Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1920-07-29
WIRTOUTOFR RACE
Cares More for Good Name Of the
State Than for the Nomination

Decency cannot be divided in the
contest for the Democratic nomina
ton for Governor without indecency
winning.
am more interested in the State
Capitol being a clean place where
women can go without being insult
ed by the presence of disreputable
characters posing as public officials
and drawing the money of the tax
payers.
| | am therefore withdrawing as a
candidate for the Democratic nomi-
nation, as entered the contest, with
out consulting with my friends or
would4be bosses; and am asking ev-
erye friend of mine to vote on the
side of decency.
In attacking Governor Roberts,
am not seeking to raise the single
standard of morality, but am assail-
ing his spublic record.
It is only question of morality
whether a man, be he a Governor or
a hod-carrier, violate Gods command
ments.
| It is another and entirely different
question for a Governor to make the
state pay his bill Of immortality and
in so doing place woman OF the
streets in position of authority and
responsibility, where her presence
is an insult to the purity of the wo-
manhood of Tennessee.
now solemnly, ON my honor as an
American citizen, make the following
charges against Governor A. H, Rob-
erts:
First: That Governor (then Chan
cellor) Roberts had a special Act
passed by the Legislature of 1915, the
same being Chapter 1T OF the Acts Of
1915, allowing him as Chancellor to
appoint a stenographer at salary
of 5000 per, year, and that no other
Chancellor, in the State was allowed
a stenographer.
Second: How unnecessary this
stenographer was for official bust
ness in this Chanc ry Division is
shown by the fact that after Chancel-
lor Roberts became Governor his
successor as Chancellor was given
by the Legislature of 1919 no appro-
priation for the payment of a Ste
nographer.
Third: Chancellor Roberts, otter
being allowed stenographer, did
not appoint either q man or woman
who was resident Of his Chancery
division, as is customary in making
such appointments. but instead ap-
pointed resident Of Nashville, out
side the Chancery Division.
Fourth: This appointment was
given to Miss Martha Horn, resi-
dent of Nashville, who. according to
sworn testimony, was then and had
been for years woman of the
streets and frequenter OF disrepu-
table houses.
Fifth: Miss Horn occupied the
close and confidential relationship Of
stenographer to Chancellor Roberts
for nearly four years as Chancellor,
travelling with him over a large
Chancery Division that embraced
many rural counties where there
we're no railroads, and travelling
with him in the same car or buggy
frequently, In small towns Miss
Horn and Governor Roberts occu-
pied adjoining rooms. She was
thereafter appointed stenographer to
Governor Roberts after his inaugu-
ration and served until Governor
Roberts had her appointed as one of
the book-keepers In the Treasurer's
Office at salary OF $4,000 q year.
Sixth: While Miss Horn was en-
ployed by the State she was once
taken up for disorderly conduct, but
was released from custody upon her
statement that she was ".the Cover
nor's stencgrapher and in fact the
Governor Of the State"
Seventh: While in the employ ,of
the State, she was also arrested on
the charge OF lewdness. and pleaded
guilty to the charge and was fined
in a magistrates court as Is shown |
by a certified copy 6f the docket in
my possession, as follows.
~ t1AuG State of Tennessee
1882 16 vs.
(1919) Martha Horn. Lewd-
ness fine $500 & cost Freeman &
officers.
The above is true copy of the
criminal docket, page 80, Of the cour,
Of J. r. Allen, ]. p, Davidson Coun-
ty. (Signed)r Frank B. Harrison
"'SEAL" Notary Public"
Eighth; Miss Horn was then spir-
tied out of the State and maintained
by. men under indictment in, ore of
the Criminal Courts OF the State who
evidently hoped to use her relation
ship with the Governor to blaclmail
. pardon out Of Governor Roberts in
case Of conviction. /
NJ y