Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-08-07
ssSWsNDLJNG,;

~ AONa4
IcLE," of July 10th, under the sbov'
title, and | desire space in your papel
to reply to the gross and unfoundeC
assertions that are contained in it,
Facts shall contradict the falsehoodi
which are therein asserted, and put II
blush the ingenious ~rsscslity which haI
invented and published them. At an
other time, and before another tribu
nal, l will vindicate my character o.
the charges so Tecklessly and unblIsh
ingly made.
On the 9th day of June, 1867, as
wa passing the house of John Fee, o.
Mecca, Chic, on my return TO my home
in Illinois, l was stopped by Harris
johnson, and asked what l would sell
my entire interest in the Mecca Burn
ing F7Eid' for. l replied that he had
not money enough to buy it. He urged
me to sell him some territory, and al
last l consented to close, and offered
him the State of Ohio, retaining three
counties, for one thousand dollars
The contract of sale was reduced To
writing, but was not signed at the time,
indeed it never was signed, on account
of the want of stamps to.athx TO 1t, and
the completion of the transaction was
left until the following day, to be COM
pleted at Warren. o5I n
On my arrival at Warren, next morn
1 was accosted by an officer, and in
formed that he had q warrant for my
arrest, on charge of obtaining money
under false pretences. By advice OF
counsel l resolved to contest the
charge, and made my preparations &C
cordingly, when l was solicited by a
friend OF Johnson's to arrange the mat
ter by a compromise. Anxious TO re-
turn to my home, from which l had
been absent for some time, in attend
ance upon the United States Court at
Cleveland, and against the advice of
my counsel and friends, l released
johnson from his engagement, he con-
senting to pay the costs in an injunc-
tion case and l to pay the Justices
costs on the arrest. Ny motive for ma
king such q settlement was two-fold:-
l was DESTROYS of getting to my family
who required my presence, and of re.
tanning the good name and character l
had established among the people OF
Trdmbull county, by proving to them
that l would not contend with M OF
their citizens, even in q matter where
| was right and had the law and my
conscience to sustain me. In addition
to these motives, l knew johnson, and
knowing him. 1 preferred to lose an
advantage, TO risking the influence of
a tongue and a fertility ofimzgination,
which might invent other falsehoods.
as easily as it had concocted the charge
Of that day. l thought it better to be
free from him at any cost, than to in
cur more expense, annoyance and pu-
erie instability from his uncertain and
variable temper. So against the re-
peated advice of my counsel, / cancell-
ed a verbal agreement, for the written
contract had not as yet been signed,
and let him free from a purchase made
only at his urgent solicitation and re-
ally against my own inclination. Such
are the facts: Now as for the "SsOind.
ling" 1t is false, as asserted that / was
travelling about the country, fol, the
purpose Of disposing Of rights to make,
use and vend an article known as the
Mecca Burning Fluid" nor did my es-
innate, clearly prove that the cost Gifts
manufacture would exceed 80 cents q
gallon, NOR would it then, with the
Government tax added, cost more than
coal oil. Neither johnson nor any one
else, but myself, is competent to Judge
of is cost, or of itsexpIosive character,
for he has never made any of 1t and
knows nothing of it, but from hearsay.
And when he concocted the falsehood,
out of which the statement was made,
he knew that he was making it cut OF
whole cloth and without q solitary
word of truth to sustain him, except
the mere fact of the agreement. Now
1 ask the good people of Trumbull
County, who know me well, if there
has eve been anything in my conduct
or character, to authorize such a term
as "SvindLe" to be attached to my
name, and especially by such q man as
Harris johnson, whose remarkable pro
pensities and exceedingly lofty flights,
have gained him the soubriquet OF
'Birde," but which l contend, does not
authorize him to put his hands upon
any nest, traduce any character, save
his own. / have transacted much bust.
ness and expended large sums Of mon.
ey in Trumbun County and up to this
day, l defy a man in it to say that
aver wronged him to the value of q
cent. Even the nest~which .'Btzdis''
johnson so complacently watches, is
indebted to my exertions for its value
and present comforts ; and L would
suggest to him, that every time he
handles its treasures, he will consider
10 whom he is mainly indebted for It's
present existence and worth. l am just
what the people of Trumbul County
have eyer known me to be, and always
expect to retain their good opinion,
not by lying or sVindhng, but by an up
right and honorable course of conduct,
such as l have heretofore maintained,
As for the libel contained in the ar
ticle under consideration, other means
will be resorted to, to vindicate myself
and my family. Such a charge cannot
be made without due consideration,
but having once been made, it must be
proved or the libeller must expect to
receive the measure which is melted
out to all liars. ID
date this from my home in Illinois,
with the assurance that 1 can always
be found there, ready to defend my
character against the assaults of malig'
nifty or intended ~rascality. l desire
Sir, that you will publish this, as ex.
tensiYely as you have given credit "a
the article it is a-reply TO.
ORVILLE W. BUNNELL.
De Kslb, DeKalb, Co., Ill.
AUGUST, originally called Ssrtiks, OF