Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-12-28

, attorneys, and Frank T. Post, who
took them to Tacoma and Olympia,
where they were shown to leading
members of the bar and to members
of the supreme court.
Mr.. Graves brought them back to
Spokane, where copies were made,
the originals passing into the hands
of the Root Investigating commit
tee, by which they were taken to
Seattle.
Gordon Silent on Letters.
Since the letters passed out of his
hands Attorney Gordon has declined
to discuss them or to explain their
meaning. Judge Root, on the other
! hand, has in newspaper interviews
and private conversation given his
version of the subjects to which they
I refer.
The letter from Olympia, February
II, 1908, is merely request for
conference with Attorney Gordon at
Seattle. The explanation given by
Judge Root is that he depended
largely upon Mr.. Gordon to look af-
ter his political interests in eastern
Washington and this was but one
of many conferences they held from
time to time on that subject.
The letter of April "a, 1908, re-
sembles the first in being a formal
request for conference in Seattle
and the one of April 80, is asserted
by Judge Root to be reply written
by him in response to Gordon's re-
| ply to the second stating that he,
! Gordon, would be in Seattle soon.
Promised Campaign Fund.
According to recent interview of
Judge Roots, Gordon had told him
earlier in the summer that a num-
ber of Judge Roots friends among
Spokane business men and contrac-
tors were making up a fund to pro-
mote the nomination and election of
Judges Root, Grow and Chadwick.
or this sum $500 was to be sent to
Seattle to be expended there in
4 Roots interests. Gordon asked Root
to suggest some person to whom it
| could be sent and he suggested E. B.
Palmer, his former law partner.
According to Root, Gordon assured
him that the money would be sent
| to Palmer by a certain date, and
Judge Root informed Palmer that
he might rely with certainty upon
its coming Upon the basis of this
assurance, Root says, Palmer proceed
ed to spend the money in promoting
Roots campaign and had obligated
himself to about $50 in anticipation
of receiving the $500.
Money Failed to Arrive.
Root says the money failed to
reach Palmer by the specified date,
and at the instigation Of Palmer he
wrote the letter of August 1. Root
says Gordon replied explaining the
reason for his delay in forwarding
the $500 and in response to that let
ter Of explanation he wrote the let
ter without date. According to the
story of Judge Root, the $500 cam
paign contribution offered by Cord
on was never actually sent to
Palmer.
The last letter was written in an
swer to one from Attorney Gordon
enclosing transportation for Judge
Roots brother and his wife over the
Great Northern railroad. No ex-
planation has been forthcoming as
to the character Of this transporta-
ton or what portion of the railroad
system Is covered. This point is
| considered important by members Of
the investigating committee, since
at the time 1t was written it was un-
lawful for the railroad to issue free
transportation between points with
in the state, but possibly not unlaw.
full to issue such transportation be-
tween point within the state and
one without.