The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-01-15


strrcting him to institute suits. My
official activity then is shown to
have taken form in the senate before
I knew anything about Reeder &
Watkins attitude Or expectations
and I was in no way influenced by
them.
Lost Interest in Scheme.
"I was still anxious to obtain some
Of the land, if it could be done leg
ally, and wrote Reeder & Watkins to
that effect, but my faith in them and
in the whole scheme died when [ re-
ceived the circulars Of Dor, which
came to me on February II and Is
from three different directions, show
ing the widespread circulation Of
them.'
Mr.. Lees report to him, he said.
had also led him to believe that Reed
er & Watkins were not "of the cali
bre and character" to be employed
in a matter of such magnitude.
"Dorr, Of whom I had never heard
BEFORE" he said, "was evidently
pushing his scheme Of getting suckers
to invest and using my name, as l
have indicated, without authority;
because T had not paid any fees to
him or written to him Or filed any
applications. I therefore felt it in
cumbent on me to expose the swindle
in the senate, which I did on Febru
ary 19, and asked the postoflce au
thorities to issue a fraud order. I
pressed the passage of the joint reso-
luton in the senate and on April 30
it became law. March 18 I was TAX
en- i'll and on May Is, after a partial
recuperation, I sailed for Europe, re-
turning October 21.
"The presidents sleuths, set to do
the dirty work Of spying on a sena-
tor, when that senator had exposed
fraud which was being perpetrated
on the public, reported to him on
July 81. 7 had nothing to do with
the change in the law Of which the
president complains in regard to the
secret service. So the president an
linus is not against me on the same
ground for which he has attacked
Messrs. Tawney, Smith and others in
the house, but one Of personal malice
engendered by hatred because Of my
course in the senate during the last
seven years.
II have not attempted to deceive
anybody; have not told any false
hoods; ! have not broken any law; I
have .not been guilty Of any immoral
conduct. I had the right to purchase
the land if T could, but my judgment
told me it was unsafe as an invest
ment. I would like to get some Of it
yet and if the attorney general and
his successors shall not die Of old
age before anything is done, it may
be possible that I may have the op-
portunity to purchase some Of those
timber lands Of which he made men,
tion in his report, though my atten-
ton has been directed in compell-
ing way to the need Of prompt action
by the department Of justice. Wheth-
er ever get any Of the land or not
does not matter, if Hartman and
others Of that ilk are made to dis
gorge the large holdings which they
have stolen and are attempting to
hold
"The president, said Mr.. TIL
man, "italicizes the words as we'll
as myself as though it were unlawful
immoral or improper for a senator to
buy any land or to act in this cham
Der on any question affecting his per-
sonal interest. I fail to see any sense
or reason in this position, but I mus
submit that to the judgment OF the
senate and the country. I had not be-
come party to any litigation; was
not interested except as a private
Individual wanting to purchase, and
as a senator desiring to enable 9TH
ers to have the opportunity to do
so. Of course, the president is sure
that have done something very dis
creditable and outrageous. He hates
me and would destroy me if he could.
president Gloats.''
"The president gloats over the fact
that my letter was written Just four
days before he announced in the SEN
ate that he (D had not undertaken to
buy any land in the West as clinch-
ing his contention that have lied to
the senate. The records show that in
the interim the Dorr circular had