Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1838-12-08
TO THE PUBLIC.

Franklin h. Plummer, President Of the GreDa.
da Bank, accompanied by wha; he terms mar.
ratiye Of facts relative to a Mr.. Cook and repu.
ted wife, whom ! was instrumental in imposing
upon the community. The material allegations
made against me ale basey false
II is not true, as charged, that came TO the
South under the patronage of StarkweaIher |
received patronage from no man.
1t IS not true that was established in bust.
ness by few politicians of the county, At the
time OF the establishment of the Free Trader, I
knew but one influential democrat in the State.
and my acquaintance with him extended no far
Their than formal Introduction and five minutes
conversation. In fact, the enterprise was looked
upon with distrust on account of the repeated
failures Of democratic presses in Natchez.
II IS not true that | ever met Cook at Bran
don. It's not true that led his 'reputed wife
upon my arm in gay and fashionable circles: > so
far from 1t never saw her but once in the State
and then but for few minutes and in the pres
ence Of other company. The following are the
facts
Mr.. Starkweaher wrote me, in the spring of
| 81, that two men named Baker, and Cook. fin.
gltiyes from justice, had left New York, the lat.
Ter accompanied by young woman who travel
lea as his we.-llc expressed great socitude.
and desired to be Informed if they came TO Mis-
sIssppl, so that the men could be delivered up TO
Jushce and The women returned TO her friends
requesting me at the same time, to furnish her
with money for that purpose and he would reim-
Durse me, replied and thanked him for his at
tenton Some months afterwards Cook arrived
at Natchoz. lie is man Of fine appearance.
plausible manners, talented and eloquent. He
proved to be man whom | had once met in q
hotel in New York, when he was n mariner or
Samuel BeardsIey in the practice ofthe law. He
requested letters OF introduction | took him to
my Office aud showed him the letter had receiy
ca rom olarkweather, which charged him with
having defauded his clients, &c. lie then ex
hlOited to me receipt from the Sheriff that such
money had never been collected, also letter
from Samuel Beardslcy to Hon. Thomas II.
Boston, endorsing his character and legal attain
menls and he further most solemnly protested
that the woman was his ri6, that she was then in
the interior OF tho State where he had resolved TO
settle, and as he and his wife had both referred to
me as an acquaintance, unless | did give some
demonstration of Acknowledgements they would
be seriously injured in the estimation of those
with whom they had already become associated.
| knew some points IN the history of the woman
whom Cook avefed to be his wife | knew her
when playmate of the daughters of Starkweath-
er. mad heard that Starkweahcr, though his
wllo was and still Is living, had seduced this wo-
man when she was girl, but knew not all the
acts OF lnlamy which both Starkweaher and the
reputed wife OF Cook had been guilty Of, and it
was reasonable to suppose the information had
received was incorrect, from the fact that he was
socitous that should furnish her money 10 re-.
turn to her tjfeads.' 1t may be asked whv |
corrcsponded with Starkweather, knowing him to
have been guilty of such an act? lie had fiat.
tered and petted me when a boy, al academic OK.
hbltiops, and | had kindly feelings for him when
! lett my home at the age Of sixteen, since which
time mad ht'Ie positive knowledge of what trans
pred until alter 1887. Cook had the endorse.
rmen' OF man who had for a series ofyears been
an Influential member Of Congress from New
t York, was then Attorney General of the State
. and Is now upon the Supreme Bench. Cook
with all the eloquence which he is known TO pos
sess, appealed to my sympahies. Nowithstan
ding the errors Of the past, he satisfied me he
was married TO the woman,-and rife is hol,
e and sacred name. For years had been in dit
: iercnt parts Of the world laboring under various
!. vciSsudes Of fortune, and knew full well wha
J.. It was to be without money or friends in slrang,
9 land gave him the letters he asked.
: A citizen Is bound by every feeling of benevo
lence and philanthropy to aid in retaining from
vice those who are disposed to become goot
members of society; but if society be injured
. by the act more than the individuals are benefit
l. ed, then The act is wrong, no matter what III,
reasons that induced it. This is precisely tn,
!, position occupy. have been guilty Of an i'm
h position upon society. Without asking any one
i 10 appreciate my motives, freely and openly ac
= knowleaged to the parties interested that ha,
. done wrong. That acknowledgement is now
made publicly and leave the world 10 iudoe a
The feelings that actuaed me.
, As am well known to that society which bo,
peen injured by my act, and as it was their rich
: and theirs exclusively to agitae the mater or lie
Is 1t rest, IS MI. Plummer justidable in now DRAG
) gng It before the public, and decorating the feel
he nss OF those whom lhad injured by exhbiting Il
y the world the contact OF vrtuous commnnit,
I'd with vice through the instrumentahty Of another
r | ask again, II 1t was not the exclusive rigbt =
M that community TO let the whole matter sleen !,
N oblivion, 1t so they pleased And is no, Mr
Plummer "a resident of another part Of H.
Staiel now as culpable IN the eyes Of that socie
'e ty for his sratuitous act as was in the oroina
Of error
"a Relative TO the private letter that has been m,
c. AIDED before the public, simply remark that d
ch write letter to the man named but, having n,
no copy, and as my enemies have not shown me H.
We original, do not know whether it is correct,
ii quoted. All will agree with me that man WI,
would be base enough 10 publish letter so eyi
); IDENTIFY private and so entirely unconnected wi,
politics, would be base enough 10 alter il n en-;
: his own purposes. As appears, it is A FOOLS
g egotisical thing For this offence, LEI him chs
10 the first stone al me who has ever succeeded i
Isl this State, and not written ns ridcnlnns . lA,..