Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-11-07

Dougherty, at that time the most
prominent democratic attorney in
New Mexico. to Or. J. VI. Cunning
ham. As the letter mentioned Is
portion Of private correspondence Dr..
Cunningham has never given 1t pub
Lefty until the present time, and does
~ n--~- - srna-.h G -~s--s 49, ri7 49,.
10 do BY the widow Of the late II. NJ.
Dougherty above mentioned.
The letter is as follows:
Socorro, y NJ. oct. -, 1911
DR.. j. NJ Cunningham,
Las Vegas, \. ".
My Dear Doctor am in receipt
Of your recent letter in which you
suggest that as ! am acquainted with
an the facts in the case which was
prosecuted by Mr.. II. %. Bursum
against the territory in the matter Of
the adjustment OF his accounts grow
ing out Of his wardenship OF the peni-
Tertiary that as a matter Of common
fairness I should. either in a public
speech or an open letter. answer the
unfair and unfounded charges which
are btlIlE Al4 AAlAANAa VI aAt vi AtNL
in assuming that I am familiar with
the facts as I acted as his attorney
in the prosecution Of the suit and |
personally know that the charges
which have been brought against him
are not only unfair and unfounded
but are absolutely false
My natural impulse is to comply
with your request and had this mat
ter arisen at any other time than in
the midst Of political campaign
would feel it not only my right but
my duty to do so. However, for me
to attempt to do so now would be mis-
interpreted and misunderstood As
you know / am democrat, not be-
cause Of the personnel Of either the
democratic or republican tickets but
because l believe in democratic prin-
ciples, and being a democrat, an open
letter from me would be interpreted
as an announcement Of my support
Of the republican ticket and place me
in a false position. II the political
aspects Of this case were severed /
would court the opportunity to openly
meet in a free discussion any party or
parties who are sponsors for the
charges and show their absolute
falsity
/ cannot use language sufficiently
strong to express my contempt Of the
methods used by these parties to seek
to blaCken the character Of Mr. Bur
sum, when they know, or should
know, that the charges which they
are bringing are without any founda-
ton whatsoever. OF course they prob
ably can impose on persons who do
not know the facts, but should they
succeed it is not only unfair. but it is
absolutely dishonest. l do not know
If you are familiar with the exact his
tory of the transaction and for your
own information | will briefly recount
the facts, the part Of which are with
in my personal knowledge.
Statements were made in the news
papers showing that Mr.. Bursum was
a defaulter to the amount of some
thing like $4,000, growing out of his
conducting the pcnitentiary These
figures seem to have been given out
from information which had been OBJ
tanned by Ex-Governor Hagerman, by
an accountant whom he had brought
into the territory from Colorado
Springs. demand was made on Mr.
Bursum for the repayment of GER
tain sums Of money alleged to he due
the territory and the demands were
couched in language which would in
dictate that if the payments were not
at once met, that suit would be
brought against Mr.. Bursum and his
bondsmen.
Mr. Bursum was then chairman of
the republican central committee and
in the midst Of conducting cam
paign. When he consulted me about
the matter, and after having gone
over his affairs and not arriving at
the conclusion that he did not owe
this money, but on the contrary. that
upon settlement with the territory,
that an amount would be shown TO
be due / advised him not to comply
with the demand. However Mr.. Bur-
sum, said, that if it was matter
which affected him alone, he would
follow my advice but if he failed to
meet any demand that Hagerman
would cause suit to be instituted and
1t would be circulated over the terri
tory that the chairman of the repub-
hcan central committee and his
bondsmen We're being sued for q
shortage,
The suit could not be determined
before the election and that the re-
suit would or might be disastrous to
the welfare of the republican party.
SO he took the broader ground that
he knew the demand was
absolutely unjust that he would
meet and pay into the treasury. I'M
der protest any and all amounts
which might be demanded of him.
and to that end he requested that
go TO santa Fe. consult with the at
Iorney general and find out from him
me exact amount ne insisted should
be paid In. This l did, and it resulted
IN the attorney general finally deter
inning that there was something like
between two and three thousand dol
airs on which he would insist upon
payment
I paid this in, on behalf of Mr.
took a receipt that the same
Vas paid under protest, with the
and with the idea in view
u hhauy determining and adjusting
ne accounts through the courts of
ne territory or course. as YOU know
, great deal Of talk was made
throughout the territory that Mr.
'ursum was short in his accounts