Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-25
BRYAN TORE UP THE CHARGES
ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HAS
KEEL GIVEN LAST FALL.
Oklahoma Editor Tells What He
Knows of Governors Relations
With the Oil Trust.

KANSAS CITY, September o5-L T
Russell, editor of the Ardmore (Oklaho-
MAJ Morning Democrat who is in Kansas
City, has given to the Associated Press
an open letter to William j. Bryan in
which he alleges that the charges made
by William r. Hearst against Gov Has
kell relative to the governors connection
with the Standard Oil Company had
been previously given to Mr.. Bryan. who
refused 10 read them. Mr.. Russell also
gives what he alleges to be proof of Gov
Haskell's intimate relations with the
ter to Mr.. Bryan follows:
Editor Russell's Letter.
kansas City. Sept. "a. 1905.
Nv. j. Bryan, Lincoln. Neb.:
Dear Sir: 1 notice that in your reply
to President Roosevelts attack on Gov.
Haskell you say you were entirely igno-
rant Of there evr having been any charges
made against Mr.. Haskell If you were
ignorant of such charges. it is because
you refused to read them when presented
to you when you visited Oklahoma last
fall in the interest of Candidate Haskell.
At that time | personally presented to you
ten typewriter pages of charges against
Mr.. Haskell. covering his operations in
Ohio, New York, Arkansas, Texas and
Oklahoma. You did me the courtesy Of
tearing them up and throwing them out
of the train window without reading them.
The charges recently made by Mr.. Hearst
were all made by me at that time.
Alleged Oil Trust Relations.
Il now offer you the following informa-
ton concerning his relations with the
Standard Oil subsidiary companies in Ok
Ia bnn eli no
spring, before the Prairie Oil and Gas
Company began operations in pipe line
construction in violation of law, l made
a visit to Guthrie. While standing in the
statehouse lobby, w r. Ledbetter, attor-
ney for the Waters-Pier Oil Company in
Okla hOma. came out of Gov. Haskell
private office and asked me to accompany
him TO the telegraph Office. as he had
very important telegram to send. On the
way to the telegraph station he an
nounced that he had been in conference
with Gov. Haskell on some oil matters
When we reached the telegraph office. Mr.
Ledbetter wrote a telegram to Col }. ID.
Johnson of st. Louis. general attorney
for the Waters Pierce Oil Company:
Il have Just finished a conference
with Gov Haskell and everything is sat
isfactorily arranged In very snort
gan preparations for constructing their
pipe line without becoming democratic
corporation. Attorney General West be-
gan threatening suit Haskell protested
against West. However, West did 1nstl-
tute the suit. Haskell fought the suit
through all the courts to the state SUI
preme court with a hired private attorney
on the ground that the governor alone
could institute suit. A few days before
the supreme court handed down Its de-
cision Haskell prepared a lengthy docu-
ment covering nearly two pages In his
weekly paper. the New State Tribune.
personally saw the letter from Col. j. d.
Johnson to his Oklahoma attorney, w:
r. Ledbetter agreeing to pay for ana
circulate 10000 copies of Haskelfs paper
containing Haskell's attack on West and
his defense for refusing to prosecute the
Prairie Oil and Gas Company.
In the past Mr.. Haskells answer to all
charges has been: You are a liar.> l
wish to say that the statements made
above cannot be answered in that way,
for will on an hours notice go to Guth-
rie and appear before a board Of inquiry
and there testify under oath with MT.
Ledbetter, making the telegraph records
a part of the hearing, the same to speak
for itself, the conditions to be that the
telegraph records be made public and MIR.
Ledbetter agree to testify under oath and
answer all questions tending to prove or
disprove my charges. l.. T. RUSSELL,
Editor Morning Democrat"