Arizona republican., 1915-12-04
It WAS CHARACTERISTIC
OF THE ARIZONA GAZETTE

The Arizona Gazette in a character
istic, malicious and scurrillous article
printed a series Of misstatements last
night rejecting upon The RepubH-
cans treatment of the proceedings be-
fore the supreme court yesterday in the
Sims contempt case and putting into
the mouth OF Governor Hunt a denial
and disavowal of an interview regard
ing the future infliction of capital
punishment at Florence
For those who are familiar with the
Gazette and it's methods. a further no
tice of the article would be unneCes-
saGy. But inasmuch as there are many
citizens of Phoenix who are rot fanil-
lar with the habits of the Gazette, The
Republican is now disposed TO depart
from its practice of ignoring that
paper.
Governor Hunt was called by tele
phone, by the editor of The Republican
last night and in reply to an inquiry,
the governor said that he had not
made any statement to q reporter IOr
the Gazette yesterday and had not seer
one. Regarding the interview printed
by The Republican Yesterday morning,
the governor said that while It did not
exactly set forth his meaning in all he
had said 20 a reporter for The Repub-
licdn. he had not been materially mis-
quoted and he felt sure that there was
no intention on the part of the reporter
to misquote him.
The Gazette further stated that Mr..
Leroy Ladd, private secretary to the
governor had said that The Republic
cans report of the proceedings before
the supreme court We're erroneous. Mr..
Laid could not be communicated with
| last night but it is a fact that Mr..
I-add was not present in the supreme
court at the time of the hearing and
it is said MAT ne was not that day at
| the capitol
/ The Gazette also printed what pur-
ports to be denial by Superintendent
| Sims Of tie prison, of statement in
| The Republican that at the close of the
hearing he inquired whether he might
| return to Florence as he had matters
| of Importance demanding his attention
there and that PREPARATION must be
| made for the execution December 10 OF
| Villalobos; that the court stated that
| he might go and that if his presence
| was subsequently required he would be
sent for.
It ~ tlS not ii4tsiIlN ~ bt 1tcitttl ~ L llt
! Republican that Mr.. Sims made his in
| quiry Of the supreme court and as a
matter of fact he did not. The in
| quiry was addressed to Assistant At
| torney General Hardy who carried it to
| members Of the court. IT is possible
that Mr. Sims did not mention the
matter Of Villalobos in connection with
/ tie matters demanding his attention
| ot haan
| only a suggestion of the person who
| related the story of his conversation
with Mr.. Hardy
| 1t is also stated by the Gazette, that
/ the secretary to the governor cTiti-
| cised The Republicans headlines over
| the supreme court case. supreme
| Court Censures Sims That is prob
| ably the kind of a headline that would
have suggested itself 10 anyone who
| heard the case. Though the court had
| not handed down an opinion, it was
plain that the superintendent, in the
| opinion of the court, was guilty either
cf bad faith or bad judgment.
The tissue of lies strung together by
| the Gazette is appropriately concluded
| with statement that a reporter for
The Republican had circulated a re-
port about the street that previous 10
the day set for the execution OF
| William Faltin, the resignation of Su-
| perintendent Sims was in the hands of
the governor. There was such a ru-
NOR, and so far as The Republican
knows it was a baseless rumor; this
paper did not regard it as suffi-
| GENTLY well authenticated to give il
mention in its columns. 1t was per
kaps circulated by a hundred persons
and among them might have been &
reporter for this paper OF that The
| Republican knows nothing.
ThcIc is one thing that is very neal
to the Republican and that is thu
reputation it enjoys in Phoenix anC
| throughout Arizona for its fairness ant
| it's efforts to be accurate. 1t sometime
errs and when it does so TO the ma
terial disadvantage of any man.
| hastens to correct the error. Natur
| ally such an attack as even the Gazett
has attempted upon its reputation, ha
seemed to call for a reply.
l --O-