The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-12-29
TO THE PUBLIC.

.
DuBuQuE, Dec. 90, 1852.
The call made on me by M. Everett, through
the Express of yesterday, induced, as have
reason to believe, by an urgent necessity for
true statement of facts in the case, would, alone
be justification for the publication Of a cores
friend of the parties, but the following letter
from MIR. Jones leaves me no alternative:
Friday Night, Dec. II.
Being about to start for Iowa City tomorrow
morning early, and having learned tonight that
the lies sent up by Mahony, and published in
the Herald, in relation to my difficulty with
John King, are likely to result injuriously "a
me, and at the same time cause uneasiness in
the minds Of my parents, and other friends At q
distance, owing to the representation that |
have been badly injured, will thank you to
make statement Of the facts, and cause them
to be published in the Miners Express. wish
the erroneous version given Of the matter of my
drawing dirk to be corrected, &c &c.
Yours, &C.,
VIM. ASHLE JONES.
The "facts'' are as follows, as briefly as can
relate,them, without emitting relevant or i'm
portant matter.
sat by the fire, in the sitting room of Swan 8
Hotel, at Iowa City. on Saturday the 4th inst,
in conversation with Hon. Mr.. Fisher, Senator
from this District, and Hon. DR.. Clark, Sena-
tor from Jackson and Jones counties, when |
heard a loud talk on the pavement, and went to
the door. l there found several citizens of
Dubuque, addressing themselves to a number
of gentlemen froA the south, Members OF the
Legislature, and others, and abusing the Hon,
Geo. W. Jones, in manner which | thought
not only undeserved, but shameful They as
serted loudly and boldly, that he could not be
That he was not the choice of the people Of
Dubuque for U. 8. Senator! That he had not
a friend left there behind him: but that every
friend he had there was then in Iowa City, and
that they were persons who had either held of
fee under him, or to whom he had promised
office, &c. &c. |, perhaps imprudently, inter
fered, and charged them with lying said
that Gen. Jones and his friends were apprized
of all the charges prepared to be preferred
against him, and that they would prove them
false, and manufactured for fraudulent intent.
before Democratic caucus, or any other res
peetable assembly. ! charged that those who
were loudest in defaming him, had their expen-
sss paid to Iowa City, and that they were only
doing the bidding of their masters. said, that
of those who were standing behind the curtain
and urging them on, one was an enemy, because
Gen. Jones refused to promise him the office of
Commissioner of the General Land Office, at
Washington City: another, because he did not
make him his successor as Surveyor General,
four years ago; another, because he failed to
get him the office of Paymaster in the Army, or
Purser in the Navy; another, because he was
not rewarded with Surveying contracts for hay.
ing voted for him at the last Senatorial election,
&c, &c. The controversy became exciting,
and no doubt some things were said on both
sides, which itwere better, perhaps, to have
left unsaid; although am not aware of having
said anything which was not prepared to
prove; and much more now, if it were neces.
sary.
This desultory and exciting controversy went
on for some time, when Mr. VIM A. Jones
came omy aid, and Mr.. Quigley soon after
! do not know what either Of these gentlemen
said or done, as the crowd became large, and /
continued on my oDn hook, until Mr.. John
King came to the door and beckoned me in
! followed him through the hall, to side posi-
ton in the sitting room, where he asked me
Privately,if | remembered the circumstances
connected With the letter Of Gen. Wilson s
which ne showed me some years since. l an
swered that l remembered all about it. He
asked me if saw communication signed
"Veritas,' which appeared in the Miners Ex-
press few days before ? said yes. He ask.
ed me if ! saw that communication in manu.
script ! answered no. He asked me whether
he broke open that letter and read it to me,
answered, that he did not break open the seal
of that letter. He asked me if would saw so
IN presence Off third person? | answered. YES:
in the presence OF any number of persons; and
added that would not have allowed the charge
TO be made in that form, had seen it before it
appeared in print. Judge King then went to
the door, and called VIM. A. Jones, who came
in. The same questions were put to me; and
the same answers elected. Mr.. King then
asked Mr.. Jones, s'are you the author of the
communication signed sVeritas.' MIR. Jones.
in walking off to the fire, answered, ayou should
have asked the Editor; I'm under no obligation
to tell you" Mr.. King followed him, and said.
81 believe you are the author, and you are
liar and scoundrel.' Jones seemed to hest
tate moment, and then approached King, say
ing, 81 will allow no man to call NH that.
His cloak slipped from his shoulders as he
walked, and it became entangled in his feet,
when they met and exchanged blows. pulled
the cloak away, and in doing so, staggered
Jones considerably: SO much so, that he did not
quite recover himself, until King threw him
down. think there was only one, or at most
two perfons, besides ourselves in the room when
the tight commenced; but Immediately the
became f,ll