The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-09-24
GOV. BLACK AND
The |. & N. PASS
REVEALED BY TESTIMONY BE-
FORE THE INTERSTATE COM.
MERGE COMM ssIoN.
TOM RHEA ALSO INVOLVED
Candidate For Governor on Democratic
Ticket and His Campaign Manager
Are Confronted BY Ugly Facts

During the investigation in 1913 b,
the United States Senate into the eff
forts of the L. & N. Railroad to i'm
properly influence judges, jurors, ant
public officers in Kentucky, hearings
were heard before the Federal Inter
state Commerce Commission. Tn,
hearing was public, both sides were
represented by well-known attorneys
and all the evidence was made pub
lie record for the purpose of showing
Just what the L. 4 N. was doing L
influence jurors and other officials il
suits against the railroad company.
The following letter to b. d. War
field, chief counsel for the L. & n
Railroad, written by James d. Black
of Barboutville, at the time First AS
s!stant Attorney General in the Nc
Creary administration, and later Lieu
tenant Governor and now Governor
and candidate for election to that of
fee, was brought to light:
Dear Mr. Warfield: Mr.. william
Tye, Of this place, and the owner OF
the local newspaper, The Peoples
News has recently sold said paper &c
DR.. Charles Davis, of this place. BY
l.. & ". r. r. Company, Mr.. Tye holds
pass over portion of the company
line In Kentucky. Because of said
transfer Of the ownership of said pa.
per, Mr.. Tye will have to surrender
his pass, and DR.. Davis will likely ap
ply for same instead. write to ask
at the suggestion of Mr.. Tye, to retain
his pass during the remainder Of the
year. He agrees to assist me II the
company's litigation in the courts. His
service in this regard will amply JUS
tity the company In permitting him to
hold the pass for said time.
"He is of numerous and Influ-
entail family, and some Of his peo-
pie are usually on the Jurles In our
courts. think II would be good
Idea to allow free transportation
for said time"
When Warfield received the letter he
sent 1t on to w. L. Mapother, Vice
President Of the L. & N, with his o. x,
and the following comment:
"Please note and return. Mr..
Black, besides being one Of the at
torneys at BarbourviIle, Is also tho
First Assistant Attorney General
Of Kentucky under the present
administration.
Therefore, I think 1t will be well
to comply with his request. Please let
me know whether l may say to him
that this will be done"
It will be observed that Assistant
Attorney General (now Governor)
Rlack recommended Tye's request be-
cause "he agrees to assist us in the
company's litigation In the courts"
and because "he is of a numerous and
influential family, and some OF his peo-
pie are usually on the juries In our
courts"
Tries To Defend Act.
Governor Black on the stump has
tried to defend his act ON the ground
that Tye was the editor of Demo
cratic newspaper, and an old friend Of
his, and he repeatedly asked his audi.
ences II they also would not do favors
for their friends.
Is 1t reasonable to suppose that the
Vice President of one of the greatest
railroads in the country would be ask
ed to put his O. X. on the request of
an obscure ex-edltor unless said ex-
editor could amply justify his services
on the ground of being a member "of
a numerous and Influential family" and
"some Of his people are usually on the
jurles in our courts" and unless the
man who asked the favor for him was
not at that time holding two jobs
one a state office and the other on the
payroll of the i. & N. Railroad Com
pany?
Carroll Rape Black.
Judge Carroll, during his recent
Democratic primary campaign against
Governor Black, declared from the
stump time and time again in every
part of the state.
Governor Black is everywhere and
every place confronted by that ugly
end discriminating railroad letter. In
every speech he spends half Of his
time in a pettifogging way attempting
tn defend. explain and apologize for