview was had with Mr.. J. w.
ThackstOn, of Raleigh, the North Caro-,
lima representative of the American
Book Company, and being asked for a
statement in the matter, he said:
''Mr. Blackburn's statement concern
ing the American Book Company's par
ticipation in politics in North Carolina
is absolutely false in every particular.
Neither the American Book Company
or it's representative contributed single
dollar to the Democratic campaign in
North Carolina, or in any county or
Congressional District, or co the Demo-
cratic Central Committee itself, or in
any other manner. His statement that
a majority of the teachers of the State
had protested against the use of the
books of the American Book Company
is preposterous and absolutely false, for
on the contrary the books of the Ameri-
can Book Company were and are strong
ly and enthusiastically endorsed and
recon mended by the leading school
officials and teachers throughout the
State"
Feeling that his personal and political
integrity had been assailed without
reason or excuse, Governor Glenn at
once instructed his attorneys TO bring
suit against Blackburn for criminal
libel. In the meantime the latter came
to Greensboro from Washington and
hearing ofsthe Governors intention to
prosecute him gave out the following
signed statement:
Blackburn Denies Authority.
''The statement in last Sunday morn