The weekly true Democrat., 1908-06-12

J. o. LAFoNTIsEE
325 Newman Street, June 4, 1903
Mr. J. o. LaFOntlsee, Gen. GiIchrist'
Headquarters. City: My Dear Mr.. La
FOntisee-Returning to my home
somewhat later than usual I find your
favor Of even date lying on my desk.
In this note. after quoting words from
the Ocala Star, you proceed I'm this
fashion, AS you know, I am in
charge Of General Gilchrist's head
quarters In Jacksonville" Now, my
friend, / must differ from you as to
this precise point, begging your par
don. I did not know that you were in
any such place at all, or engaged in
any such business whatever, until you
were good enough to inform me as to
the facts in this letter now lying be-
fore me. And as a sincere well-wisher
Of yours. l am really sorry 70 learn
that you are there, and doing, as you
say, for, unless am greatly mistaken,
by the time that the good people Of
Florida have rendered their decision
on that very corruption fund and the
free distribution Of whisky for the
purpose Of turning votes to General
Gilchrist, both you and your friend,
the General will be more in need Of
hindquaTters than Of headquarters, and
the waking up to this fact will proba-
bly, make both Of you sadder as we'll
as wiser men.
But you continue your comments on
the situation, as II has been given you
Il do not venture to say by whom to
see IL, in such unparliamentary words
as these. This is only one of many
untruthful statements Mr.. Bigham has
made" Now. Mr.. Lafontisee. those
wicked fellows, the lawyers, have a
saying which runneth somewhat in |
this fassion: When an attorney los
eth his temper the client loseth his !
case and his money"
And. besides, though you are a
young man to be using such words |
about a maD, or is E 'WO men? old
enough to be YOUR father. yet you are
neither 30 young nor so verdaut as to |
be ignorant Of the fact that In that
WOrld In which you live and transact
your business, words Of this sort are
generally answered in a very different
way from the one now employed by
me. ! am here TO answer for myself
In such manner as may become my
years, not to say my profession, but
II would not surprise me II among the
many friends Of my honored brother,
Mr.. Bigham, there may be some
younger men and more OF your tenn
per than I, who will be inclined to
say: you are another" and may be
ready to do other foolish things.
You ask me to oblige you by Civ
ing information about that corruption
fund, but really, Mr. LaFontisee, you
are. when properly at yourself, a
right bright yomg man And there
fore you know perfectly well by the
use Of such unparlimentary expires.
siOns about my friend, and presuma-
bly, about me also you have forfeited
all claims to my courtesy. You have
broken the rules Of the game, my boy,
and are thereby sort Of an outcast.
But intend to play the magnanimous
this time-pOssibly because It suits
me to do so.
And in that role will candidly ad-
NIT to you that, as heswas about leav.
ing home. gave Mr.. Blgham paper
on what had learned OF that bribery
and corruption fund. Of which you are
so desirous to learn something. Young
people owe It to themselves to gain
knowledge, you see. and older people
are bound 10 help them.
Now / am sorry that in the haste
Of our parting I failed 10 take a copy
Of that paper It was very bad in me
to fail in this respect, no doubt but
then. you see, had no idea that you
would be so eager to learn about that
corruption fund. I have, however, a
fairly good memory and can trust 1t
to reproduce the paper In every essen
tial detail; so here goes: was In the
Office OF my friend. Mr. A. H. King, on
the afternoon Of Friday, May %, 1908,
with MT. w. Frazier Jones. and Mr..
Stevens, president Of the Anti-Saloon
League of Florida Somewhat later we
we're greeted BY A. w. Cockrell, ESQ.
But before he found time TO speak
with us. Mr. entered the
room, and after some conversation he
asked. "Have you gentlemen learned