The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-20
imposition Upon Them Re-
sentcd by Men Who Wess
Asked For the Lists oi
Voters
Hayes Persists
In Being Silent
Refuses to Give Details AoeD
Preparation of letters md
What Disposition Made Of
Names-James' Attitude Re-
mains Unchanged

Although IT is understood that IN
friends are bringing pressure to uaAf
upon Colonel 3, o. James, secreoy
of the Commonwealth. to take soEne
further action In the matter OF h11
chief clerk, James NJ Hayes, Jr~
securing lists of the qualified voteas
OF the State by writing to the re110-
trars, letters bearing the secretAEy0
signature and on the official stA&to0-
cry of the department, Colonel Jams
has announced no change in his oe&3-
tude toward his chief clerk.
Colonel James has warned his oh3e4
clerk against a REPETITION OF tho -
tense. hut has publicly stated that he
does not thing the use OF the ofic3Al
stationary Of the office and the siguaEG
of his name. without his knowled9e
or consent. for private" purpooos,
merits a suspension or dismissal 81
Mr.. Hayes. ~
The Nirgnian was unable to l00aAo
Colonel James yesterday or last ni9n4.
4 visit TO his office was without sue
cess and efforts to reach him by he
phone, either at his home or club.
were unavailing.
Hayes Still At Desk.
Still at his desk, performing k11e
duties of chief clerk to the secretary
of the Commonwealth. James ~.
Hayes. Jr.. who admittedly used kh0
official stationary and signature OF
the secretary Of the Comm onwealth.
without the latter's knowledge or oQn-
sent. in writing to the registrars ~
the state for lists OF the qualified ~
/ ters, which he planned to use For
! private" purposes. yesterday perdDt-
ed in his refusal TO throw any further
/ light on the real object OF the secu1.
/ ing OF the lists,
When asked by The virginia
whether the letters to the registrars
were prepared and sent out from thu
office of the secretary OF the Commpn-
wealth or elsewhere, Mr.. Hyes d.
ciined to give out any information.
When The Virginian further ASKED
II the registrars were writing to the
secretary of the Comm onwealth since
the discovery that the letters to th9zn
were not official, Mr.. Hayes, speaking
with an air OF finality. declared that
he did not wish to say anything At
all on the subject
Where Arc the Lists.
The representative Of The VirEinhn
wished TO further question Mr.. Hayes
as to who were his assistants in the
writing and mailing of the letters to
the fifteen hundred registrars In the
State. where were the lists placed
secretary Of the Commonwealth, IL
any person had had access to the
names or made use of the lists in any
way, and, II so, who Had he ev1nc0d
any willingness to talk, Mr.. Hayes
! would also have been interrogated ~
to the present whereab bouts OF thu
lists which he has received, whether
or not any more of the letters bearinQ
Secretary OF the Commonwealth
II tIIre nd ~
official stationary OF the department.
had been mailed out since Saturday
and what real object Mr.. Hayes had
/ in view in procuring the lists.
I Mr.. Hayes claims that he has been
misrepresented in the matter, hut
when told that The virginian would
be pleased to publish anything that
he might have to say In the way Of
strengthening the matter out he had
nothing 10 say.
Registrars Aroused
Thoroushly aroused by the fact that
they were imposed upon in the re-
quests for lists of the qualified voters
In their precincts, the registrars OF the
State are expressing their resentment
of the Use Of the official stationery 81
( the secretary of Commonwealth and
the signature of Colonel B. o. Jamea
without the latter's knowledge or con-
sent In letters addressed to Secretary
! OF the commonwealth James and In
tother communications
/ Richmond Bland Of West. Point
who has been a registrar since 1904
sent a friend to Richmond yesterday,
armed with authority to state that ne
previous request for list of the voters
/ in his precinct had ever come to him,
MIR. Bland was absolutely positive, Ac-
lcordng 10 his friend. that the letter
! bearing Colonel James signature, a
secretary Of the Commonwealth. but
which was sent out by Chief C1erk
lJames NJ. Hayes. Jr.. according to the
latters own admission, without con.
isulting his superior as to the proprfetys
! of asking for the lists or making une
of his signature. was the first such res
quest Mr.. Bland had ever received IN
his career.
Writes to James.
II am willing to make an af!idavi4
to that effect" MIR. Bland told his r0p-
resentative.
! When Mr.. Bland first learned that
1.-THE letter asking for the list was sent
| to him for the private purposes Of
I Chief Clerk Hayes, although bearing
every indication of being Official M
Immediately addressed a letter to thAa
secretary of the Commonwealth. ASK
ing the latter to confirm or deny this
statement that the letter was NOT Off
fetal, and that if it was a private mate.
ter, the secretary of the Common-
wealth would please return to him the
postcard which he had sent back aay~
Ing that he would send In the list ju1t
as quickly as he could copy Il.
/ Mr.. Bland has not sent In this TT 01Ss
voters In his precinct. He y noSl.
awaiting a reply to his communicates
ito Secretary OF the CommonwaA1t
A'''ss' lncreasinx Intereust.
Tho - tn1aRoet Y