The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-15
CHARGES RENEWED BY
LEGISLATOR 'M|CHEAL
MARION COUNTY LEGISLA-
TOR ISSUES FIRST STATE
MENT SINCE INDICTMENT.
DECLARES HE is NOT AFRAID
Would Have Been Coward to At
tack Smaller Official and "Let the
Chief Go Unnoticed," He Says.
Has Received Many Letters.

Has Received Many Letters.
Reviewing in detail his fight on al
legged extravagances of the state high
way department and setting forth his
reasons for charging w. A. Grassland
federal highway engineer for Geor-
gia, with graft, for which he was re-
Gently indicted by Bib county grand
jury on a charge of criminal libel,
Representative e. H. McMichaeI has
issued his first formal statement since
the indictment.
Il might have bounced on a minor
official, one who had bought rifle
and asked the merchant to charge it
as nails, but | would have been a
coward to do that and let the chief
go unnotcied, so l struck at the head"
the legislator declares.
"They can't intimidate me or stop
me with that indictment. | am not
afraid of a Bib county jury. Cross
land would put me in felon's stripes
while he enjoys his beautiful home
but, thank God truth and justice still
reign in the hearts of the people"
Here Mr.. McMichael goes at length
into the controversy, and renews the
charges he made against Grassland.
The Quarry Deal.
As to the quarry deal, he says:
Between the sessions of 1921 and
1922 | continued my Investigations.
From all quarters OF the state reports
came to me of irregular, wasteful and
crooked dealings Among such reports
came the information that w. A.
Grassland had figured in that quarry
deal at Elberton, and when the deal
was finally consummated he raked in
$4,000. Before saying one word
about it assured myself that he did
get the money.
Nov listen: In the report of the
highway department. to the session OF
1922, they said that the quarry was
a white elephant upon their hands,
and they suggested that it might be
we'll to exchange it, lease it or dispose
of it in some way.
I'm addition to the cost of 100000
paid for thing far removed from the
center of road building activities, too
far from four-fifths of the state to be
of any benefit whatever, they expend
some $4,000 or more in equipment,
and still it was failure. Upon furth-
er study l learned that they could
have bought a quarry or quarries near
the center of the state with suitable
and inexhaustible supplies for one
tenth the cost paid for the Ebert
county quarry.
"The highway department itself,
after trying it out two years, officially
reported its uselessness and advised
the legislature to dispose OF it. In that
report my condemnation of its pur-
chase was approved. Good citizens
from that section of the state, some
from Ebert county. wrote me that
was right in my criticism OF that pur-
chase, and they estimated its value all
the way from eight to twenty thous-
and dollars. The highest estimate
placed upon it by anyone was $25,-
600. and it came from prominent
man in Athens-one of Georgia's. best
citizens. | quote from his letter as
follows:
Athens Mans Comment.
lone of the last letters that Joe
Hill Hall ever wrote was when he
replied to me and said: 1T fatigues
NV Indignation to think of the fraud
that will be practiced and the money
made way with in this highway prof.
ect.' The purchase of the Ebert
county quarry is a fair example. |
know the quarry we'll and our city
engineer condemned it absolutely. 1t
was probably worth $4,000 when it
was sold to the state for 100000"
so at the very beginning OF the
session of 1922 | renewed the fight
CONTINUED on Page Seven.)