The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-10-06
OF VICE PRESIDENT MAY
And Mails Chief Campaign lie
Good and Hard by Bank Off
Gals & Prominent Citizens
Jonesboro, Tenn. Sept. 30, 1910

Dear Sir:-In Thursdays issue of the
Johnson City Staff, appeared an arti
Gle in the interest of Sam r. Sells can
didacy for Congress, directly attacking
me, and, inferentially charging that
the Honorable A. A. Taylor and the
Honorable James r. Penland have
never complied with the Rules of the
Primary and are not legally qualified
candidates therein. This is, no doubt,
done to confuse the minds of the voters
and lay ground for a plausible excuse
for Sells to bolt the Primary after his
defeat, The first step is to discredit me
as the Chairman of the Executive
Committee. And leave the impression
that either the candidates named have
never deposited the entrance fee requir-
ed by the Rules or that, having put it
up, have converted it to my own use
or wrongfully misapplied it.
In this article is embodied the Joint
affidavit of George G. Sells, campaign
manager for his brother Sam r. Sells,
and Charles S. Mason, Ex-County
Court Clerk, and a willing witness,
stating, in substance, that | had told
them that, as Chairman, had receiv-
ed certified check for $4,000 from S.
r. Sells, certified check of d. G.
Swab for $4,000 and $200.00 in cash
each from Hon. A. A. Taylor, Hon.
James r. Penland, and Dr. q. T. Mas
sey They further state that / had
deposited the 100000 in cash and the
check of Sam r. Sells in the First Ma
tional Bank of Jonesboro. Now, the
statements and allegations of this af-
fidavit are substantially correct. 1t
states matters of common knowledge.
1t discovers no secret. / have stated
the same thing to others. And why
these gentlemen thought it necessary
to publish these patent facts under sol
emn oath can be explained only upon
the assumption that they knew how
little value the reading public attached |
to their unsupported statement. Unless
they needed it to emphasize the false
certificate of the vice-president of the
First National Bank in regard to the
of my account as chairman
of the Republican Congressional COM
mittee in his bank.
The material part of this certificate
follows:
~, r. M. May, President of the
First National Bank of OF Jonesboro,
do hereby certify that on the 26th day
of September, 1910, A. l.. Shipley had
placed to his credit as Chairman of the
Executive Committee of
the First Congressional District, in
said First National Bank of Jonesboro
certified check of d. g. Swab for $780,
DO, and cash to the amount of $373.65.
[ further certify that the foregoing is
all that said Shipley has had placed to
mis- credit as such Chairman in said
bank since candidates for congress
have qualified in the primary to be
leld on October Sth, 1910"
This certificate is absolutely and un-
,quivocally false in every item. And,
1t the time he was making it, r. M.
May either knew it to be false or could
lave, by the exercise of reasonable and
ordinary care and diligence, discover
ID that it was untrue. In fact had he
the records he could not
lave truthfully made this statement
It all. have remained silent and ig-
lored other attacks upon me in this
But [ have no reason to
believe that the statement of Mr.. May
.arries with it not only the prestige of
lis once honorable name, but the cred ]
{ of the First National Bank as we'll. ]
t is, in effect, a most candid, solemn {
md impartial statement of the bank l
tself of my account therein as said S
hartman. Ii looks like a publication $
f my pass book. Such statement is C
to have weight. /
The time has come for me to speak.
Knowing that, ii the certificate of its /
resident was correct, the books of the
ank were erroneously kept, | took
ertain well known gentlemen of un-
integrity with me to ex-
mine the books of the bank relating [
D my account as chairman. This ex-
mination disclosed what Mr.. r.. M.
lay could have known had he wished r.
D speak the truth, that, on the Goth a
ay of September, 1910, had TO my Il
redit in said bank as chairman, the c
um of eight hundred dollars, and that
have drawn out of that account only =
he sum of $26 10 and now have therein Fl
he sum of $773.60. This statement is Il
erified by the following aifidavits: d
/, o. L. HensIey, Asst Cashier of y
he First Natl Bank, of Jonesboro, D
enn., hereby certify and affirm that ei
!. l.. Shipley, Chmn. had to his credit u
! this bank as Chm. on Sept. 26th, =
DO, the sum of $4,000 and any state
,eut made different from this is incor-