The Lincoln County herald., 1871-01-05


7. Hoffman, was hanged for highway
robbery, is q brutal aud gratuitous lic,
without single shadow Of foundation in
fact. II is disheartening to virtuous men
to see such shameful means resorted to
to achieve political success as the attack.
ing Of the dead in their graves and dehl-
ing their honored names with slander.
When we think Of the anguish this mis-.
erablo falsehood must cause the innocent
relatives aud friends Of the deceased, we
are almost driven to incite an outrage and
insulted public to summary and unlawful
vengeance upon tho tEaducer. But no.
let US leave him to the agony Of laccra.
ting CONSCIENCE though if passion
should get the better Of the public aud
in its blind fury they should do the ira
ducer bodily injury, it is but Too obvious
that no jury could convict and no court
punish the perpetrators Of tho dced.)"
The ingenious closing sentence had the
effect Of moving me out Of bed with dis
patch that night, and out Of the back
door. also, while the Outraged md in
suited public" surged in the front way.
breaking furniture and windows in their
righteous indignation as they came, and
taking off such property as they could
carry when they went. Andyet can lay
my hand upon tho Book and say that |
never slandered Governor HofFman's
grandfather More--I had never heard
Of him or mentioned him up to that day
and date.
RI will state in passing, that the jour
nal above quoted always referred to me
afterwards as "Twain, the Body
Snatcher.
The next newspaper article that at
tractcd my attention was the following
A SWEET CANDIDATE. MARK Twain,
who was to make such blighting speech
at the mass meeting at the Independents
last night, don't come to time A tele.
gram from his physician stated that he
had been knocked down by q runaway
team, and his leg broken in two places
sufferer lying in great agony, and sofoTth
and solor,h, and q lot more bosh Of the
same sort. And the Independents tried
hard to sw1low the wretched subtcriuge
and pretend that they did not know what
was tho real reason of the absence Of the
abandoned creature whom they denomi.
nate their standard bearer. A certain
man was seen to reel into Mr.. Twain S
hotel last night in state of bcastly
into oxication. 1t is the imperative duty
Of the Independents to prove that this
besotted brute was not Mark Twain him
self. We have them at last This is a
case that admits ef no shirking The
voice Of tho people demands 10 thunder
tones: 'Who was that man
!, 1t was incredible, absolutely incredi
) ble, for moment, that it was really my
, ua,ne that was coupled with this Disgrace
, full suspicion. Three long years had
, passed over my head since had tasted
ale, beer, or liquor of any kind.
| 1t shows what effect tho times wer,
t having on me when say that saw my
self confdeutially dubbed "Mr. Deliriuu
Tremens Twain" in tho next issue Of tina
. journal without paug-notwithstandius
| knew that with monotonous fidelity The
5 paper would 60 on calling me SO to th
very end
{ BY this time Anonymous letters wer
3 getting to be an important part of M,
mail matter. This form was common
+ "How about that old woman you kiket
off your premises which was beging."
e Pol PRY.
. And this
There is things which you have don
y which is unbeknowens to anybody bu
t me. You better trot out few dollars t
t yours truly or you'll hear thro' the pa
e pers from HANDY ANDY.
). That is about the idea. | could con
tinue them till the reader was surfeitec
= if desirable.
}. Shortly after, the principal Repub,ca
r journal 'convicted" me of wholesale br
v berry, and the leading Democratic pape
l mailed" an aggravating case Of black
d mailing to INC.
y FIN this way l acquired two addition,
names: "Twain, the Filthy Corruption
i ist." and "Twaln, the Loathsome En-
bracer."1
re BY this time there had grown to |
e such clamor for an "answcr" TO all th
dreadful charges that we're laid to M
D. that the editors and leaders Of my part
q said it would be political ruin to me
Is remain silent any longer AS if to max
their appeal the more imperative, the 70
lowing. appeared in one Of the papers tt
W very next day.
10 "BEHoLD THE MAN The Indepe
re dent candidate still maintains silenc
, Because he dares not speak. Every a
Ia cusation against him has been amp
e, proved, aud they have been endorsed al
a -e.endorsed by his own eloquent slenc
10 till at this day he stands forever CO
is victed. Look upon your candidate, l
IN dependents Look upon the Iaiamo
d. Perjurer the Montana Thief! the Boz
De Snatchcr Contemplate your iucarna
to Delirium Tremens! your Filth Corfu
he ZIONIST! your Loathsome Embrace
lis Gaze upon him-ponder him well-a
then say if you can give your honest vc
ly to creature who has earned this disn