The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-06
REPEATS CHARGES
AGAINST BOARD
Darlington Says Cohen Prom
ised Senator Martin to
Vote for Him.
ACCEPTS vERAcITY ISSUE
Insists That Stratton Told Him
He. Had Consulted With
Governor.

Seply 10 the publlSned statements
OF Samuel Cohen and +. Gerald STRAIT
ton. directors Of the state Peniten-
tiary. was given out yesterday by DIR.
Charles V. Darlington, the surgeon
who was defeated for reelection. DIR.
Darlington produces the evidence
which he thinks substantiates his
statements previously made. and which
brought forth such emphatic denials
from Mr.. Cohen and Mr.. Stratton.
An interesting point Is the state
ment that the friend OF DR.. Darlington
to whom Mr.. Cohen was said to have
pledged his vote for the incumbent
buchanan, of counsel for the Thatcher
Boot and Shoe Company. IS said to
have made tho statement that Man
ager Hutchinson had been instructed
to get Mr.. Cohen to vote for DR.. Car
rington.
Referring to Mr.. Stratton's denial.
DR.. Darlington argues that 1t Is worth
nothing. because mir. Stratton Is con-
fronted with the disagreeable neces-
sity OF denying his statement to me
CDR. Carrtngton) or OF fatty contra
dieting Governor Mann" The surgeon
further details the circumstances un-
der which, he says. Mr.. Stratton bc-
came under obligations to him.
Repeats Charges.
His statement is as follows:
In my first communication / charged
that Mr.. Cohen was the unwavering
friend OF the Davis Boot and Shoe
Company upon the penitentinry board:
that the Davis Boot and Shoe Com
pany were anxious to have mo re-
moved as surgeon; that counsel for the
company admitted to me that the COM
pany had been making a fight on me.
but that they had directed the mana
ger of the shoe Company to phone
Cohen and call the fight OF. and that
Cohen would vote for me; and that on
the next day Cohen promised one or
more friends of mine that he would
support me-
All of this Mr.. Cohen denies. This
is to be expected. y former member
of the board. who was on the board
while Cohen was member. and whose
name will be used II necessary. Is au-
thority for the statement that in mat
tiers touching the interests of the Davis
Boot and Shoe Company Mr.. Cohen
was like hen with one chicken in his
tender watchfulness and care.
cannot speak on this subject from
personal knowledge. because L never
attended the meetings of the board
unless specially invited or unless the
needs of my department required IT.
Call or Fight.
On the night of September z, at Muir
phys Hotel. Mr.. H. G. Buchanan, OF
counsel for the Davis Boot and Shoe
Company, told me that he had called
up Mr.. Hutcheson, the manager of the
shoe company. and had told him to
phone Cohen and call off the fight on
me. and that Cohen would support me
The next day Mr.. Cohen assured Sena-
tor Martin that no woulu support me.
On September IL Mr.. w. l.. Cardweu,
of counsel for the Davis Boot and Shoe
Company, 'phoned Senator Swanson In
Chatham that Mr.. Cohen would sup
port me. and this has been substan-
tiated by both senator Swanson and
Mr.. Cardwcll
Whether Messrs. Cardwell and Buch-
anan. OF counsel for the Davis Boot
and Shoe Company. had the personal
authority OF Mr.. Cohen to pledge mo
his support is immaterial-in fact, II
he had not authorized them to make
such Il statement 1t emphasizes the
truth of my charge that Mr.. Cohen was
considered By counsel for the shoe
company so much their man" that
they could assure me and my friends
OF his vote without consulting him
Mr.. cohen cannot deny that he prom
ised Senator Martin to vote for me.
Tnlik with Strntton.
charged that Mr.. Stratton said to
me before the election OF the surgeon:
Doctor. I want all of the light posi-
BILE on this subject l want to vote for
the best man fof the place, and for
the best interests of the institution
and the State. but ] am kind o. tied to
the MAINS have discussed this
matter with Governor Mann several
months ago"
Mr.. Stratton, in his reply, admits
that the conversation took place, adj
mts that he said he wanted all OF
the light possible on the subject, but
denies that he said that he was kind
o. tied to the Manns," and also denies
that he said he had ever discussed the
subject with Governor Mann.
What is his denial worth? In the
next breath he says that he told me
that he had been committed to DR..
Mann for six months deny that he
made this statement-but the state
mcnt now mado proves conclusively
that he was kind O. tied to the
Manns" His denial OF the statement
that he had previously discussed the
subject with Governor Mann raises a
clear-cut question OF vcracity between
us. / accept the issue.
Governors Position.
1t is n matter of comparative indif-
ference to the general public whether
Mr.. Stratton or I are correct I'm our
respective statements of this CONVEX
sation but the fact whether Governor
Mann did use his influence with the
board to secure the election OF his
nephew is matter of VIAL interest.
| reiterate that Mr.. Stratton told me
on that occasion that he had discuss
ed the matter with Governor Mann
several months before. Governor Mann
has denied that he discussed the mat
ter with any member of the board. Mr.
Stratton is therefore confronted with
tho disagReable necessity OF denying
his statement to me or of fatty con-
tradictinE Governor Mann.
All OF Mr. STATIONS interests--if he
Ia influenced solely by them ather
than by love of truth--require him
to deny Ills statement to mo- and to
support tho statement Of Goyernor