Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-13
CHARGE DECLARED FALSE
New Mexican Senators at White
House Express Indignation.
CATRoN's VERSION OF AFFAIR
Stamps Published Statements as
"Unmiti- Gated Lies''-Senate Judi
ciary Committee Nomination.

Fall of New Mexico We're indignant to-
day over charges coming from Repre-
sentative Ferguson and democrats of
that state that the nomination of Sc
cundino Romero as United States marshal
for New Mexico. to succeed Creighton NJ.
Foraker. a brother of former Senator
Foraker of Ohio. was made as a result
Of political deal involving the delegates
to the Chicago convention. Representa-
tive Curry, former governor of New
Mexico, long an ardent Roosevelt man.
is also mixed in the fight that is going
on over confirmation of the nomination.
but is not out In the open, so far as
known.
Charges Regarding Romero.
The charges, briefly, are that Romero
is a notorious ruffian, whom the Presi-
dent twice refused to appoint" and that
his nomination resulted from a deal
made at Chicago by which Romero S
cousin, delegate instructed for Roose-
welt, switched to Taft, making his flop
conditional upon ROmero's appointment ;
that the President last January had be-
fore him affidavits detrimental to Romero
and at that time refused to appoint him;
that sheriff of San Miguel county
Romero assaulted Judge Long, a man
seventy-siX years old: that he surround
ed himself with deputy sheriffs. who were
mere thugs and aided in assaulting DEM
ocrats at election time.
The whole case has been thraShed out
before the Senate judiciary committee,
which has agreed to report the nOmina-
ton favorably, having come to the con-
cluSion that the fight on Romero is wholly
political being fostered by his democrat
ic opponents and aided and abetted by
Representative Curry, a Roosevelt sup
porter.
"Lies," Says Senator Catron.
This whole thing is the worst ar
ranged lot of unmitigated lies 1 ever
saw said Senator Catron at the
White House today. "In the first place,
Representative Curry and everybody
else knows that there never was any
agreement to divide the New Mexico
delegation between Taft and Roosevelt.
delegates but one. Representative
Curry. The vote stood to l for Taft
from the time the state convention
was held until the Chicago ended
About the worst lie Of all is that
Romero's cousin. Federico Chavrez
Roosevelt to Taft on condition that
Romero should De made marshal
"ChavreZ was an open Taft man from
the start in New Mexico and defeated a
Roosevelt man for delegate. 1 do not
care what Representative Curry has said
as to an agreement to divide the dele
CATION four and four and that Chavrez
was to have been one Of the men voting
for Roosevelt. Mr.. Curry kept talking
that sort of thing in the hope there
would be an agreement, but no such ar
rangement was ever made by anybody.
Romero Defended.
LAS to Romero. he is an educated gen.
tleman, honest, capable and standing high
in New Mexico. He is, however, pretty
firm and not liable to permit himself to
be imposed upon. He was clerk Of the
United States district court there for
thirteen years and sheriff Of San Miguel
county year and a half. AS sheriff he
found Judge Long. democrat, in the jail
taking a list of prisoners. the democrats
having charged that men were in the
Jail on trumped-up charges. This was
on election day in 1911.
Romero asked Judge Longs business
and invited him to leave the jail. Romero
objected to Judge Long being there, tax
ing the position that he was interfering.
Upon Longs refusing to leave Romero
put him out on the sidewalk. Romero
claims that Long cursed him and ap-
piled such an offensive epithet that the
sheriff slapped the unwelcome visitor
while standing on the sidewalk.
Calls It a Political Play.
Anybody can see that this whole thing
is political play on the part of demo
Gratis, and that there is nothing but poll
tics in it. There is no better man IN
New Mexico than Romero. 1t is not true
that President Taft twice, or even once,
before refused to appoint Romero or that
there was any deal of any kind. 1t is
true, though, that Representative Curry
is on record before the Senate committee
as having heartily indorsed Romero for
the appointment. and as having urged
him for the place on number OF occa-
sions. Senator Fall and myself also in
dorsed Romero, and We did SO on the
ground that he is fit man."