The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-08
AND BOYD
ADD NEW PHASE TO
WATER DISCUSSION
Boyd Writes Letter to Gov
ernOr Which Percy Re-
sents and Demands
Further Explanation

Walker. Percy. of counsel for the Wa
terworks company. and Capt. Romaine
BOYD city attorney. both contributed
new features to the feeling growing out
or the water controversy yesterday
Captain Boyd wrote a letter to the gov
ernor In which he said that Mr. Percy
In the course of a seeming brainstorm,
slammed a book on the table before the
judge and INDUCED in discourteous Ian
guage."
He also used the phrase, For reasons
which can be stated If necessary Mr.
Percy has lost much of the Influence
he once enjoyed with the people of his
home city,
Mr.. Percy Immediately after publica-
ton OF this letter In the afternoon Led
ger wrote to Captain Boyd saying that
this could not pass unchallenged and
making formal demand for the reasons
for such language.
Captain Boyds letter to the governor
is as follows:
Hon. Emmett o'Neal Governor. Mont
| gomery Ala.
Dear Sir: IL Is with extreme reluct-
ance that feel compelled to briefly no
! tice the lengthy and unnecessary letter
which Mr.. Walker Percy addressed to
you and gave to the press yesterday.
II have no objections to Mr.. Percy
praising himself. but his criticism of me
Is most unfair. and the publication OF
this letter does me a great injustice, be-
sides being a very misleading statement
of the facts.
ut was Mr.. Percy who, in the course
of seeming brainstorm slammed a book
on the table before the judge and in
dulged in such discourteous language to
the trial Judge that many OF those pres
ent wondered he was not committed for
contempt.
For reasons, which can be stated IL
necessary. Mr.. Percy has lost much of
the influence he once enjoyed with the
people OF his home city. but | feel his
statements to you are of such a char
acter as not to be allowed to pass I'M
challenged
II have always had the very highest
regards. for Judge Ferguson and IL he
feels he can fairly try this then his
duty is clear.
This is not jury case and we do not
agree with Mr.. Percy In his implied dis
trust of all the judges of this county.
Very respectfully,
"ROMAINE BOYD, City Attorney
Mr. Percy sent the following letter to
Captain Boyd yesterday afternoon;
Birmingham, January Z, 1915
"Mr. Romaine Boyd, Birmingham, Ala.
Dear Sir: In your letter to Governor
O'Neal published in todays Ledger, you
say that my letter previously published
does you a great injustice, besides being
a very misleading statement of the facts.
You say that In the course of a seeming
brain storm / slammed a book on the
table before the judge and INDUCED in
such dscourteous language to the trial
Judge that many of those present won
dered l was not committed for contempt
of court. These statements in your let
ter are offensive, but as ! am not In the
habit of trying my lawsuits in the news
papers or indeed resorting to personali-
ties in the press, with reference to liti-
CATION or otherwise, I should allow these
statements to pass without comment, but
In the course of this letter you use the
following language: For reasons which
can be stated If necessary. Mr.. Percy has
lost much of the influence which he once
enjoyed Win tne pcOple VI MS uoIIlS Citys
whether have any influence with the
people of my home city or not would not
seem to have any bearing upon the pend
ing litigation. or upon the question with
reference to which we have written Gov
ernor ONeal. When man who has lived
in a community for 30 years and who hay
ing once enjoyed the esteem of the peo-
Pile. thereafter lost 1t, he generally loses
1t for reasons not creditabie to himself.
You have seen ht In a public communion
ton to state that / have lost much of
the influence which once enjoyed, and.
presumably. therefore, much of the re-
spect which 1 once enjoyed In the city
of Birmingham. for reasons which you
can state II necessary. The tnsinuation,
or possible insinuation. contained in this
statement cannot pass unchallenged. l
demand that you state in the columns of
the same newspaper In which your letter
was published the reasons which you in
einuate you are ready to furnish. Very
truly yours, WALKER PERCY