The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-16
Lays Great Stress on Letter Written to Harding
 in 1910 READS AFFIDAVITS
 TO HIS AUDIENCE The Sneaker Is Greeted By Great Applause as He Says That He Has the Proofs for His
 Statements


 of an Alabama governor in the open market declared Col. P. G. Bowman in his speech last night before a fair sized audience at the Jefferson theatre in this city. The lower floor of the house was almost full, but few were in the galleries
 Those on the stage were former Congressman M. W. Howard w. L. Key holds, A. D. Moore and Dr. G. B. Grove. Colonel Bowman was introduced by pr. a Grove. who said in part:
 "The people of Alabama are dominated hy a system worse than that system re- ferred, to in Tom Lawsons great book, Tine Systen,' in which Lawson tells how the Senate of the United States was sold. Gentlemen, we need different newspapers in the state of Alabama, for the press IS largely responsible for such conditions ex- isting in any state. It has been an- ncunced that Hearst Is going to bring publication of his own into the south- land, and l wish you to hold up your hands to signify your approval and ask MT Hearst to establish his new news paper in Birmingham.
 About half the audience held up their hands.
 'GeBUemen, SdlQ Dr OIOWeI lh0 speaker of the evening IS a personal friend of mine. and l consider him one of the most abused men and the greatest champion of the working man that the country has had for the past 25 years. He Is the man who made Emmet ONeal, the man who made it possible for ONeal to be elected governor of Alabama, and since then O'Neal has forgotten the ser- vices of the greatest friend he ever had, and has publicly tried to disgrace him in way with which you all are familiar.
 "Gentlemen, I love Col. P. G. Bowman as my own brother and every day that I am allowed to associate with him I love him better and better, if possible. I con- sider him man of the highest charac- ter and I know that he has never com mitted one single act for which any man could be ashamed I present to you the speaker of the evening-Co. P G. Bow man"
 Greeted By Applause
 Great applause and cheering greeted Colonel Bowman as he arose. He began his speech by referring to the indictment weather and said that it had assisted the efforts of certain people in Birmingham who had been trying to persuade people not to attend the meeting.
 He said that on the night of his first speech in Birmingham on "Emmet ONeal, Who is He and What is He?" that he had received a telephone message from friend telling him that efforts had been made to collect crowd of law1ess and desparate men and inject them into the crowd in order to break up the meeting after he had started to speak.
 Colonel Bowman then reviewed his for mer speech, told of the charges he had made then and how certain newspapers of the state had come out in editorials the next day and stated that he had made baldfaced statements to which he had offered no proof and asking the peo- ple of the state to suspend judgment un- tl the governor returned and had a r. chance to defend himself.
 They said they were mere charges and without proof" shouted Colonel Bow man, but I've got the proof tonight, boys" and then he began his formal speech as follows
 "t'ellow Citizens:
 "Ir a speech delivered by me on the evening of November II last at the Jerrer- son theatre, 1 charged that Emmet O'Neals connection with the purchase of the governors mansion in the city of Montgomery showed him to be corrup- florist.
 F Il charged that Emmet O'Neal as a men Der of the commission created by the last legislature for the purpose of pur- chasing the governors mansion, not only knew of the fact. but publicly proclaimed, that one Sabel, from whom said building with its furnishings had been purchased, Ia tal bpu 15s of Ia ,,f n nishings from said mansion l charged that Emmet O'Neal, being cognizant of Sabels crime publicly declared his pur- post to have the said Sabe indicted and gent to the penitentiary. These charges formed one of the counts in the ndict- ment which I preferred against Emmet o Neal in my speech of November 14 The Birmingham News in an editorial of Mo- venber 15 alleged that Emmet 0 Neal was than absent from the state of Alabama and said editorial alleged that Emmet O'Neal was a man of great abilities, and still greater moral courage, and the said Birmingham News in said editorial iIn- portuned the people of the state of Ala hams to suspend judgment until O Neal should return from the east and have an opportunity to defend himself
 Makes no Answer
 "O'Nea returned to Montgomery in about one week after my said speech had been delivered, and what answer does he make? The defunct commission of which he was member convened in the city | of Montgomery upon O'Neal's return, and the people of the state were advised by at least one newspaper friendly to O'Neals side of the controversy that said defunct commission was in session, and the people would soon know something of the mansion proposition. In day or two thereafter the people were informed by the Montgomery Advertiser and the Br- miLgham News that Sabel had been per mitted, by ONeal's commission, to pay a difference of S25o0 into the states treas ury as satisfaction in full for the goods and chattels which he had sold to the state. but which he had removed from the mansion in violation of law some six or eight months ago.
 "The people were advised by these same newspa pers that this was friendly set tlement betwen O'Nals commission and Moses Sabe. l charge that under the case aa stated by O'Neals commission it is clearly shown that O'Neal failed and refused to carry out his purpose of having Sabel indicted and prosecuted for a fel- ony. but instead thereof he openly &C.,
 nuiesced in compounding such felony.
 "l charge that when said commission