Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-11-25
S. ". WILLIAMS
In LIHELIGHT
Attorney 6sRsFaLEIset Facing Two PuiIsa-
msnts, 0ss Of which Nay Prov. Er-
cssdingiI Interesting 10 The 6suils-
man of Poll Tax Fame.

ations in at least two spots-the city Of
Richmond and the county Of Mcdowell,
w. Va. His unfortunate predcaments
are the topic of much discussion.
So far as this city is concerned. it
does not appear just where the fault
lies. Certain it 10 that Samuel L. Kel-
p ly was as confident OF being the next
assistant attorney general as Judge
Williams was Of being the next attor-
ney general as soon as the August pri-
mary was over. Judge Williams has
stated positively that he has never
promised the appointment to Mr.. Kel-
ley; that Mr.. Kelley has never mention
ed the mstter to him in his life, nor he
to Mr.. Kelly. He says furthermore
that he made no promise during his can
vass and never at any time indicated
who his choice would be for the office.
Where Mr. Kelly got his absolute
confidence he has not stated. That he
had 1T, there can be no doubt No one
questions the truth of Judge Williams
statement, and the very fact that de-
cisration from him is accepted as un-
questionably true, adds to the mystery
of the affair.
Another fact which cannot be denied
is that Mr.. Kelly's friends are extreme
ly sore. They are saying that normally
Captain Catlett would have secured q
nearly unanimous vote in Richmond in
the primary, for he has lived here for
several years, and is quite we'll and IA
Unronlty ErOr-0 L. IL
Williams vote in Richmond would have
been mere handful had they not in
some way been assured that in case of
the nomination and election of the man
from the Southwest, their friend, Mr..
Kelley, would be appointed his sssis-
tant. Some of them go so far as to
claim that Mr.. Kelley's support of the
Judge was worth to him l, 500 votes in
Richmond in the primary. There seems
to be no doubt whatever that w. E.
Bibb, Of Louisa, has the appointment
within his grasp. Mr.. BIB asserted
with emphasis in Richmond on Satur-
day that there is no doubt whatever
about Ais appointment. The statement
has been made, and is generally under
stood to be true, that Mr.. Bibb has re-
Gently represented Judge Williams In
the case pending against the latter in
the criminal court Of Mcdowell c1unty,
West Virginia. This brings the situa-
tion in regard to Judge Williams IN the
sister State into view.
WEST VIRGINIA TRoUBLE.
That the next attorney. general got
himself into a serious pass In West Vir-,
ginia there can be no question. Tho
outcome is looked upon with more or
less apprehension by his friends.
A month or so prior to the November
election Judge Williams engaged in an
altercation in the presence of the circuit
court of Mcdowell county, where they
were opposing attorneys in q case, with
Judge j. NJ. Sanders, 8 former justice
of the Supreme Court of West Virginia.
As result Judge Sanders called Judge
Williams q liar, it is said, conditionally.
Judge Williams said that the table at
which they were sitting was too wide to
allow of his reaching Judge Sanders, so
he picked up the first article which
came to his hands, which happened to
be an inkstand, and threw it az his op-
ponent. Judge Sanders was struck on
the head, and it was at first thought his
injury was serious, but he has since re-
covered
Shortly afterwards the grand jury of
the county indicted Judge Williams for
felonious assault. The then candidate
Immediately wrote to the prosecuting
attorney of Mcdowell county, saying
that he was busy in his campaign, and
hoped the case would not be called for
trial until after the election; that he
was ready TO answer the charge at any
time, and would appear in court at the
time fixed, whenever that might be.
1t was some time before this letter
was answered The attorney for the
State finally printed statement to the
effect that he had been absent, and con.
sequently had not known of Judge VIII
liams' letter, that the trial would take
place at the January term, and that he
would set the day to suit Judge Will
liams' convenience. He also took oc-
casion to comment on the insinuations
alleged to have been published in the
Virginia papers to the effect that Judge
Williams might not get fair trial. He
resented this aspersion on his court.
Lately representatives of Judge Will
liams, so reports from the Southwest
state, have visited West Virginia to try
to secure a settlement of the affair or,
as other reports say, to discover the
drift of public sentiment regarding the
case. 1t is stated that nothing but
gloomy reports have been received; that
feeling against the Virginia lawyer is
quite bitter, and that the outcome Of
the trial is not likely to be favorable to
him.
1t is not stated that Judgs Williams