The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-13
By United Press

| RSNSONAAAOAAS5
| gossip to the effect that he is a
drunkard, follows:
On Sept. 5, 1928, Mr.. w. A. Kee-
nan, of the firm of Hays & keenan,
income tax specialists at Parkers-
burg, w. Va, wrote the following
letter to Democratic headquarters at
Syracuse, N. Y.
Democratic headquarters,
Syracuse, N. Y,
Gentlemen:
you are of course familiar with
the underground whispering cam
paign which the enemies of Gov
ernor Smith are waging against
him. You possibly noted that SEN
ator Robinson referred to it in his
Dallas speech few days ago. This
same program seems to be in effect
in West Virginia. Coming from I'M
known sources, one would be in
clined to ignore such tactics, but it
has come to my attention in the
following manner.
tntOXicatiOn Charged
"a lady of this city, formerly a
resident of Syracuse, and very
prominent socially here, has a let
ter from Mrs. Florence Sanford
whom she advises is the wife of H.
D. Sanford of Syracuse and who is
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 disgustingly in
toxicated, SO much so that when he
attempted to arise to make an adj
dress he had to be helped to his
feet by two persons, one on each
side.
Discussed at Party
1.-THE contents of this letter were
discussed at social gathering and
impossibility of the truth of such a
statement was questioned. I am
therefore, taking the trouble to ask
your organization to furnish me a
statement from some one, preferably
a member Of some other political
party than that of Governor Smith,
to brand this as political lie of
the dirtieSt sort.
II wish this statement to show to
the persons present when this
woman made the contents of the
letter known, as I am sorry to ad-
wise that if not corrected, Governor
Smith will lose many votes he other
wise would receive. Wish to advise
that West Virginia is battle ground
this year and every vote helps.
Thanking you in advance for
this information at once, am
Very truly Yours,
(SignedO w. A. KEENAN,,
Box 672, ParkerSburg, w. Va"
The above letter reached Mr.. Will
liam H. Kelley, president of the Mer-
chants National Bank of Syracuse,
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
it's contents.
I suggested that he forward the
original to me, keeping copy in
his own office, and that he secure
the statement from member of
the opposite political party to mine,
as suggested by Mr.. Keenan, in his
letter.
Accordingly, on Saturday morning
I received in the mail the original
letter from Mr.. keenan, and the
following letter from Senator
George r. Fearon, chairman of the
judiciary committee of the State
Senate and prominent Republican.
Syracuse, N. Y, Sept. 7. 1928.
Hon. william H. Kelley, SYRIA
cuse, NY.
Dear Sir:
I have read the letter which you
sent me dated Sept. 5, 1928, and
signed by w. A. keenan,, of Park
ersburg, w. ", in which he quotes
resident of this city as stating
that on the occasion of Governor
Smiths visit to the State fair at
Syracuse, he was so disgustingly in
toxicated while occupying a box in
the grand stand that when he at
tempted to arise to make an address
he had to be helped to his feet by
two persons, one on each side.
Was Smiths Escort
Politically, I am opposed to Gov
ernor Smith but I believe in g
square deal even for political OPP
ponents.
1T so happens I am a member OF
the advisory board of the State fair
and that together with Henry Nor
ganthau, Jr., I was designated by
Commissioner Pyrke to act as the
Governors escort while he was at
the fair. BY reason of this assign
ment I was with the Governor sub
stantially all of the day in question
from the time he left the Onondaga
Hotel in the morning until he
boarded his train for Albany in the
late afternoon.
Brands Charge False
IT occupied an adjoining box to
the Governor 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
I believe that he had.
THE Governor made two adj
dresses, one from the band stand in
the Empire Court about ITO in the
morning and the other at the dedi-
\