The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-19
Spread Liquor Literature Over
State by Use of Names Sc
cured Through B. O. James
Office
PROSTATE Registrar
Writes Secretary
Prostitution of State Office
Calls Forth Warm Letters to
OHicial-Owens Receives a
Hot One About Business

ASS ><AA@ hb0oN A~aoAht@So
The Local Self-Government associa-
the lists OF voters secured through the
office OF the Secretary of the Com
monwealth James for the liquor peo-
pie, SO far as they have been able to
get hold of such lists. 1t Is known
that the State Is being flooded with
literature from tho asseeia tons head
quarters in the Chamber OF Commerce
building and there are Indications that
the lists secured by bogus letters sent
out in the name of the secretary of the
Commonwealth, out really for Mr..
Akers. are being used, as far as they
are available, for the distribution OF
this wet literature
Some correspondence which has
come into the possession of The Ntr-
ginian seems to bear out this state
ment. Colonel James has stated moro
than once that Mr. Akers only got q
comparatively small portion Of the
lists sent to his Office, and IL is known
that Secretary Owen. OF the Local Self
Government association has been
writing out to Confederate camps and
other organizations as we'll as in
dividuals for lists which might be used
In ctrcuiarizing the State
Mr.. Brandon Writes James.
Among the registrars who innocent
iy responded TO the deceptive request
sent out from the office of the secre-
tary Of the Commonwealth was Mr..
John w. Brandon, OF Brandon-s pre-
cincr, Halifax county. Upon learning
through The Virglnian how the State
office had been prnstituted for the
benefit of the liquor people, MIR. Bran
don addressed 10 the secretary of the
Commonwealth The following letter.
Brandons Precinct,
Halifax County. Va.
May Is. 1914.
Colonel r. o. James.
Secretary of the Commonwealth,
Richmond, VA.
Dear Slr,T received some weeks
ago your request, or what seemed 10
he your request. for a list Of the voters
at our little precinct. and l had a
stroke of paralysis before / could com
plete the same. but thinking II "A part
of my official duty to furnish the list.
/ had members of my family TO COM
piete the same and send TO you,
A friend of mine sent me n copy of
The Eirginian OF recent date. and !
am astounded at the suggestion that
the list which sent you IL TO be used
for the purpose OF flooding our
neighhorhood with literature in the
interest OF the whiskey cause / am
now PROSTATE upon my bed unable to
move hand or foot. and / cannot hope
TO recover. nor is 1t probable that I
shall be alive when the vote Ia taken
on the enabling act. but / wish to sand
from my sick bed "a message to you
that think the conduct of yourself Or
ynur clerk Is shameful, indeed, and
am sorry that ] sent you the list, and
I do hope that you will ask the
whiskey crowd not to send any litera-
ture in our neighborhood to the list Of
names that / sent you. Some years
ago we were able to close up the dis
tiiIeries in our neighhorhood near the
State line, and there has been great
Improvement since then in the order
Of the community, and Ii distresses me
to think that you or your clerk have,
in an underhand way had me to help
the whiskey cause which / have been
against for these many years II I
am living when the wet and dry cleo
ton is held in September want To
he carried to the polls and vote. and if
I do not survive. my two sons Will be
there to vote and work to drive
whiskey from Old Virginia.
May God give us the victory.
Respectfully.
JOHN w. BRANDON,
Registrar Brandon's Precinct.
have not yet received any check
for the list, and II you will agree to
see that no whiskey literature liz sent
our voters here would be willing for
you to keep your money. have
shown this letter to several OF my
friends, and / want to hear from you.
and think have right to demand
and expect an answer or an explana-
ton from you.
NV postofffce address Is now Milton.
n c., although / live in Virginia |
enclose you stamped envelope for
reply.
Colonel James Replies.
This letter was written May 25. On
June 10, more than two weeks later.
the following reply was mailed to the
Brandon registrar:
June 10. 1914.
Mr.. John w. Brandon.
Brandon, Halifax County. Va.
Dear Sir.-~-I have your favor of MAY
IS The list of voters received at my
office will not be used by any one In
their behalf in the September cleo
ton.
Very truly yours,
b. o. JAMES.
This letter, like one of which The
virginian recently printed fac smile.
was signed Secretary of the Common
wealth." but this was erased with
pencil. showing THAT the signature was
not Intended to be official. Mr. Bran
don says In his postscript: "If You will
agree to see that no whiskey litera-
ture is sent our voters. would be
willing for you to keep your money"
II will be observed that Colonel James
does not say anything in his reply
about sending q check for the lists
OF names sent him
Crawley Writes 10 Owen.
Among the names on the list sent
N was that OF Mr.. Walter Crawley. OF
Alton. Halifax county, Secretary