The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-04
Long's Reply to Governor

| HIS ltlleT.
 Long's Reply to Governor Jasper, Ala. July 25. 1912 Gov. Emmet O.NeaI, Montgomery, Ala | Dear Sir-I have yours of the goth inst stating that you had fixed Sat urday, July 27, at your office, as the
 time and place for the hearing of the
 charges which l preferred against Hon 1 J. G. Oakley, president of the state con
 vict board, and I note that you state that as the investigation is solely for
 your information, that the testimony
 will be taken by you in person, In your
 office. before your stenoyrapher." You will recall that I stated in my
 conversation with you last May the
 fact contained in my statement and the ] statements were reduced to writing and signed by me for your personal benefit.
 l The only interest that I had in the mat
 te: was that of a taxpayer and citizen | of the state, and as friend of the ad-
 minstration I thought that it was the
 duty of any citizen of the state to bring
 your attention any information in his
 pt secession tending to show any transac- ton which were injurious to the best in-
 terest of the state. Since filing the state ment with you, several things have trans l pired which have carried the matter be- | yond for your personal information. 1 When I filed the statement with you, l
 concluded with the following statement: T make these charges voluntarily and
 am willing that they be examined by II.
 I. Brooke, examiner of public accounts v
 I specified MT. Brooke because I believe | bin. to be a man of moral and physical | courage and believe that he would make an investigation fearlessly and impar-
 tially, and would make no effort to white
 wash anybody, or to cover the evidence
 or his findings.
 l l am still more than willing to have a public hearing conducted by MT. Brooke, and stand ready to produce evidence be-
 fore him in support of my statement filed | before you with the express understand | ing that such investigation shall be open
 to the public. In my public letter. writ l ten from Atlantic City. N. J., June 20 | last, l used these words: Everything | desired by me in the matter is a full | complete, fair, impartial and public in : vestigation. I say public because l want no one whitewashed and l want the facts known just as they come out" l am un- filing to go into any star chamber pro- ceedings, in your office with the evidence to be taken by your stenograpner, there or anywhere else. This is not a private matter, but one for the public at large, ard for the honor and good name of the state. Many statements relating to this controversy have appeared in the news papers. The citizens of the state have a right to know the facts. l want to sub init them in the open and above board l have nothing to conceal, and there IS no reason why anybody should desire Il pl oceeding behind closed doors. If given the opportunity under the plan above re- quested, I will either prove the charges I made or, if fail, will take such ac- | ton as fairness and Justice demand to 1 the parties concerned.
 In my statement filed with you May | 31 last there is one error which prob ably crept Into it by typographical error. 1 1 did not intend to say that the offer or l $40 per month had been accepted by the l convict department. It was my intention l to say that the offer had been made or
 filed with the convict department, or was l being considered by them. 1 wish to make | this correction in the statement | This investigation should not be limited | to the exact charges submitted. but a
 complete and thorough investigation | should be made of the convict department. l | have information on other matters per- | taining to the convict department mostly l received very recently, which l am will 1 ing to furnish, provided you will agree to make public the report and all the evi- dence taken by the examiner.
 | Arrange. governor, for full public in quiry without any technical rules. Open
 
 I suggest that the convict department be
 represented by the attorney general or 1 any other attorney they may select, and | that l may be represented by my attor-
 ney. It has been publicly and falsly stat | ed that I wanted MT Oakley's job. This l is false. Certainly you do not believe l this statement. I would not have the of l flee If it paid three times the salary now | paid.
 | I started Into the matter with entirely | good intentions, and had no idea of ac- complshing any personal gain. l should l like 10 follow 1t up in the same spirit if | you are willing to go into 1t on the herein
 proposed plan, and will provide for an in- vestigation or public hearing before MT.
 Brooke, one of your appointees. Name
 the date and l will give MT. Brooke facts
 and witnesses to be summoned.
 i Allow me to say in conclusion. gover- l nor that 1t is not my purpose to pose as I a custodian of the state by trying to dic- | tate or intimate what future course you | may decide to be your duty, neither is 1 it my purpose to iniure or islander any of l the officials of this state. Your own good judgment must determine what future course, if any, you decide to take in re- | gard to the statement made by me. Do | lust as you think wise and best.
 Please let me hear from you, Yours | truly, T. l.. LONG. Has Heard Nothing Further l I have heard nothing further from his l excellency the late suggested candidate 1 for vice president
 1 sIn the governors statement, published i August 1. he says; .I examined fully | every witness whom Mr Long claimed had any knowledge of tue transaction, namely, MT. c. O. Waits, MT. John Gam ble aud MT. J. G. Oaklest" and further says that tho testimony eilows that the charges preferred by Mir. Long arc with out foundation in fact" The governor
 knows I did not give him the names of any witnesses and never mentioned Mir | Waits to him. Why did Ee fail to examine
 Mr Henderson and MT. Bowman. and the
 Southern Express agents. if he really wanted to know the truth? He says Mir
 Bowman was out of the state. Did he ex- pect him to stay out? Was there any
 reason why his investigation should be
 finished in one day?
 Was his investigation formal perfume l osry one. made for whitewashing purposes
 or made in good faith to get the req
 facts?
 He says the investigation disclosed ths the Henderson Lumber company employed F. G. Bowman as a general attorney anc
 raid him sJ0Jo. Colonel Bowman lived
 about 200 milcs>from the place of bushes!
 of his client. For what purpose was Col
 onel Bowman employed and what service. did he render to earn the payment of SC
 leree a cash fee? Did he cver try . law suit for them? Did he ever prepare {
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