The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-11-19

his attacks on Hoke Smith.
The second man to whom he REFER.
ed, wired as follows:
Washington, D. c., Nov. IL, 1910.
F. L. Seely, Georgian, Atlanta:
Mail clerk adverse to giving state
ment till he has to; wants to keep
his family name out of contro-
versy; thinks he will write Watson
If or when Watson mentions him by
name; thinks unfortunate notoriety,
much less through Watson publica-
ton than through yours. l feel sure
when he speaks he will contradict
these preposterous charges.
ATTORNEY.
Calls Watson Down.
Hon. Walter P Andrews, an Atlanta
attorney whose name was used in
Watson's charges on Nov. 10, sent the
Georgian a sworn affidavit. He roast
ed Watson as follows:
"As regards the quotation and the
letter above set forth, deponent says
that any statement by anybody whom
soever, that he ever said that Wat
sons charges were true, is either the
product of disordered mind or a de-
PRAYED heart, or the utterance of a
malicious, wanton diabolical and I'M
speakable liar.
THE deponent never at any time
made such statement to anybody, or
anything that could be distorted into
any such statement, or anything SINH
lar thereto, and furthermore, this de-
ponent AYERS as his absolute convic-
ton that no improper conduct or i'm
proper relation ever at any time ex-
listed between the said Hoke Smith
and the said
This deponent further says that
he has had no business connection
of any kind or character with the
said Hoke Smith since the fall of
1898.
That he is at this time under no
obligation of any nature whatsoever
to the said Hoke Smith, and he makes
this affidavit purely and simply for
the sake of truth and Justice"
Admits Has No Proof.
The Georgian published in detail
the correspondence between Editor
Seely and Mr.. Watson, also the text
of a telephone message. Pinned
down to one charge in which the per-
son was said to be in Columbus, Ca,
Mr.. Watson replied that he had heard
about the woman, but knew nothing
of his own knowledge; had no proofs
as to who she was; had only heard
what he had printed.
Mr.. Watson was then asked if he
had any proofs, affidavits or definite
information that would aid in further
pursuing the case, naming each name
he had used.
He replied that he had not, but
| that if Hoke Smith should bring suit
he would proceed to get up his proofs
He was again asked If he had not
secured affidavits before making his
charges.
He said he had none:
Woman Gives Lie.
Following up the inquiries, Editor
Seely secured an affidavit from the
woman who, while seeking a pardon
for her brother, so Watson's paper
had asserted, had been insulted by
Hoke Smith.
The affidavit is a sweeping one.
The woman says:
Never at any time had Hoke Smith
made any indecent proposal or offered
to insult OF embarrass her in any way
and any statement that he ever at
any time made any improper proposals
to her or ever acted in any improper
way toward her or ever had any i'm
proper dealings in any way whatever
with her is absolutely false"
Exposed Every Point.
The Georgian, after saying that the
charges were unprintable, adds:
"Hoke Smith is accused of being a
moral leper who has wrecked homes,
deported unfortunate victims, and,
last of all, who, during his term as
governor, took advantage of the sister