Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-21
MORNING LEADER,
THURsDAY MORNING. MAY q, 1888.

Case Of School Commissioner Cutheart.
Some days ago We published, from the
Newark American, statement that Pro
fessOr Cathcart, the newly elected State
School Commissioner, had visited that town
while under the influence Of deliriunl
tremeos It was grave charge, and one
that ohiOans would gladly have found to
be false but no contradiction was made by
his friends, and the Commissioner suffered
the odium Of being common drunkard.
At length the statement is denied by a
writer in the Statesman, who appends a
physicians certificate to the effect that Mr..
Cathcart was not suffering from delirium
tremens while at Newark, and denying
that he was Of such habit as to render
such a report anything but slanderous
But this very consideration has this dam
aging admission:
It is admitted by his friends with re-
gret that since Mr.. Cathcarts recent cleo
lion, he has, in consequence Of a large
circle Of new aequaintances, INDUCED oe-
easionally in the social but pernioious
habit Of taking o glass Of liquor when not
needed habit to which he had hitherto
been an entire stranger. But It is not
known or believed that he has in a single
instance been in state which profes-
sional drunkard would call intoxieation."
Il does not speak well for the character
Of Mr.. Cathcarfs new acquaint-
ances7 that they have led him to take
q glass Of liquor when not needed
And it requires man to be pretty far
gone beyond any sobriety before he reach
es a point which "a professional druukard
would call intoxication," inasmuch as
these gentlemen admit nothing of the
kind under any circumstances. But, it is
certainly gratifying to be assured that
"For the last three weeks Mr.. Cathcart
has entirely discontinued the use of intox-
ieating drinks on all occasions The peo-
pie Of Ohio will never have occasion TO
regret having entrusted Professor Cath
cart with thesupervision Of the educational
interests Of the State
We have no desire 10 do Mr. Cathcart
an injustice. 1t is with no qualification
that we have published to the world the
story of the shame of her School Commits
sioner; but when the representatives Of
the Columbus, Cincinnati and Newark |
press assert that he &c s intoxicated and
disorderly, it is hard to see how ell Of |
them could be mistaken in the identity Of |
the person. With these preliminary re-
marks, we publish the following. state
ment by request BY a friend Of the ac-
cussd: e.f11
81 solemnly swear that I have known
Charles w. H. Cathcart Ohio State Com
missioner, most intimately for theelast ten
years. Mich of that time I have been
with him daily and hourly. never knew
a man Of purer life. 1 never knew an
oath or vile word to come outof his mouth
" have passed many nights with him
two within the last week-and 1 never
knew him 10 90 10 bed without devoutly
kneeliHg and saying the prayer his mother
taught him. He has the entire manners
Of perfect gentlemen, and has not even
the appearance of drinking. The physi-
clan called to prescribe for him in his
sickness at Newark, testifes, not only that
liquor was not the cause Of his sickness,
but that he had no symptoms Of drinking. |
''And the family with whom he has
boarded in Columbus, declared to me that
they never saw any thing Of him calculated
TO excite suspicion Of his drinking He
has been connected with the church for the
past ten years, and No hraaih Of saaAael
was ever breathed against him. He has
been for several years a School Examiner
for Montgomery county, aud for longer
time the teacher Of mathematics in the
Central High School, in Dayton. At the
close Of his connection with the school,
last February, his pupils presented him
with a large and elegant silver pitcher,
silver cup and a sett of silver napkin
rings as token Of their esteem. He has
the entire confidence of those who know
him in Dayton, his home
" Mr.. Cathcartis a strong Democrat, and
one who, though small in stature, will dare
to utter his convictions anywhere, and will
say and do what he thinks right, at any
personal sacrifce or cost But his private
character is unimpeachable.
". g. DAY Minister " j Church.
Sworn and subscribed in my presence,
this 18th day of May, 1868.
WELLS PORTER, Justice of the Peace.
From the 6Ist Ohio.
Delayed Letter to the Cleveland LEADER.l