Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-25
Another Card from Mr.. Norton.

Another Card from Mr.. Norton.
4essr1. Editors The last word is, By
common consent, believe, conceded to be
the prerogative of the Common ScOl6.
And in appearing again for this third
time in your columns, / certainly have no
desire to be thought ambitious to take on
that character. confess, on the contrary,
to a great deal of reluctance in asking
again permission to say what deem IS
necessary for me to say in vindication o:
the position which | originally took in the
matter of Mr.. Franklin and the Reech
Glenn Sunday School, and in refutation of
the irrelevant side matters which have
been Extensively and gratuitously thrust
upon me in the discussion of that posi-
tion. certainly had no idea when 1 re-
qUcstcd the simple correction which did,
in your local columns, that it was to result
in any prOtraCted discussion. such US has
followed. l supposed that the correction
would he accepted as proper and just,
and that there the matter would end
Erroneous as knew the statement which
the Union editor had made about Mr..
Franklin embczzling the funds of the Sun
day School, to he, l would much rather
have let it pass and be forgotten along
with his memory, than have, on account
as would make the privacics of the little
neighhorhood in which live, the talk of
everybody about town. But since that
statement has been used as prcteXt to
make uncalled for and opprobriOus filings,
a me. filings which betray, unmistakably, a
malicious purpose from the outset. there is
nO alternative left me, having started in,
but to show up the whole matter in its
true character, and let the public know
who are the parties that have been mainly
instrumental in bringing upon the Beech
Glenn community, the unfortunate cOnnec-
tion which they had with Mr. B. Frank
Iiu
And here, at the outset, let me again re-
mind your readers of the only foundation
which all this controversy that has been
raised with me, has. The editor of the
Union stated among other things, that Mr.
Franklin had embezzled the funds of the
Beech Glenn Sunday School. Thinking he
had been simply misled by catching up
some rumOrs that were current at the first
excitement, !, without going out of my
way to do so, or even without feeling any
special interest in the matter, one way or
the other lit having been enough for me to
know that Franklin had imposed upon uS)
suggested that this was an error, and re-
quested, as I have before said, the proper
correction. In offering this correction, 1
actuated by no special concern as to
what any person might believe about
Franklin, for man who had doue as he
had Gone. could not, in the nature of
thinga, be much respected, however cor
rect Gll his other conduct might be shown.
II WAS, as much as anything else, regard
for our reputation out at Beech Glenn, Hs
a careful, correct community, who were in
the habit of looking into the conduct of
those who collected and disbursed our
funds for educational purposes, that
prompted me to offer tue corrections
that / did. Certainly, I could not have
expected that ] was to he made there
t3- so conspicuous as l have been, and /,
therefore, did not once suppose that WAS
to be dragged into dispute which should
take IL malicious partisan range and make
me accountable politically and morally,
for simple business correction.
trust, MessrS. Editors, thai your rea-'
jIers will. therefore, after what have said,
pardon me for my refusal to allow the
matter to drop with the last communica-
ton of Mr.. Burns, and that those of them
who took the trouble to read that Commu-
nication will likewise take the trouble to
read what shall now offer in reply to it.
And first and by way of disposing of
the matter once aud forever, let me offer
an additional piece of evidence which
have in my possession from 3Eessrs. Gil
christ aud Clark, being further coutir-
nation of the evidence contained in their
former card, published in my hast article.
1t will show to the entire satisfaction. as
believe, of every candid man, the thorough
correctness Of the figures which publish
ed from Mr.. Frnnklin's report.
FURTHER STATEMENT FROM MEssRs. GIL
CHRIST AND CLARK.
This is to certify that we have re-cxHm-
ined all the property in possession of the
Beech Glenn Sunday School, and find it
exactly to correspond With the figures given
by Mr.. Norton, as embodied in FrankIir's
report. Since our former statement. we find
bills for printing, &c, for the exhibition,
which together with the curtains and fix
lures, &C., supplied by Franklin, are now
in our possession, make up and HpPh-
rently more than make mp that SIP G5
charged as an item of expense for the cx-
hibition. We have now also ascertained
how Mr. Franklin made the charge of SIS
for the book case, which MIR. Burns as
serts that Mr.. Gilchrist stated YVES Il false
charge. 1t was for broad board out of
which he (Franklinj himself manufActu-
red the inside doors of the case. 1t will
be seen by examining tue report, that no
separate charge is made tor it, but it was
added to the 81 which he paid for the
hook case. We are now willing to testify
that Mr.. Franklin has applied all the funds
collected, us per his report, honestly. Mr.
Gilchrist never stated to Mr.. Burns that
he knew Franklin had made false charges,
as Mr.. Burns states. He merely stated
that he roulTi nOt at that time understand