Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-05-26
RIDGEWAY.


from a couple of articles lately published
in your paper that there are those in our
midst that think Ridgeway is not yet suf-
ficiently disgraced; and not being, q sup
pose,) able to discover any extraordinary
damage that has been done to the living
within the past tho gears, they would now
charge the people of the town with the
dissertation of its cemeteries and the mu-
tiation of its tomb stones.
A person would suppose from reading
the first two-thirds of the article contrib
uted by "Observer," that the people out
here took &c savage delight in showing
their disrespect for the dead, and other
practices which he deemed unciyilized.
But in the end of this ge1y common sense
article we are told that the tomb stone
that marks the last resting place of the
late Mr.. Roberts is the one particular y re-
ferred to, and then it closes so abruptly
that it does not tell of the other cemeteries
that have been mutilated, but are not SPAR
ticularly referred to-"
But there is one thing that "Observer"
observed that evidently was not as he OBJ
served it-tnat is the mutilation of the
mason's compass and square, as that has
not been damaged yet But this is enough
of "Observer," whose only rcdeeming fea-
ture consists in the shame that induced
him to be consistent and sign false name
to his falsehood.
But in your last issue another commu-
nication appears signed by Samuel Roberts,
who informs the readers of the CHRONICLE
&C that what he wishes to say is to corrob-
crate observer. Now, Mr.. Editor,
think that when person "wishes" to
" corroborate" anybody, they ought first
to investigate the case and see if the facts
truthfully and fully stated will do to cor
roborate with.
Samuel Roberts states that "the stone
was thrown down about a year ago, evil
deDtly by violent hands, as the stone was
well cemented and bolted with . long iron
bolt to the base. 1t required five men to
replace it," Now in order to understand
the facts fully will state that this tomb
stone is about five feet high, two feet wide
and from seven to eight inches thick; it is
set into the base about one inch and Frank
Farwell stated that there is a short irop
pin that is fitted to a socket in the base
The birthstone that was used for cement
has been burnt or otherwise injured, so
that it is about as good cement as ordi-
nary lime and sand would be; and as to
its requiring five tnen to replace it, any one
can Judge from the dimensions of the stone
given above how much necessity there was
for five men but Mr.. f. says there were
but three, (himself, Frank Farwell and
Henry Roberts, and that the impression
at that time was that it was blown down
by the wind or thrown over by cattle
which have free access to it, and that Hen
rv Roberts showed his faith in this theory
by propping it UP with rail so that it
should not be blown over again.
But where the most persistent effort is
directed, is to create the impression that
the Masonic emblem is the object at which
this terrible damage has been aimed. The
object of this ears be fully appreciated by
those who arc acquainted with the relation
in which part Of the Roberts family
stand toward large majority of the peo-
| pie of this neighborhood. Their object
apparently is to create a Masonic sympa-
thy, which they hope will help them in the
approaching lawsuit between Samuel Rob,
erts and his friends, against Thomas Wat.
kins, John Calkins, ct al. But I am Of
the opinion that the sympathy of an in
tenigent body tlike the Masons must be
fished for with a more substantial bait than
falsehood, so thinly disguised as this story
evidently is. The damage done to the
stone is exactly as stated by Mr.. Thomas
Strut, ard his theory of the manner of its
occurrence is corroborated by an expert in
the business, who has visited it for the
purpose of inspecting it. would also re-
fer to Rev. Nelson Whitman, who has ex-
amined it.
/ Now, would like to know # it is reas-