The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-31
WAKEFIELD IN DENIAL
Ex-Governor Replies to Gen.
Seth in Open Letter.
CALLS EVERY CHARGE UNTRUE
Outraged Public Opinion should
should Drive President OF state
Senate Ont of that Body, Says For
mer ExecufiVe-Proof of Charges
or Complete Reracti0H Demanded.

SPECIAL 70 The Washington Herald.
Baltimore. Md. Jan. 50-Formcr Gov.
Edwin Warfeld issued an open letter to
president Of the state senate. Gen. Joseph
B. Seth, tonight demanding that the
general prove the charges he made on the
floor Of the senate that the former gov
ernor had formed political alliances with
the Baltimore and Ohio or 'be driven
from the senate by outraged public opin-
ion"
Ex-Gov. Warfleid states If. as gov
ernor OF the state, 1 have been corrupt.
the people should know it, II you have
been guilty Of willful and malicious
ealumny as president Of the senate the
people should know that
The issue is plain. Either you OF 1 de-
serve the indignant contempt Of the peo-
pie Of Maryland and. so far as in me
lies, before this controversy is over, the
people viii know upon whom to imprint
the brand oil dishonor. In Maryland, no
matter how intense the controversy. gen
temen are governed by a certain stand
ard Of deeeuey. You have violated these
rules by such "a q exhibition Of low vul-
garity that. had you been a high official
of the state. you would have forfeited
any right to a reply. My reply. therefore.
is not TO you personally. but 10 YOU as
President of the Senate. and through you.
for the information Of the people OF
Maryland
Denies the Charge.
you charge, by insinuation. that
made an ante-election agreement with
reference 10 the sale OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal. This charge I absolutely
deny. and say to you that it is untrue
and. 1 believe. untrue to your knowledge
The matter of the sale of the States
interest IN the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal was not discussed during my can
vass for the goyernorship. l spoke to no
one about it. nor did any one speak to
me about it.
You charge me. by insinuation. wi.h
entering into an ante-election agreement
with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company by which ] agreed to use my
influence to sell the interests Of the
State in the Washington branch of the
road TO the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company for $40 share, for which ulti-
matcly the legislature. aided by the press
of the State obtained S467 a share.
You also say that at a meeting Of the
Baltimore and Ohio committee of investi-
cation two years ago you understood Mr.
Bond TO say to me that the Baltimore and
Ohio had my agreement TO sell them the
stock. and further. that you have been
told by what you consider good authority.
that they held my written agreement to
sell the stock for s2lG a share
your illogical and nonsensical utter
ances satisfy all thinking men to-day that
you did not know what you were talking
about then. any more than you do now.
Made No Promises.
"The implied charge that made certain
promises in references to this sale for the
purpose of obtaining campaign contribu-
tions for the expenses of my campaign
for governor is just as false as all of the
other charges YOU have made.
"These are the serious charges Of Off
cial corruption yeu make against me.
Each and every one Of them is plainly
and demonstrably false. You stand in
this situation: When you made these
charges on the floor of the senate, either
you had what you thought were proofs,
or you had not If you think you had, it
is your duty to the State to produce them.
Not obscure insinuations. or vague rheto-
ric. or cloudy allusion, but plain simple
proof. such as always required when a
mans honor is attacked
IF you had not, then it is equally your
duty to make full retraction and apol-
ogy on the floor of the senate with as
much publicity as the charges were made
with. II YOU do neither, then you should
be treated as being unworthy of your
high position, and be driven from the SEN
ate by an outraged public opinion