The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-12

1 have not replied TO the various
communications from Mr.. Nugent, so
widely published in this county, both
In the newspapers and by circular let
tiers, but as the primary is now only
thirty days OF, feel it my duty to
explain 90 the voters the ORIGIN of
the letter published by Mr. Nugent,
aud upon which. 1t seems, he is max
ms bis campaign.
some time prior to January 4th,
1905. | met Mr.. Nugent in Ocala and
he wanted to know who had horse
for sale. and l informed him that
ar. II. G. Jones had one in my pas
tire. and Mr.. Nugent asked to go
with me and see the animal. j took
him In my buggy to my farm to see
the horse On the way home Mr.. MI
gent stated TO me, in the course of
cur conversation, that he did not
think he would be a candidate for the
clerks Office in 1905. as he had writ
ten several letters, and had received
very little encouragement, but had
not fully made up his mind. He also
aaid be had lost lots of money in min
inE investments. and had but little
left. and that on account of the wrong
doinEs of a party interested with him
in their gold mine property in Colo
rado. he had taken the party's orange
grove In Gambler | stated TO Mr.. MI
sent that had two nice little orange
groyes. and II nothing happened, and
ms friends did not want me to run
any more. ! would not, as my time
would be about taken up in caring
for these groves and farm.
some time later Mr.. Nugent came
into the clerks office and wanted to
know II ! had changed my mind.
replied that had not. and then he
wanted me TO make a statement to
ms friends about the matter, and /
declined. He then asked me if l
would write him a letter, and l said
no" lie left the office. He again
came to the Office and approached me
on the subject and requested me to
pat the matter in writing, which /
again declined to do. Some time a
little later he came again to the
clerks Office. and while sitting close
A. H. HaaE cool, oof ~ hi. r0olya+ n
letter written in his own hand-writ-
ina. and asked me to copy the same
and sign Il. which | did hurriedly,
and without considering its import
closely. and delivered it to him. He
then stated that he fully understood
the conditions (which ] mentioned in
the conversation when returning from
my iarml and would not show the let
Ter. and requested me to destroy the
letter Of his which | had copied, and
this Is the letter he has so widely
published and circulated in this
county.
After the campaign of 1908, possibly
dnrlng the first part of the year 1911,
Mr.. Nngent advised me that he had
made up his mind to run for the of
tlce Of clerk OF circuit court in 1912,
and | Informed him that 1t was free
country. and IL he saw fit TO begin
bis campaign SO early, he could do
90. and that in 1912. IL my friends
wanted me 60 run. would feel at lib
erty 90 do so. Tie afterwards came to
the ofIice and wanted to know what
had changed my mind told him
that a great many of my friends all
over the county were urging and in.
sisflng ON my running again for the
office: that he had shown the letter
thar he had promised not to show,
aud that the cold had come and
greatly damaged my groves, which
~ere the conditions referred to and
understood before the letter was writ
ter. He said 20 me: "All right, but