The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1911-06-10
SENATOR PERCY CON :
DENNIS HIMSELF.

! DuSG IWlnS Tunn1ug on 6tio pldlioim y
anything beat Vardaman, spoke a
Columbia last Saturday to an audienc'
estimated at from 700 to 1900 people.
A barbecue had been extensively ad
vertised, which attracted many people
from near town and the interior of th'
county. A. M. Henry, manager, al
attorney of Columbia, introduced Mr.
Percy in a speech of about thirty min
utes duration. When Mr.. Percy stepped
forward to begin his address she wa;
greeted with very little applause" ac-
cording to a press telegram to the
Vicksburg Post, unlike that which Mr.
Vardaman receives wherever he appears
Before he began his speech he was
handed a list of questions to answer.
signed by four prominent citizens OF
Columbia, which are as follows:
Condemning in politics all that savors
of personalities, we, together with a
large body of Governor Vardaman's
friends, have refrained, both publicly
and privately, from any act that could
be so construed. In as much, however,
as set of stereotype questions, sent
out from opposition headquarters, same
! being calculated to prejudice public
! opinion against Vardaman, have become
| the chief fad of the common causers",
we would respectfully remind you that
/ info
career that we, together with a large
number Of citizens, would like to have
explained or justified; and we pledge
| you now that if same are satisfactorily
answered we will honor you with our
support and influence. Questions fol-
| low:
l. Did you ever plead guilty, or have
you ever been convicted of gambling 4?
If so, how many times?
.2. Did you ever represent profess
sionally the negro lodge of Knights OF
Pythias against the white mans lodge
of that order in the State of Missis-
sippi? If so, explain fully?
3. Did you ever violate the law of
both God and man by hunting or fishing
on the Sabbath Day? If so, were you
prosecuted criminally?
4. Did you, or your friends, pay the
board bill of any member of the Legis-
lature during the 1910 session, or any
part of same? If so, kindly furnish
names and addresses of such members.
5. Will you kindly furnish an item
| lied statement of the amount of money
/ expended in your behalf by yourself,
Dulaney and your brothers during the
Secret Caucus?
6. Have you, your friends, or your
campaign committee paid the jackson
| Daily News" money or its equivalent
for its support during this campaign ?
and if so, how much :?
| 7, Will you kindly explain how you
and your friends put Brother Alexan-
der out of the running before the late
lamented Secret Caucus? -? Give details.
8. Would you swear, under oath,
that money, whiskey, Gubernatorial
patronage and women of faded reputa-
tons were not used in your interest
during the Secret Caucus
9. Would you swear, under oath
that the commission you now hold was
fairly and honestly obtained and is
without stain?
10. Will you kindly furnish us an
itemized statement of your campaign
contributions, giving the names and
addresses and amount contributed by
corporations in Mississippi?
IL. Is it true that you and your
committee, or your friends, have en-
ployed men in various counties to ne
glect their usual occupations and &C
forth soliciting votes for you and abus-
ing one of your opponents? If So
kindly furnish names and addresses Of
such men, with amount paid each.
t2. Did you ever represent profes-
sionally the whiskey interest, or any
part of same, in Mississippi
13. Did you tell Gov. Noel person
ally, in substance, that he would leave
the Governors chair the most despised
man that ever occupied that position
in Mississippi?
Respectfully submitted,
S. LEGGETT,
M. Z. JAMES,
w. M. CoNER,
! A. H. BALL.
Mr.. Percy was bold and called fol
the signers to come up in front of hin
on the speakers stand, which they
promptly did. At this juncture the
Percy enthusiasts swelled with pride
and anticipation, but, like the SOAP
bubbles of boyhood days, these were
soon pricked by MIR. Percy's acknowl-
edgement of the charges and of others
his failure to admit either pro or con
He proceeded to say that he would an
swer them, in part, in his own way dur
ing the speech, but, in order to hole
the crowd, he did not answer any o.
the questions until he had nearly fin.
Iished, and then he made an attempt tc
reply.
In answer to question No. he con-
fessed to gambling and to having to