The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-09
DECLARES CHARGES

06V9sHs@0
aF fContfuued From First Page.)
4 were trumped up by j. w. Leigh,
4 f4ArSnnai enemy of mine, with the as
\ Ianfnnoe OF Judge William r. Barks-
354rle of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, try
N1xiw 10 fuyther the campaign or ms
s4oF-ira-l law. Tucker G. watkins. Jr'
Xshe charges made ware met by my
knrIy and proven by the RECORDS 90
~ untrue. with the exception or my
fna1ure TO report some of the funds
! laid by speciAI commissioners OF
nourt~. The law makes the reporting
~ these funds the tmepratiVe duty
az the clerks, and imposes upon Fhe
4udres the duty OF seeing 10 the pay
Ynenf OF taxes thereon. The auditer
xtated In my presence, before the
board, that these funds were omitted
by all the examiners OF the state. he
win not deny this. These charges
were secretly prepared by Mr.. Leigh
and Judge Barksdale and submitted
10 the board on July !, at the time
when they expected the board 10 act
on these appointments, and thus cal
rulated to avoid any answer from me-
That they are merely a part OF n
conternptinls- plot tas evident to the
nAsu1al observer The real cause CTS
my removal was ny activity In as
xeesing omitted property in Lyncn&s
burg held by those who had the ear
az f3e authorities who ousted rue. q
Small Proportion Of whole,
ssRegartisng The monster petition
FOR Mr., Watkins which emphasis ~
4 laid on. It will he observed that after
four months Of strenuous effort on
che part of Mr.. watkins and his
friends, which embraced numerous
politicians, he has only secured 2,ooo
B names. II viii further he observed
that these 2oae names were Obtained
hrosn the city OF Lynchburg, with n
population Of about s5,Aoo, together
with four large counties with an az
create population of approximately
Ie00 900.
some False prctcnscs.
MANY Of The names secured Tor
Mr. watkins rettion were secured
under false pretenses In the county
nY Iunenhure some OF my friends
signed this petition after being posi-
lively told that would NOT be
candidate for the office ! might cate
an a specific instance the case of A.
b. Ehatkfetsfi, sheriff, and &C
Hatchett treasurer, OF Lunenburg
Both or thssE officers communicated
these facts in writing to the state
Tax Beard, and their letters are a
petition under the belief that they
were endorsing q candidate for new
ly-created once.
Advised by Tax Board Men.
my position throughout this fight
was that petitions Were not proper
method of seeking this Office, and l
70 stated in a publication In the begin
ming OF this fight. The duties of this
0f4ee neceasitate the incumbent being
free from all personal and political
obligations 10 business interests in
the circuit When the fight first came
on asked the advice Of the Cover
nor and of Judge Prentis as to the
Afncacy OF petitions. was assured
/ ~ both That they were unnecessary
and would not be considered IN these
appointments. They told me THE after
my stating 10 them that II they de-
y uired petitions j would secure the
Same with such endorsements as they
4 desired. In the stand which I took.
therefore vas acting upon the post
tive advice of these gentlemen.
His Endorsements All Voluntary.
sThe only endorsements in my be-
4 half were those voluntarily made by
personal letters OF officers and law
j yers OF the highest standing, who en-
dorsed me upon my record In offce
ard were not actuated by politics It
might he observed that in the city Of
Lynchhnrr. where the officers are not
under the exclusive Jurissfctton Of
4 fudge Rarlsdale ] was heartily en-
dorsed by every officer connected with
the city government. especially those
4 whose duties embraced the assessment
md collection ot taxes In the coun-
4 f1AA embraced in Judge Barksdale's
circuit the officers endorsed Mr. Wat
kfns This line Of cleavage Is signifl-
can't.
As an illustration OF the character
OK the voluntary endorsement received
49, me I would name the following:
AetOTney Randolph Harrison. A, r.
xSong. James Casiie. sackett and Sack
John L. Lee. volney Il. Howard.
Milan ". Wilson, X. Colston Black
&0ed, Jos. p. McCavrop James. F. I'D.
%onds. Jno. D. Tssey, Gibson Hobbs.
4 111ne Whitehead This list could be
~ 11ed to 70 as to include, with a few
III copk1uns, the entire bar Of Lynch
[~91. With regard TO the city officers
M Was endorsed fy the following;
<xGH33 Frank r. Christian, of the fsnr-
nt1nn Court. Robert D Yancey,
E @nnnonwealth's attorney; Henry p,
Y &nma city treasurer; y. G. Manson.
+ y nttorney; William II snead. com
qn1Qner OF revenue; Thomas d
x 1ge3an, member Of the local board
@fey1eW and attorney; William II.
115ey. attorney ana member OF the
4 nDbsll County tax board Senator
1rey =. Strobe, former Senator Don
4 Haley, and the Hon J. Calvin
~ member OF the House of Dele
mtGht ada also that the two Con-
Dn1en from the district, the Hon.
nr 05ass and the Hon. T. w. eaun-
E end0rsed me unqualinedly The
09p list In by no means complete
could be extended to include
XIV others among the most prosns-
c1tfxens Of the circuit. I men,
lhe Ahpye for the. reason that
a anA personal kBewiedgs- OF the
Hee&v ana extent or my work.
fmGnea) JAS Is. EA6LEY.