Johnstown Weekly Democrat

MORE "DESPICABLE" POLITICS.

Another Statement Concerning Those Ante Election Committee-Certain Prominent Ebensburg Politicians Suddenly Spring a "Loafing Place" and as Suddenly Drop it.

Cambria Freeman.

Dear Freeman: - Will you be kind enough to insert the following statement in your valuable paper in answer to the denial made by Thomas Davis, F. H. Barker, and Ed. James, contradicting everything set forth in an affidavit made by me before Squire Scanlan. Now for the information of the public and in order to jog the memories of Davis, Barker and James. I will state the following facts, viz: Some time before the Republican convention was held F. H. Barker, Ed. James, Thomas Davis, and myself had a conference at the store of Ed. James, at which we discussed at length the best policy to be pursued in order to defeat C. J. Blair for the office of Register and Recorder. At this meeting we each gave our views, but nothing definite was agreed upon. On the morning on which the Republicans held their convention Thomas Davis called on me at my shop and requested me to come over to Ed. James store, stating that we had better put our heads together and give our views as to the best policy to pursue in the nomination that day to be made. It was there discussed at length whether or not it would be best for me to run as an independent candidate for Register and Recorder in order to defeat C. J. Blair, or whether it would be best for me to use my influence with my friends for Kinkead. We finally came to the conclusion that the Republican ticket had better be filled for the present, and that we could tell better what course to pursue after the Democrats hold their convention. After the Democratic convention we again met and came to an understanding, which was as follows: That it would be best for me to go to my friends and urge their support for Kinkead, and to tell them that it would be of interest to me to have Kinkead elected. F. H. Barker and the others thought that by me being an independent candidate that no doubt quite a number of Republicans would vote for me, and thereby weaken Kinkead, as they said that it was a pretty hard matter to get the mass of the Republican voters to understand such an arrangement, and we finally separated with the understanding that I was to use my influence with my friends for Kinkead. We afterward had several conferences-two at my shop, two at Ed. James store and one at an attorney's office. At each and every one of these meetings it was always understood that if we were successful in defeating Blair, that I was to have a share of the earnings of the Register's office as follows, viz.: One-half if I paid my own campaign expenses, or one fourth of the earnings of said office if my campaign expenses were paid by them. At the last meeting held at the store of Ed. James about four weeks prior to the election it was first intimated to me by them that I should allow my name to be used on the Republican ticket for the office of Prothonotary. They were very confident at that time that they had Blair defeated without any doubt, and I saw that they wanted me to pull the balance of the ticket through. I told F. H. Barker then that that was not our agreement and that I would have nothing further to do with him, and he seemed surprised at me refusing to allow my name to be used. His answer to me was, "If I had known this we would have put a stronger man on our ticket in place of Troxel." Thomas Davis warned me frequently to watch F. H. Barker and Ed. James, saying that they would deal unfair with me. and that I should get a fair understanding with them, as he felt certain that Ed James (if the Republicans were successful this year and of which they felt certain) would be a candidate for Assembly, and that he had already, as he thought, promised the deputy Recordership to one who would likely be in his road as a candidate. He further said that he would not likely be here long after the election, as he was going West, and that I should call some men as witnesses who would likely be here in case they did not do as agreed upon. Now they make affidavit that they never agreed to anything like the above statement. There are others who know of these arrangements, whom I will not name at present, and who also know of the arrangements of last year, which were never complied with by Barker, James and others, which is not forgotten. Let the public for one moment ponder. Why were all these meetings? Were they love feasts, or what were they? Everyone here at Ebensburg knows that these men don't make a loafing place of my shop, neither do I loaf at Ed. James' store nor at the attorney's office at which we met on several occasions. These meetings surely had an object which any sane person can infer, and as to the affidavit of C. B. Moore. I will say that I told him exactly what I told others in Johnstown, viz.: When asked why I was now for Blair when I had been opposing him all along, my answer was that F. H. Barker had went square back on what he agreed to do with me, and that he wanted me to allow my name to be used on the Republican ticket for Prothonotary, and that this was not our agreement and that I saw that Barker was acting unfair with me, hence my course in turning in for Blair. Now, in conclusion: I reiterate that my whole declaration made and sworn to by me is true in every sense of the word, and let me say that if I am the perjurer which the public are asked to believe by the affidavit published by these men, why do they not prosecute? That is the proper course to pursue and then the public can get the true inwardness of the whole matter, and determine as to the truth of the respective statements made.

C. A. LANGBEIN.