The Tupelo journal., 1910-07-08

jackson, Miss, July Gov.
Noel today discussed the cam
paign Senator Bilbo is making.
in which he and others are at
tackled, as reported in the news
papers, and said:
'sBilbo boasts Of having been
invited by me to call at night, at
the executive mansion and of a
fruitless effort to bribe him.
voluntary association with Bilbo
by anyone who really knows him
and cares for his good name,
calls for explanation.
'Bilbo came to the governors s
mansion at night, but not at my
instance; and there was a propo-
sition made in reference to his
vote, but not from me. Early in
January T. r. James, mayor of
Lucedale, Miss, told me that
Senator Bilbo professed kindly
feelings for me personally and
a desire to establish friendly re-
lations so that he could discuss
measures with me as a support
er of the administration, and
that Bilbo asked him to arrange
for talk with me that night on
these lines. l replied that l
would be pleased to see him at
the governors Office until the
close of the caucus, or after that
time at the mansion. as / had to
return home after the caucus
with Mrs Noel. After returning
to the mansion about 10 O'Clock
at night told Mrs. Noel that /
would remain in the library a
while as was expecting a call
from Senator Bilbo. She ex-
pressed surprise at my sanction
ing his coming. and recalled
what my deceased friend, Sena-
tor Sample, had said in that Ii
brary at the close of the session
of 1908, when, after expressing
a high opinion Of the leg:s'atu e
as body, and of it's members,
he qualified the statement by ex-
cepting Bilbo, who, he said. was
unworthy Of belief and utterly
dishonest.
Until then l recalled nothing
specially of Bilbo. While | then
deeply regretted his coming, |
met him al the door and civilly
listened to Ills assurance of good
will and proffers of support.
After telling him that / would
not then consider either the call
ling of a constitutional conven-
ton, nor the submission of the
creation of new county questions,
| he said that if / would submit
them then the George county
qlestion could count on his
support and vote throughout the
Legislature for every matter
which favored. l declined the
proposition and the conversation
ended.
"Some days later he came to
the governors office, on a pal
pable pretext, and then started
to renew his former conversation
and proposition. brushed the
matter aside, declining the dis
cussion, for in the meanwhile,
and afterwards, OIL inquiry
Learned that Senator Samples
contempt for Bilbo was shared
by every representative and sen
ator whose opinion | gathered
and that his reputation was tfa1
of a moral degenerate, a cheal
grafter. a night and day fre
quenter Of lewd resorts, even o.
one kept by a negress At frs
/ thought Of landing him in tn
penitentiary through the aid o
a detective, no one with whom
talked seemed to doubt that b
would accept any bribe tha
might be offered. On furthe
: reflection / concluded it was bet
ter for the state not to have It
fair name discussed in connec
ton with him unless upon evl
dence of a crime OF his own seek
: ing. But / did suggest throug
investigation by the grand jury
by the court which assembled o
the first Monday in March an
- hxy +ho looiclnf,1ro. md II