Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-02-10
THAT VARDAMAN PASS.

The Issue Nh James K Nardaman attempts
TO explain the use OF Gulf & Ship Island
round trip pass No 864, reproduced IN FAC
simile by the Daily News last Sunday
Mr.. Vardaman's article is printed in full
elsewhere in this issue and the Daily News
urges careful reading thereof
The attempted explanations, excuse, apology
or whatever you may see mt to call IT, IS
+vnicalIv Vardamanesque. 1t is rambling, in
coherent and inconsistent, replete with ao-
surdties and contradictions, and puts MI
vardaman in worse fix than before, if such
were possible.
The frantic verbal founderngs Of the for
mer Governor, who has long posed as the
deadly enemy of corporations, do not extrl-
cate him from the trap. His efus1on IS mere
Iv another one of those "explantlons that
don't explain" He has been confronted with
the evidence, and his assertion that he has
mo recollection OF ever signing my name To
any sort Of pass or ticket, and the 1nslnua-
ton that the signature is "a very clever Tor
gerry" are refuted by the NEST convincing
form Of evidence which the Daily News pre-
sents to the people Of Mississippi in this ar
ticc.
At the very outset Mr.. Vardaman can be
ustIv charged with fragrant violation OF a
solemn promise, made over his own sigma
ture.
He docs not make good the declaration that,
if produced he would print the pass IN the
columns of The Issue, and we doubt serious
lv whether he ever intends to make good that
promise 80
In The Issue of Saturday, January 27th
there was printed editorial signed by MI
Vardaman concluding with this sentence:
"Iet the mass be produced, and if any
there be in existence with my name on IT,
or whatever it is, l shall be glad to have
cut made of it and publish it in The Issue
The Daily News accepted that challenge
and produced the pass in fac-simile form IN
its issue of Sunday, January 2sth' concluding
an editorial on the subject with the following
words:
The Daily News desires to be absolutely
fair with Mr. Vardaman in this matter W.
will gladly give space to any explanation NJ
NAV see fit to offer, and reserve all editorial
comment on the above fac-simile reproductlon'
until such time he may see mt to 90 SO
He Is also at liberty to the steel plate en-
cravings used herewith in order to make goot
his promise to publish the same IN The issue
That Nh Nardaman did not desire to Us
these c-simile engravings is concluslVeE
shown blythe TACT that ne did not accept ou
offer to allow their reproductions IN his pa
per.
No application was made to the Daily News
been kept on hand in our Office awaiting
such application.
More than twenty-five newspapers sent let
ters and teIegrams during the early part
the week asking for permission to use L
plates and to each of them reply wa
sent stating that would not allow them L
leave the Office until it seen whether MI
Vardaman desired to them in The Issue
Mr. Nardaman cannot excuse this breac
I01
of faith by saying that he wants to get nor
Of the original pass in order to have plate
made for use in The Issue. The Daily New
fac-simile was of course from the orlgln'
Dass and it is a splendid piece of engravin
art
We must conclude, therefore. that whe'
Mr.. Vardaman said that he would publish tn
pass in The Issue that he was merely four
flushing and that he has no intention OF al.
lowing his readers to get a glimpse OF the
fac-similes. if he prevent IT. lhls, OF
course. he will be unable to do Before the
end of the campaign every voter in Mississippi
will have seen the photo-engravure OF Round
Trip Pass No. S64.
We will now present to Mr.. Nardaman
conclusive proof that he did accept, sign his
name, and personally Round Trip Pass,
No S64
The conductor on the train that carried the
party from Jackson to Gulfport was Mr.. ID
w Rufhn, now assistant chief OF police OF
Jackson, and gentleman of unquestoned
truth and vcracity.
After the pass had been used. Mr.. Rufhn
was called into the Office of Judge J. II.
Neville, general counsel, and the following
questions and answers ensued:
Q. You a conductor OF the Gull
Ship Island Railroad Company?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. WhA run were you Wednesday
morning coming from Jackson?
a. On the twentythird?
down?
A. l was No. !.
O. What time did you leave Jackson7
A. At s:45.
O. hand you a pass which you will please
take and examine and state whether or not
you ever saw that pass before or not'
A. Yes, sir. have seen 1t before
0. Give me the number of that pass?
A. Number eight hundred and sixty-tour.
o. Where is it from and where to?
A. From Jackson to Gulfpcrt and return
O. What names are the pass and what
persons were you authorized to transport free
on that pass?
\. ]. X Vardaman, T. r. Henderson, J.
H McGehee, Q. L. Mckay, w. A. Martin.
J. " Murray and c. F. Miller.
0. Did you know any of the parties named
in that pass?
A. I knew ]. K. Vardanan.
o. Did he cOme from Jackson to Gulfport
On that pass?
A. Yes, sir.
o. What part of the pass did you take
up1
a. This part.
Q. The going part7
A. Yes, sir.
@. Is that your check punch there?
A. Yes, sir.