The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-16
Yours very truly.
S. r. WOODFIN.

r for years
II Mr. Hayes, | have copies II the let
i tcrs that have been sent out to the
$ registrars and OF the self addressed
Y envelopes enclosed for them TO use in
!, returning TIL" lists to you These 'et-
ters are printed on the stationery Of
the secretary Of the Commonwealth,
bear what purports 10 he the auto
graph signature of Colonel James. sk
for the lists In the name of the sec
Rotary Of the Commonwealth and the
envelopes enclosed arc the official self
addressed envelopes of that office. !
would Ike to know II you had the
consent Of O. lionel James for the uSo
Of his signature and the stationery
of his office to send out for these
.ists2"
mo, did not consult Colonel
James in connection with the matter.
| have gotten lists for years with the
knowledge II the secretary Of the
Commonwealth and without ohjec-
ton
Lists Kept al His Home.
Are these lists kept in his office.
and If So. would The Virsinian he
given access TO them if if should want
TO see them ?'
NO, I wouldn't have them long If
they were kept there They are kept
at nay home and are my personal
property, What use could you or The
Well. there are several uses to
which they might he put We might
clrcuarize these citizens, or their
names Nigh; he used for campaign
purposes What l wanted to get is
whether these lists are accessible to
anybody who might want them ??
mo. | can't say that they are. They
are my property and special arrange
ments would have TO he made with
! me for their use.
Wen, Il has occurred to me that
the lists might he used by the Local
Self Government association"
II have a good many friends in that
association. hut I do not propose To
say what use Is to he made OF the
lists"
What we really want 20 know.
, Mr., Hayes. liz II you got these lists
= for the use of. the liquor people, or
. are the liquor people going to have
the use OF them2"
II do not think it is any Of your
business, sir and ] do not propose
, to answer"
Wanted la Stop Talking.
. AS the lists have been secured.
: Mr.. Hayes, in the name Of the secre-
: tary OF the Commonwealth. you have
. no right in my opinion. to Use this
5 office the name of the secretary and
p the stationery of the office for your
" private benefit, If these lists are
gotten through the official channel
they should be matters OF public rec
= ord that any citizen has the right to
= come here and examine"
V With some little temper added II
u his apparent nervousness, Mr.. Hayes
s replied:
i If YOU feel that way ahnut-tt-I
don't think we should discuss the mat
+ ter further Either of us might DO
xt+hn ftarx "a
ia might say or do what / would Zee
% sorry for.
THAT need not bother YOU, Mr.
10 Hayes ! am here on legitimate
mission. TO talk with you about mat
g iers of public interest do not pro
}. pose TO say or do anything that goes
g beyond nay rights as n citizen or the
10 representative of a newspaper
/. III do not care 10 discuss the matter
Is with you further since you take the
view you do" he replied.
Il understood you 10 say that YOU
"a were getting those lists personally for
* your own private use?"
Yes. sir. l said that"
There must be considerable ex-
'e pense attached to this undertaking
OF course. somebody has to pay for
7 it."
You need not bother about thai.
will look after the expense.
:" II understood You to say tina. YOU
expected to use these lists IN 4 way
~ that would amply pay YOU for the
expense incurred"
~ Yes sir might sell them 70
ts The Nirginian If you would pay me
- enough for them"
- we do not care 10 buy them, ]
I thank you, sir, but We do wan to
:. know Just who is paying for these
"a lists and whether they are to he used
IL by the iiquor people or by the Local
Seif-Governmen association"
II do not consider that any Of your
.s business. and don't care to discuss this
q matter further"
a you admit that Colonel James did
not authorize you TO use his sigma
b, ture and that the stationery If his
Al office was used without his knowledge
or CONSENT"
pe YES. PR. | do not see tina: this
lie ts any 81 your business. This has
t. been done for years. and thera has
ia never been objection To IT,"
F. Il understand you, MIR HaNes, 70
positively decline tn say win ethor or
ID not these lists are TO be used fer the
is liquor people >"
IL u do. SIR
" lie Would Not Tell.
s. we have in our possession letters
printed instructions to registrars, and
g, official envelopes OF this Office all OF
TO which appear TO have been sent out
'e through official channels, I learned
" from Colonel James that he did not
direct or authorize this and you ad-
n init that you have used his signature
II without his knowledge or consent. and
u that you used the stationery OF dis
Offices also without his knowledge OF
- consent. II these lists are gotten rs
y though for official use, feel that the
, public is entitled TO know for what
le they are gotten VIII you tell mo =
r mo, air; ! will not l am entirely
~ responsible for what I have done and
what use | make OF the lists is my
- own private affair
~ Finding II impossible to get Mr..
=. Hayes, either TO affirm deny that
n the lists are being gotten for use by
. the liquor people. The Virginia rep
~ resentatiye withdrew after advising
= him that the facts and correspondence
would he laid before the people.
IAN right" he said go ahead
~ and print what you please"
" There is reproduced In this issue n
IS copy of the letter sent out by NJ,
T. Hayes. in the name OF Colonel James,
l. however without the latters autho-