The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-24


 Sixth district who visised Birmingham yesterday was W. W. Ogden of sulll gent, Lamar county. Mir Ogden i. president of the North Alabama Mer chants association. He is strong fo, Underwood
 "The situation is close in Iamal county" said MT. Ogden, but l am SC confident in the ability of our peopl, to choose between dross and refined golt that l now predict that Underwood will carry the county.
 The race in the Sixth district is close. Hobson may get out with a bare majority, thanks to the situation in Wal kel' county, but it is not certain that he will carry his own district. If Hob SGT has a fight in his own district, and nc most assuredly has, what fate must be awaiting him in the other districts or the state! From what l can hear in Birmingham, Underwood will carry the
 
 per for weeks before ne had carefully prepared the public mind to receive some startling disclosure from Lacy involving some prominent officiaT He knew that the publication of Lacy's falsehood was the continuation of a conspiracy which he had been aiding by constant sugges. tons in his paper, and by the influence or his office, and now he offers the remarkable defense that he did not in- vent the lie, but merely gave it a general circulation. A voluntary statement. when Horace Hood knew as well as any living man that Lacy was but the dupe or plant tool in the hands of band of political thugs domi,,ntal aH conspirators in crime. seeking to weaken and discredit my efforts to bring the guilty to justice.
 Disclosed Conspiracy
 When he received Laey's villainous sta tement he joyfully exclaimed: That now means impeachment proceedinss.' '' Ky that one remark the whole damna ble conspiracy was disclosed. l was to be irlpeached on the statement of a con victed thief and on such perjured testi- nohy as could be purcha sed by the sl25,- W0 stolen from the state. The governor of the state to be sacrificed in order that gang of criminals might escape and Conner ride into power as the fruits Of this infamous conspiracy
 T have no quarrel with Theodore Lacy, a convicted thief. who basely betrayed the confidence of his friends, brought shame upon the state. and now, safe in a feions cell, undertakes to wreals his ven geanee on the governor of the state. who, faithful to his oath of office, put in oper- alton all the machinery of the law and spared no expense to unearth the con spiraey to which he was a party. Lacy has been brought to justice and with him l have no further concern except to see that in the remaining cases which are pending against him the arms of the law are upheld It is with those political thugs who have found in a convicted thief fighting weapo with which to at tack me and who inspired his transparent lie; it is with all of his co-conspirators in crime. with Horace Hood the false public official who, under the guise of snug responsibility and hypocritical pro- fessions of friendship hides the hand of character assassin and the disposition or political buccaneer that 1 propose to deal tonight.
 Obeyed Unexpected Summons With loud protestatons he declares in Saturdays s issue of Lacy's organ,' devoted to the interests of B. B. Conner, that Lacy demanded his presence at the jail. that he cheerfully obeyed the unexpected sum- mons. that Lacy handed him a statement already prepared in advance for publica- ton in the Montgomery Journal, which was alone to be the honored bearer of islander so vile that the Associated Press refused to permit it to be given out to the papers which it served. His monopoly of Lacy's contributions, of which he so proudly boasts, is not challenged by the reputable papers of Alabama. The Mont gomery Journal need not fear that the other papers of this state will compete with it in effort to publish the state ments of convicted felons. I feel quite sure that if MT. Hood desires to make this feature of his paper, and 1t wouIs haonma hA nd, and Wetumpka will be pleased to afford him an opportunity to interview then choice collection of thieves and murderelv that he may spread other false islanders against the law officers of Alabama.
 Everyone who reads this organ de voted to the interests o6Theodore Lacy J. c. Oakley and E E. Conner have been humiliated and indignant that any man bearing the commission of the law should become party to the desperate effort of convicted thief and a dis credited politician to serve them against the best interests of the state of Ala bama. It is known by all men In Ala bama that since Lacys return Horace Hood has used all the powers of his office and his newspaper to create pub | lie sentiment in fayor of the men who 1 planned and carried out this gigantic steal of tie states money to shield | them from punishment to discredit me that my power might be weakened to enforce the law. As the legal custodian of Theodore Lacy when that criminal l became in custody fc placed him ir the reception room of the jail. He ar ranged public levoes over which this nero of ctime was to preside. Sur l rounded by friends proffering sympath, and aid, with fruits and flowers and every luxury, for Tim the fatted cali was to be killed. It was only wher forced by the indignation of the decent citizenship of the state and the rebukes for the respectable newspapers in Ala hama that he reluctantly consented tc lncarcerate Lacy in the cell in which he belonged. His psrtiality for Lacy has not abated since his conviction Since that tune he has removed him tC the best room in tte front of the jai where he could be easily accessible to his co-corsr'rators and comfortably prepare communications for Mir. Hoods newspaper. It is a patent fact thai Lacy's communication was the product of deep and desperate purpose.
 Gave Notice of Speech
 "I had given notice that on the 2st of March I would n:aJ<e a speech at the Grand theatre, in Montgomery, in whici l would expose tie record of B. B Conner. lie and his adherents knew how vulnerable that record was and how little it entitled l1'm to the further support of the people of Alabama | was therefore essential, if possible, tha the force of that exposure be broker and the rublic mind diverted from : consideration of MT. Conner, by som, spectacular occurrence that would rive the pdblic's attention upon another ob Ject In furtheranou of the plan adopt ed Horace Hood was to play an i'm portant part He was to set the scenes