New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-09-13
GOVERNOR ISSUES
DATA ON SANDER
SIitb nlk6 Public Facts Antn1
Syracuse Charges

Syracuse Charges
Albany, N. Y. Sept. Is. R@The
following statement was issued by
Governor Smith last night:
Mailing . lie in the whispering
campaign. by Alfred E. Smith.
On September 5. 1928. Mr.. u. A.
keenan,, Of the firm of Hays "
Ksenan, income tax specialists at
Parkersburg, West Virginia. wrote
the following letter to democratic
headquarters at Syracuse. n. r.:
Hays & Keenan,
Income Tax Specialists
Parkersburg. w. Va.
Democratic Headquarters,
Syracuse. N. Y.
Gentlemen:
"You are, of course. familiar
With the underground whispering
campaign which the political enc
mics of Governor Smith are wag-
inR against him. You possibly noted
that Senator Robinson referred to
1t in his Dallas speech few days
ago. This same programme seems TO
be in effect in West Virginia. Com
ing from unknown sources one
would be inclined to ignore such
tactics but it has come to my at
tention in the following manner.
"A lady Of this city, formerly a
resident of Syracuse, and very
prominent socially here, has let
ter from Mrs. Florence Sanford
whom she advises is the wife of II.
d. Sanford. of Syracuse. and VINO
10 reported to be prominent there.
In this letter, the lady sets out the
statement that on the occasion OF
Governor Smiths visit to the state
fair at Syracuse, he occupied a box
next to the one occupied by Mrs.
Sanford, and the story is that Gov
ernor Smith was disgustinely intoxl-
Gated SO much so that when he at
tempted to arise to make an ad-
dress he had to be helped to his
feet by two persons, one on each
side. The contents of this letter
were discussed at social gathering
and impossibility of the truth OF
such 4 statement was questioned. l
am, therefore, taking the trouble to
ask your organization to furnish me
a statement from someone. prefer
ably 4 member OF some other po-
litical party than that of Governor
Smith, to brand this as political
lie Of the dirtiest sort. l wish this
statement 10 show to the persons
present when this woman made the
contents OF the letter known. as ]
am sorry to advise that II not cor
rected, Governor Smith will lose
many votes he would otherwise re-
ceive. Wish to advise that West
Virginia Is battle ground this
year and every vote helps.
Thanking you in advance for this
information at once, l am
Very Truly yours,
(Signed) w. A. KEENAN,
Box GU, Parkersburg, W. Va
The above letter reached Mr.
William H. Kelley. president of the
Merchants National bank of SYRIA
cuse, who Is democratic leader of
that city, and in the late afternoon
OF the same day he called me on
the telephone and acquainted me
with the contents of the letter.
l suggested that he forward the
original to me. keeping a copy in
his own office, and that he secure
the statement from a member of the
opposite political party to mine, as
suggested by Mr.. keenan, in his let
ter. Accordingly. on Saturday morn
ing ! received in the mail the
original letter from MIR. keenan,
ana the following letter from Sem
ator George r. Fearon, chairman OF
the judiciary committee Of the state
senate and a prominent republican:
The Senate of the State Of New York
Albany
Estate seaD
George r. Fearon
3Sth District
Chairman Committee on Judiciary
Syracuse. New York,
September Z, 1928.
Hon. William H. Kelley.
Syracuse, New York.
Dear sir
II have read the letter which
you sent me dated September .,
1928, and signed by w. A. keenan,
Of Parkersville. w. Va, in which
he quotes a resident OF this city as
stating that on the occasion of
Governor Smiths visit to the state
fair at Syracuse he was SO disgust
ingly intoxicated while occupying a
box In the grandstanad that when
he attempted to arise to make an
address he had to be helped to his
feet by two persons, one on each
side.
Politically, I am opposed to
Governor Smith but l believe In a
square deal even for political op-
ponenta
1T 20 happens I am a member
Of the advisory board of the state
fair and that together with Henry
Morganthau. Jr.. l was designated
by Commissioner Pyrke to act as
the governors escort while he was
at the fair. By reason of this as
signment l was with the governor
substantially all of the day in ques-
ton from the time he left the
Onondaga hotel in the morning
until he boarded his train for AL
hany in the late afternoon. l occu-
pied an adjoining box to the gov
ernor while he was viewing the
races. He made no speech from the
box. He was not intoxicated. He
showed no evidence of even having
had a single drink, nor do l believe
that he had.
THE Governor made two address,
es, one from the bandstand in the
Empire court about 1880 in he
morning and the other at the dedi-
cation of the Agricultural Museum
at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon