The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-07

The Miami Metropolis of Monday
afternoon contains the report of
highly sensational political meeting
that occurred there Saturday night,
when Claude LEngle read a letter
purporting to have been written by
Pleasant A. Holt, of Jacksonville,
to w. H. Price, of Mariana. This
letter, read by Mr.. L'Engle, was as
follows:
Letter That Furnished Excitement.
Jacksonville, March II, 1910.
Mr. W. H. Price, Mariana, Fla.
Dear Mr.. Price: l beg to acknowl-
edge receipt of your favor of Feb.
18th. | have been out of the city for
over a week.
Has Cassidey paid his contribution
to Wilson?
What is Wilson doing?
Please let me know the situation in
regard to the state senator.
You know l promised to help viii.
son to the extent of five hundred dol
lars (S500.00). Part of this money is
to come from the race track. l have
paid one hundred dollars; I still feel
obliged to the extent of $4,000.
1T SEEMS TO ME- THAT THE
PROPER PLACE FOR SOME OF
THIS MONEY TO GO IS TO PAY
POLL TAXES. WON'T SOME OF IT
BE SPENT THIS WAY? Please let
me know about this.
If any of this money is spent to
pay poll taxes, won't that also help
W. E. B. Smith? The best way to
help a friend is to get his friends
qualified so they can vote for him.
How many poll taxes have been
paid up to date in your county?
How many persons are there around
Mariana and other precincts in the
county who will not pay their own
poll taxes, who would probably also
be for Smith and Wilson, WHOM WE
CAN PAY?
Can you pay these in bulk to the
tax collector? Please don't answer
this off-hand, but find out from him.
My opinion is he is going to track
the law. If this Is so, how can you
use this money to pay poll taxes?
It is almost a superhuman effort
to collar a man and take him up. TO
the tax collectors office and see that
he turns the two-dollar bill you give
him over to the tax collector. That
is the way We are having to do it
here. Is it practical in your county?
flbdSc ldlh Win lLS"IS anu iCI
hear from you. Some solution must
be found.
Also please look up the law and
give me your opinion whether or not
taxes can be paid in bulk by other
persons for other people after the
primary to qualify them in the gen
eral election.
Nothing is more serious or impor-
tant in this campaign than this ques-
ton, and I beg you, please. TO give
the matter careful consideration and
investigation and then let me hear
from you.
With kindest regards.
Yours cordially.
P. A. HOLT.
A Sensational Scene.
The scene which followed the read
ing of this letter is described by the
Metropolis as follows:
Mr.. LEngle had Just launched his
talk and was speaking of the newly
enacted primary law. for which he
claimed the authorship and credit
for putting it through the legisla-
ture He said it would put an end
to crooked elections in Florida, and
as evidence that It was causing the
opposition some uneasinesS he refer
red to a letter that had been publish
ed in the Metropolis Saturday after
noon.
This letter was addressed to w.
H. Price. /chairman of the State
Democratic Executive Committee.
and was written by Pleasant A
Holt. campaign manager for the
whiskey interests that are attempting
to defeat the constitutional amend
~ n q 40
ton.
No sooner had Mr.. L'Engle made
reference to the letter than Mitchell
D. Price, an attorney of Miami. arose
and advancing to Mr.. L'Engle. told
him that he would like to see the let
ter.
Here it is. sir" said Mr.. L'Engle.
producing two letter sheets from his
pocket.
Price looked at it and said: rs
this the original letter."
no. it's a COPY" said Mr.. Engle.
aha. I thought So" retorted
Price. 'T denounce that letter as a
forgery and you as a liar
Mr.. Price enumerated in excited
tones the men whose names appeared
In the letter, saving that he spoke in
their behalf. In behalf of Pleasant
A Holt, who is my friend; on behalf
of w. II. Price. my brother" and so
on through the list.
1t was a tense moment. Bat
L'Fngle displayed fine control
People who know his fiery temper
and fearlessness expected TO see
general mix-up. but with admirable
calm he responded:
Il am not here to conduct a prize
fight. sir. l am here to conduct Il
public meeting. But no man ever used
such language to me as that and got
away with il. It never happened be-
fore and it isn't going TO happen now.
am at this time attending to- one
.:an< Of A..s.;.-.