The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-23
Letters Sent to Court Clerks
Similar to Those Which
Were Sent to Registrars OF
State
Not Authorized by
Secretary of State
Secretary Disclaims knowledge
of Letters-Mr Hayes Re-
fuses to Talk Seems These
Lists We're Also for Liquor
People

The further the trick of the liquor
people in getting the effice of secre-
tary If the Commonweal TO act as
cats-paw in securing lists Of voters
for their use in the campaign against
Statewide prohibition. the worse 1t
gets.
Not only the registrars Of the vot-
ing precincts were imposed upon by
the bogus letters sent out by Chief
Clerk Hayes on official paper and
bearing the. signature of Secretary B.
Q. James, but the clerks of courts
seem to have also been called upon
through the office eof the secretary OF
the Commonwealth to help make up
the lists of voters to whom the liquor
people may send their campaign liter
ature.
The letter to Mr. r, T. La Rue.
clerk Of Bath county printed here
WITH, rs evidently a sample of letters
sent to court clerks generally. The
Vrginian has heard from several
clerks who received such letters, and
they were NOT suspicious about Them
until the exposure made by The Nir-
gilman of the manner in which one
of the high officers of the State had
been prostituted for the benefit of the
liquor people.
Followed the Same Course
The method employed in getting
from court clerks lists of voters who
he'd rairf tiTetr poll taxes seems TO
be about the Same adopted to get from
registrars copies of the registration
lists. It Is apparent that the liquor
people placed great value upon get
ting an absolutely complete list. And
well they may, for the lists win cost
I, Il IL
break into their plans will prevent
them from getting, At least SO read
fly as they anticipated, many of the
lists
There Is more reason for getting
lists from both the registrars and
clerks than the average person would
think at aEst blush The registrars
are able to furnish lists of all per-
sons whose names appear on the
registration lists. Such of these, now
ever as have not paid their poll taxes
cannot vote Likewise the lists on
record in the court clerks offices COM
tain the names of all persons who
have paid their poll taxes. but some
of these have failed tn qualify az
voters by not registering Therefore.
II the two lists are gotten and COM
pared an absolutely correct list OF
qualified voters may be secured.
Not Authorized By James.
A representative of The VirginiHn
called at tho office of the secretary Of
the Commonwealth Yesterday be-
tween . and z o'clock TO ascertain
whether the letters sent out to the
court clerks over the name of Colonel
James were official or. like those sent
ont hv Mr.. Hayes or by Mr.. Akers TO
the registrars. We're unauthorized. de-
ception and an outrage both upon
the people Of Virginia and the ONCE
which allowed itself to be used by
the liquor people. Colonel James had
left his office and dfd not return. Mr..
Hayes declined to make any state
ment whatever with reference to these
letters 1t will Re recalled that when
Mr.. Hayes was interviewed last FRI
day with reference TO the letters sent
To the registrars he refused 10 say for
whom he was getting the lists, and
declared that he was getting them for
his personal use and himself paying
the bills. A few days later. he found
ii practicable tn make a detailed writ
ten statement to Colonel James, stat
ing the circumstances under which
the lists had been gotten for the bene-
fit of Mr.. Akers representing the
rtUU0r people. History may repeat
itself
Colonel DANES was reached AZ his
apartment over the phone. and asked
sending al letters to court clerks ask
ing for lists of the persons who have
paid their poli taxes He replied that
he had not, and that II such letters
had been sent cut, 1t was without his
knowledge or approval. He was ass
sured that the representative Of The
Nirginian then talking TO him had
copy OF this letter in his hand. The
secretary was indisposed TO discuss
the matter further than to repeat that
he had n Ut directed or authorized the
sending ont of these letters He said
he had received during the morning
a letter from one of the court clerks
making some inquiry about matter
of this sort and offered to furnish q
copy Of his reply today,
The Clerks As Well
The first suspicion that the court
clerks as we'll as registrars We're be-
ing used by. the liquor people through
the office of the secretary Of the Conn
nlonweaith to get names which the
liquor people want came to The Wiz
ginian a day or two ago in the form
of the following communications
Editor of The Virginian.
Richmond, Va.
Dear Sir.---I think n you will invee- y
tigate you will also find that the ONCE
of the secretary of tho Commonwealth
not only called upon the registrarw
for copies OF books. but also called
upon the clerks of the courts for cAr~s
tilted copies of the lists OF voters who v
had paid their capitation taxes uuAii~s
flying them 10 vote i'm the Eeptembefa
election. and that the clerks were aii
of opinion that II was IN Otiscial 90
mand from the said office. DIM
Very truly q X IN
A. this communication wAs Aee
eithsd d&ted A. sisnsd. r. s'aS TO- y Il Il