The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-07-27
TO THE CITIZENS
Of new MEXICO

wednesday nlEnt, July lJIn' 1 nelu
meeting at the Elks' Auditorium,
Clovis, New Mexico. Fully one thous-
and people were present. paid $1,000
for the use of the Auditorium.
The Methodist ladies served punch
free to the audience, ] paid for the
punch and gave S25.00 TO the ladies
to use in charitable way AZ they saw
fit, as compensation for their services
In making and serving punch. These
ladies' certainly made a success out Of
their part of the program.
bought and paid for 400 cigars for
the men to smoke. We had fine music,
it was furnished by the Clovis Girls
Band, paid $4,000 for that.
The objects and purposes Of this
meeting were to explain TO the people
of Clovis the automobile manufactur-
ing business and the plan of the Pan
Motor Company, now organizing.
called on as many of the business
men and bankers Of Clovis in person
as could and gave them personal in
vitation to be present.
MIR. Alex Shipley President of the
Clovis National Bank. was one Of the
men invited by me to he present. He
asked me if | would allow the audience
To ask questions or make talks in re-
gard to my proposition. | told him ]
would be glai to extend to anyone
such courtesy. because our plan is
so clean and perfect, in all its details
that would gladly invite discussion.
This conversation was about two
days before the meeting. Mr.. Shipley
Immediately began 10 hold caucuses
and meetings among certain Of his
friends for the purpose of interfering
with the success of our business in
Clovis, Curry County, New Mexico,
and elsewhere. Why?
Mr.. =. +. Jordan, Cashier of the
First National Bank of Portales. and
Mr.. J. X. Reese, Cashier Of the Por-
tales Bank, had SUBSIDIZED for some of
the stock in the Pan Motor Company
and each of these gentlemen gave me
letter so stating, and they had taken
some time To think il over before Civ
ing me these letters. | showed Mr..
Shipley these letters. He neglected
his business to ride down to Portales
and poison the minds of these two
gentlemen against me and my PROPOSE
ton. Why? He induced them to
appear ut the meeting and ask for
their letters back. Why?
What kind of influence has Mr..
Shipley over these two gentlemen
showed Mr.. Alex Shipley the letter
given me by Mr.. George Baxter
Cashier of the Frst National Bank of
Melrose. The day before our meeting
intElovis Mr.. Baxter had given his
personal permission to two of our
statesmen, Mr.. Wigle and Mr.. Kelly
to use his own letter on his own part
ner i'm Melrose who also bought some
stock Mr. Shpley got in touch with
Mr.. Baxter and had him to join these
other mentioned bankers in the meet
ing and ask for his letter back. Why?
also showed Mr.. Shipley the joint
letter signed by Mr. S. j. Boykin,
President, and Mr.. a. W. Skarda,
Cashier of the Fir.t National Bank
~ Clovis
At 500 o'clo'i in the morning Of
the day of our meeting Mr.. Skarda
t. d me that nc and Mr.. Boykin pre-
ferred that ] not use their letter
locally, because they had been criti-
cised by other local bankers for Civ
ing it,-but they did not object to it's
use observation-disclosures our PROPOSE
ton was all right. He told me to come
back at IL 100 o'clock, because he had
some information for mel went back
at 1900 o'clock all right, he told me
that Mr.. Shipley and his friends were
certainly framing up" on me. That
night, to my surprise, saw Mr.. Boy
kin and Mr. Skarda in the enemy's
company. Someone told me they had
been lined up through indirect per-
sonal influence Mr.. Shipley brought
to bear on them. None of them got
their letters back, of course.
made about a two hour talk and
my talk was well received. Mr., Ship
ley "butted in" few times and want
ed to talk. When | finished we had
some live music, and Mr., Shipley took
the floor. Instead Of discussing my
proposition he began harangue about
some oil scheme of several years age
that had turned out badly for the in.
vestors. He had arranged for certain
of his friends who were stationed IN
different parts of the audience to pull
off demonstration every few minutes
when he was talking. He then turnet
TO another proposition and unmerci
fully assailed it. He then attacked
me personally. He undertook TO re
fleet on my good intentions, integrity
ability and without pointing out an!
reasons told the people they would lost
their money if they bought stock il
the Pan Motor Company. He tolt
them he had appointed himself a
their guardian to save them from buy
ing stock in the Pan Motor Company
or any other organization or Promo
ton Company-that they were al
bad. He did not produce any logic +
support his position, just made will
assertions. At certain time durinl
his address he turned to those abov
n a A