The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-11-01
SAYS DIBRELL TRIED
TO INTIM|DATE HIM
BY MAKING THREATS
GEORGE BLAKE MAKES STATE
MENT AS TO THE WRONG
Full DEPOSITS.
COMPTROLLER VERY INDIGNANT

/
Resented the Effort to Get Evidence
| Against Him--statement Sought
From Walter Frierson, But Not Re.
ceived.
| NASHVILLE, Oct. 3O.-George e.
Blake, candidate for comptroller be-
/, fore the coming Legislature issued
the following statement Tuesday
night relative to the race for comp
troller and charging, among other
things threat of personal violence
against himself made by comptroller
Dibrell:
To the public:
A few days ago while was ad-
dressing the young lady at the cash
ier's desk at the Hermitage Hotel,
Comptroller Frank Dibrell approach
ed and in an insulting manner said
to me: Il understand you tried to
get statement from Walter Frier-
son, and want to tell you il you
don't stop this thing some of these
days | am going to stomp you
I Many years ago an old gentleman
from one OF the rural districts of Lin
coin county was candidate for the
legislature. AS the Fayetteville dis
trict was the largest in the county he
worked at that box on election day.
He watched the count closely and
when the result was announced it
was found that he had received three
votes. Turning away in disgust the
old man said, 81 have been 'stobbed.
If Dibrell will not stob me will be
! thankful.
Il Now, fellow citizens. because I re-
quest the expert accountant to give
the people of Tennessee information
concerning the official record CT the
comptroller, am threatened with
personal, assault by Frank Dibrell
My countrymen, contemplate being
"stomped" by three hundred pounds
of fat This man of small intellect,
small size and brute strength, know.
ing that only an axe could penetrate
his rhinocerous hide, hopes to i1tim-
idate me into silence and prevent an
exposure of his official record. This
is the man that admitted to me that
he traded his vote to Jesse. Beesley
for secretary of the funding board in
exchange for Beesley's vote for him
for comptroller.
If you want to arouse Dibrell's
fighting blood, ask to see his books.
Dibrell has held the Office of comp.
troller so long that he thinks that ii
belongs to him. and If another citizen
becomes candidate for the place he
wants to fight him. AS there are
about $50 pounds difference in our
weight I fear he would have the ad
vantage in "stomping" contest, sc
if l have anything to say to the pub
lie l had better say it quick.
Just at present the cat has Walter
F'rierson's tongue. | shall therefore
reveal what he told me wehn in 6
more loQuacious mood, at the time he
was examining the comptroller's Of
fee. While the investigation of the
comptroller's office was in progress
Captain Lipscomb, the chairman Of
. the committee, became desperately IL
, and died before the session closed
Twoaof the members went to Ala
bama, leaving two strong partisans Of
Dibrell in change of the investiga
ton, one of whom was John |. Cox
attorney for Dibrells revenue agent
About this time Frierson discovered
: that Dfbrell had been guilty of a mis-
demeanor in Office by withholding
from the state treasury for more thar
two months over 100000 of the
states funds. He brought the matter
to the attention of the two members
. of the committee and was instructed
by them to say nothing about it. In
a rectnt open letter to Dibrell Sena
tor Lea went into details in regard tc
the matter, and | have not yet reard
of anyone "stomping" him.
In the year 1892 the then comptrol
Ter was a candidate for reelection for
a third term and was Overwhelming
ly defeated, the principal reason be
ing that he had collected $4,000 and
deposited it in bank to his credit in.
stead of turning it into the state
treasury Immediately, and as the law
required In commenting at the time
on the matter the Chattanooga Times
had ehfollowing to say editorially:
The law as it now stands requires
Mr.. ---- to pay over to the treas-
urer every dollar that comes into his
hands for the state. He has no right