The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-08-21
THE TRUTH ABOUT
WYATT AIKEN

'
Lowndesville, S. c., but now of WASH
ington, D. c., through the columns Of
the Newberry Herald and News (E. H.
A,ulls paper), makes it necessary Tor
me to use this method of replying to
the false and slanderous charges tnat
hyve been made know that his at
tack will do me no harm among the
people who know Baker, and 1 ask
those who do not know him and
his reputation for truth and veracity
to make some inquiries If they will
ask the people of Abbeville and An
derson, they will soon find out the
kind of man that he is. If they will
ask his own relatives they will be
told an interesting but rather sicken-
ing story of note for $4,000, which
was afterward compromised for S3.-
900 or S3,5OO If they will ask Bakers
classmates at Wofford College they
will be told why he left that institu-
ton. They will find some Illuminating
information concerning him in the
court records at Abbeville, and today
they will find other information as
to his business methods in the rec
ords OF the courts in the District Of
Columbia. While 1 believe~his attack
will not hurt NE in the district, [
feel that duty is to myself and to my
friends to take some notice Of it.
A Shiny Trail.
At the opening campaign meeting at
Newberry, when Mr.. Dominick was
making a garbled and misleading
statement as to my record in con-
gress, I said that l believed he had
secured his information 'from one
James NJ Baker, the grandest rascal
that ever lived in Abbeville, a man
whom few in his neighboraood
would believe" or words to that e.
feet I believed then, and l know now,
that Baker had been furnishing Domi-
nick with misinformation concerning
my record, and l Will prove it. Let
any intelligent man read Bakers ar
ticle and Dominick's speech, both Of
which are published in the same issue
of the Newberry paper, and he will
at once see that botn came from the
same source The proof will be con-
vincing even to a blind man. Baker
and Dominick have the reputation Of
being pretty shrewd, but they have
not been able to cover their tracks
here.
The McCalla Campaign.
Baker says the cause of my ill-will
to"a IS t1a: he sunpo, Led the
late lamented I. H. McCalla in his
campaign against me. That is not
true, as Baker very well knows, but
it is fact that in tnat cam
paign he fought me most unfairly.
l have no malice against Baker, but
dn '1a,n vNrg orough contempt
for him. Mr.. McCalla and myself had
a hot race for congress. 1t was a
mans fight, but there was no foul
work on his part, and there was none
on mine We never lost respect for
each other. I had his friendship beofre
he died, and l valued it highly. l be-
lieve be voted for me after he quit
running himself
How Baker Landed.
Baker says I opposed his election
as secretary of the United States
senate. 1 did do that, and my only
regret is that my efforts were not
successful acted from high sense
of duty. I knew him to be thoroughly
unworthy to hold such high posi-
ton of trust, and it was my duty as
a public servant, responsible in some
dee~an for good &C. errNent and or
having clean men in office to try to
prevent his election. [ did not tell
Senator Martin about Bakers con-
nection with a discreditable bank
ruptcy proceeding. If Senator Mar
t:na heard of that he got it from some
other source. But l did tell Senator
MARITIME. as I told otter senators, OF
some of Bakers shady transactions,
learned that some Oh the senator's
were put in possession Of certain
testimony in tle investigation OF the
Sully failure, in which it was shown
that that gambling concern had been
CARRYING an account for Baker with
ont requiring him to put up margins.
When asked the reason for this one
of the firm replied II substance. 'On,
Baker was in a position wEere ne
could give us information, about leg
;slation and telp us. 1t was worth it.
This testimony is part of the pub
lie records OF the courts of New
York city and is~accessible to any
body who wants to see it. submit that
the man who did this is unworthy
TO hold position o. trust in the
senate of tie United States or in any
other body Of honest men.
Baker at one time compromised
MS debts for ten cents on the dollar.
Many an honest man his failed and
has afterwards, when ne got able,
paid all his debts with interest, but
nobody ever heard of Baker doing
this. People who had money in the
defunct bank at LowndesVille will
not give such testimony.
1t is common talk around the CAPT.
tol at Washington that Baker was
elected secretary Of the senate as
sort of consolation prize to Senator
TiIIman Senator Tillman wanted to