The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-18
WILKINSON HURLS FACTSAT M'LENDON
 ON PROBE CHARGE
Declares Statement of Presl- dent of City Commission Tissue of FaIsehood
 and Deception

Replying to the statement Of D. E. -' NcLendon. president of the city com 2 mission, and directed against Judge Horace Wilkinson. in which the com missioner charges personalities and political ambition as the underlying causes for the activities of Judge Wilkinson in opposing the city bond Issues. Judge Wilkinson authorizes szthe following statement.
 ,MeLendon's charge that at tempted 10 use the grand jury for political purposes and that the un- completed investigation of city af- fairs originated in politics is tissue of falsehood, misrepresentation and deception from start to finish, with out even an honest intention to sup pot such charge.
 The facts are that on March 4, 1922, one month before the bond issue was ever heard of. I wrote to Mont gomery about the contemplated in- vestigation. In his reply to mo the attorney general left the matter en- tirely in the hands of Solicitor Tate, closing his letter by saying:
 If Mir. Tate should be willing for someone elso to conduct this investi- gation, he has authority to advise you to do SO
 Certain affidavits and evidence were presented to Solicitor Tate. He ordered the grand jury convened. I rendered him my services to assist In this investigation. They were ac- cepted The following letter from Solicitor Tate is self-explanatory:
 Tate's Letter
 May r., 1922 '.Hon. Horace c. Wilkinson, Birming
 ham, Ala.
 Dear Sir: After my letter of May [, 1922. to MT. D.. l.. MeLendon, president of the city commission, was shown the commission you are holding as special assistant attorney general. This comission. is in my opinion, sui fieient authority for you to apeac before the grand jury without fur ther orders or directions from any one. At the time l wrote Mir. Me- Iendon I had not seen your commits sion, but was informed that you held this commission. You appeared before the present grand jury unde; that commission and with my con- sent. Yours very truly,
 JOSEPH R. TATE. Solicitor.
 Action Considered Frost
 From the above if is plainly ap- parent that the investigation was being considered at least month before the bond issue scheme was ever mentioned; that my connection with 1t was legal and proper and ss a collaboration with the solicitor, and that it had absolutely no politl. cal significance, nor was it in the remotest manner associated with the proposed bond issue. When Mc- Lendon intimates otherwise, he stands before the people as 8 deiib- crate deeeiyer devoid of every quail ifieation for public office, and bank rnpt in official achievement.
 No one has ever claimed that 2 this investigation was ordered by the governor or attorney general. : It was not necessary for them to do : so. McLendon's ignorance of this, If 1t was ignorance, furnishes little excuse for his malicious attempt to misieaP the public.
 'The people Of Birmingham are going 10 defeat this bond issue on its merits. and the demerits of McLendon 5 .together with his continued efforts -to mislead the public are going to 2 contribute materially to this result. HORACE C. WILKINSON" l