The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-21
J ours truly.
JAMES HAYES. .JR.

II appears from his letter. and from
the statement Of Mr. Akers that this
has uniformly been done for MIR.
Akers, and without any profit To MIR.
Hayes. Both If these men assert that
such lists were gotten throuGh the Of
fee Of the secretary Of the Common
wealth. while MIR J. 6 Hankins WAS
chief clerk in that office and deny the
statement made by Mir Hawkins 10
The Virginia. on Monday that no such
lists were ever gotten through the
secretary's office while he was en-
ployed therein, with his knowledge or
by his aid Armed with the state
ment Of Mr. Akers and the letter of
Mr. Hayes, II representative of The
Nirginian called on Mr. Hankins yes
terday afternoon and the latter wrote
the following statement,
Richmond. Va May goth. 1914.
ar s. g. Woodfiu. Manager.
The Richmond Nirginian, city,
Dear Sir
Referring 10 our talk of few DAYS
ago, at your request | am now writ
ing to confirm the statement made
by me to you at time. when | said
that / had no knowledge of the pro-
curing of registration or voting lists
VIZ 0AA II tAtt btitff Oh 4iN Sfftt Ftntt VI
the Commonwealth during my con-
nectlon with that Office
Very truly yours.
j. 6. HAWKINS.
Statements Conflict.
II II A matter of some interest TINT
Mr. Akers. who has been in close
since he came there many years ago
as CLERK TO Railroad Commissioner
Itl and who has for years been get
ting registration lists through the Of
fCe of the secretary Of the Common
wealth with, as he says, The apro-
val OF both Colonel James and his
predecessor. MIR. Hggleston. should
have asked Mr. Writ e. Taylor the
liquor dealer. to go to Colonel James
aud plead for the privilege OF permit
ting the secretary's clerk getting for
Mr.. Akers. the supposed representa-
+ Tive OF the liquor people. Information
the character OF which WAS not known
to Mr.. Taylor or Secretary James. ;
Another interesting circumstance
( connected with this very remarkable
= proceeding is the fact that Mr.. Hayes
assured The Virglnian representative
on Friday last that these lists were
his private property and were kept al
his home. while Mr. Akers says THAI
( the lists is fast AS received, were
j turned over to him and that he paid
the registrars directly for their ser
vice Mr. Hayes told the representative
to The Nirglnian that he personally
bore all the expense Of getting these
lists The NirEintan has no comment
10 make on these statements, 1t sim
ply presents the facts as they are.
MIR. Akers Interviewed.
4 Mr.. Akers was seen by representa-
. tive os The Nirgin4an yesterday after
! noon st Murphy's hotel. He refused
/ TO answer the direct question as 10
whether or not he was employed and
( actively engaged In the liquor people {
( fight against Statewide prohibition
but admitted that Mr., Hayes secured
/ the names of the voters of the State
! for use by Mr. Akers.
! Mr.. Akers said that whatever lists
had been received from the registrars
1 had been turned over TO him by Mr.
! Hayes, and that he now has these lists
/ in his possession Mr.. Akers Sup
! posed that he had the names OF half
I the voters In Virginia in his posses
sion.
( Did you ever before get such Lists
through the chief clerk To the seCre-
tary OF The Commonwealth ." Mir,
Akers was asked.
htf as the lfatJ ItSHbiist.
Il have gotten these lists through the
same channels for years while Mr..
Hankins was chief clerk. and even
before Colonel James became secre-
tary of the Com monwealth. | have
always gotten all the political infor-
nation / wanted through the office of
the secretary OF the Commonwealth
Mr.. Akers stated that these lists had
been secured for him with the knowl-
edge and consent of the secretaries Of
tho Commonwealth. why should
they object?" he said. The registrars
LISTS .are matters Of public record and
there. Is nothing wrong in securing
copies OF them.
Hayes Work Gratis.
did Mr. Hayes get or expect to
get any payment for his services In
securing these iists?" The Nrginian
asked Mr.. Akers.
Absolutely none" Mr.. Akers en-
phatically replied. These lists were
gotten for my own use and ] have
/ betrayed every expense connected
with the work OF getting them. Mr.
Hayes is most exacting in his require
ments that none OF the expense fan
on the State.
Mr. Akers said that the registrars
were paid direct for their work
usually by postal money order. and
that none Of the money went through
NJ Hayes hands.
Did the letters 10 the registrars go
out from the Office of the secretary Of
TIE Commonwealth, or were they pre-
pared and sent out ,elsewh p" MIR
Akers Was asked.
Il suppose they went out from the
secretary Of the Commemorative Of
fce,' Mr. Akers answered non-com-
Mutually.
GU would not care. then. 10 say
whether r,not you are actively en-
gagged in the campaign against STATE
wide prohibition" The Virginian
asked
II don't care TO answer that ques-
ton. don't think II liz pertinent and
ii is nobodys business but my own =
Mr.. Akers said that j, q. Hawkins
was III error In his statement To The
virginiAn thAt darink his term ~ CHIEF