The Van Buren press., 1871-09-19
Out of his own mouth q convicted liar.

Week before last, we wrote three lnes.with-
out thought of harm in them saying that
the "kuKlux question was the all-abeorbing
one. at Fort Smith, at that time. The Edi-
tor of the Netr Era was we'll aware that such
was the case, but, notwithstanding he allows
an anonymous writer to attack us In low
contemplate manner for it, We replied, as
, we saw iit-as we always do when attacked
and again reiterated what we had said before
citing the editors own paper as proof OF what
we stated. and further said, that Mr.. Delfs
face was slapped two or three times by Sher-
iii Scott for publishing matters growing out
OF the ku-klux excitement in that county. In
reply to this Mr., Dell says:
! The Van Buren, Press. OF the 18th, replies
very bitterly to a brief spondence In the
New Era, of the eth instant, signed "Strang-
| er." 1t would have been WELL had ). Dun
| ham, of the Press, confined himself to his le-
gtimatc business and replied to stranger.
But he must lug in the editor OF the New Era,
personally and in doing so, lie states that
"And what is worse. Mr. Dell, the editor, has had
hi. face slapned two three times by the sheriff for
matters published growing out Oi the hu-hiux eA-
citemcnt in that county.
All we have to say is, that this is an unmit-
gated falschood. that Mr.. Durham knew it TO
De so when he penned tho words. and that he
has, not for the first time either, exhibited
himself before the world as a cowardly liar
and slandcrcr. No man has erer slapped Y.
Deifs face, nor ,eiii except at a risk, that
would make the business rather Improbable.
The editor of the Van Buren, Press has new
er failed to seize upon an opportunity to
squirt his venom at US. lie is utterly uncon-
scious that there ought TO be as much person
al courtesy and honorable bearing between
members of the editorial corps, as there is
among ministers. lawyers. physicians, and
other professional men. He thinks the chief
duty OF an editor is to personally insult an
other editor. Wen teach him better yet
even If We have to slap his face.
We had before, declined to notice the at
tack ON Mr.. Dell, by the Sheriff, and referred
to 1t at this time, without the least particle OF
iN-will for the editor of the Era. What we
wanted to impress on our readers by saying
that Dell had had his face slapped, was, that
! the excitement and discussion of this qucs-
| ton was so great at Fort Smith that, he, the
editor had received public and personal as
sault on account oft
! But what matters it, so far as the insult was
! intended, whether Mr.. Scott "ruJjed his .fSI
UHder Mr.. DeHS nose TIME and AGAIN, OF
smotc him on the cheek. Out of his own
mouth We will prove substantially our asser-
| ton. and convict him of being poor, pitia.
bic object of contempt. Read from the Ere
of the lst.:
| about four O'Clock yesterday afternoon We
were quietly proceeding in company witt
| Mr. Charles Perkin. to the place OF business
| of +. W. BOas, Esq. Justice OF the Peace tC
have him alliX his signature to some aflidayits
! of legal publications. While we went In &c
the baeh-room OF Mr. Boas' place, Mr.. Per.
| kins remaining ont doors, we noticed Capt
Scott seated in the front room watching II.
closely. Our business transacted, we walk ed
out. Capt. Scott approaching us near the front
door With his hand in the pistol pocket al
his back, he pour out against us a volley OF
filthy epithets, oaths and precautions, threat
ening us with summary vengeance. Evcry
noe and then he mJuid SHAKE MS FIST UNDER
OUR NOSE, but would quickly carry his hand
back again to his pistol, lest he give us the adj.
vantage of shooting him first, of which there
was not the slightest danger, rs we were moi
armed nor are in the habit ofgoinS armed.
What more indignity did Dell require
Scott could have spit in his face and there
would have been no resentment, it is very
evident.
On September 9TH, three days after Scott
had "rubbcd his fist under Del's nose, We
find the following:
last Saturday between twelve and one
o'clock T. NJ, having just left our Office to 90
to dinner and while talking fora minute Will,
old Uncle Jesse McDavid, II we'll known and
highly respected colorcd man, Capt. Scot,
1..l,s Il al ~.
numation ofhis presence, he struck as belou
and behiad the ear. Turning around we saw
him putting his hand to his pistol and being
unarmed, we rstreated to our Office
Is it necessary for us to add one word
further in proof of what we said? Not q
word. is clear to every mind. AS we sat
before, we merely cited the difficulty of Del
and Scott, to show that the ku-kluX question
was the general and all-exciting topic, and
not because we had the least particle spite OF
ill-wil toward Mr.. Dell. On the contrary
our sympathies have been rather with him in
the fight that WAS being waged.
We never like to invite personal diGicultie,
but whenever Mr.. Dali feels that the occasion
requires the slapping of our face, he viii
proceed, and at the same time, will do we'll tC
consider that perhaps there may be two side,
to that discussion. We are most always al
home. Sometimes our business calls us tc
Fort Smith.
j. S.--Since the above WAS written, we have
it from the very best authority, that Mr.
Scott did slap Mr.. Dcll's face with the Nat o.
| his hand, and did not strike him back of tht
ear as he charges.
.s some Que writing TO the Fort Smitl
| Herald, from Chicago, says that "Gad Fly,
An old travelling spondentof that paper
! from Arkansas, WAS attracted to the thirt
story window Of palatial brown-stouc front
Of that city. by "Lday B8g" throwing
grapes at him, and it only required a" "winl