Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-06
PROBE CHARGE
OF MINISTER
ABOUT Smith
Counsel For Nominee
Seeks informant O n
Source For Claim
Governor Drunk

ALBANY, n. Y, Oct. 6.=P-A
charge involving the sobriety Of Gov
n Smith and alleged to have been
made last August in Indiana BY the
Rev. Manning l.. Van Nostrsnd. pas
tor of Emmanuel Baptist church Of
this city, was a subject Of c~ontrover-
~ today between Edward G. Griffin.
counsel to the democratic presiden-
tial nominee, and the Albany minis
ter.
In a statement issued from the ex-
ecutive chamber at the state capitol.
Mr.. Griffin said a communication
had been received there some time
ago saying that the Rev. Mr.. Van
Nostrand had made a statement at a
Bible conference in Winona Lake
Winona, Ind, that Gov. Smith was
SO intoxicated when he was trying to
talk over the radio Immediately aft
er he was nominated at Houston that
two men had TO hold him up
Minister Visits Smith
Immediately upon receipt OF this
communication, Mr.. Griffin said, the
minister visited the executive off
ces, at the governors request, and
was asked, IN the presence Of the
governor, himself and George B.
Graves, .he governors secretary, aft
er the letter had been read to him.
n direct question. did you ever
make any such statement about me 2"
Mr.. Griffin said the minister then
asked the governor ii the writer of
the letter said that he (the minister)
had made the statement directly to
the writer" whereupon the letter
again was read and the question re-
peated.
Il eve said it, the Rev. Van Nos
trand was quoted as replying.
Since hat conference, Mr.. Griffin
said, an affidavit, signed by Mrs. A
j. Wickard and sworn to September
~. last. had been received here, in
which the signer deposed that on
August %, while in attendance at q
Bible class at Winona Lake, she heard
zone Mr.. Nosterlrand affidavit
spelling) supposedly from Albany. N.
T. make a statement substantially
as quoted by Mr.. Griffin.
The Rev. Mr.. Van Nostrand, who
has been a pastor in Albany for ten
years, gave his side of the contro-
versy soon after he heard OF Mr..
bAiAAAh > cAdAcHftHNs ne SAlQ ne mad
not made the charge that the COVER
nor was Intoxicated" the Sunday aft
er his nomination. but added that at
the time he was questioned about the
incident IN the executive chamber the
governor did not ask me if | had
made any similar statement, or if |
had made any other statement con-
corning him 70 the effect that he had
been intoxicated or that he drank"
When asked specific questions in
Indiana concerning the nominee. the
minister said he did make the state
msnt that ] had been informed that
upon n occasion when Gov. Smith
had broadcast he was so intoxicated
that ne had to be supported by two
persons"
Il also made the statement in In
diana" the minister added, that /
had been Informed that on the Sun
day following his nomination the
governor went 10 New York and that
when he was IN the Albany station
he had been drinking. ] also made
the statement that IN my opinion III
anyone asked the governor the direct
as 70 whether or not during his occu-
pancy Of that high office he had used
Intoxicating liquors or had been 2
drinking nan that the governor
would admit that he had done so."