Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-08-14
Energetic Pursuit. of u SANDER
and its PROMPT RetracsiOm.

ana It's fFOmRDt fkekFACtlOn.
The following ''card' from Rev. John
J. Kahn, Il Catholic priest, which we find
in the Winchester (Va.) Neaos. affords so
correct and manlul an exhibition of the
right course for all innocent man to pur-
sue, especially minister of the Gospel or
other public teacher, when outrageously
slandered. that we give it in full. 1t
affords a healthful example for all under
similar circumstances
Harper'S Ferry, w. Va, August 6, 1874.
-Messrs. Editors of Winchester NeWs -
1t is with great reluctance that am COM
PEELED to resort to the public press III de-
Tense of my character, so foully assailed in
your community. For eight years | have
been laboring in this AMI the adjoining
counties Of Virginia and West Virginia
as a Catholic priest, discharging the oner
Gus GntieS of my office with the fidelity OF
one who is fully Conscious Of the high and
awful responsibilities of the sacred minis
try. Thus far nave claimed and received
from all good men OF every Christian de-
nomination tile respect due to Il pure
minded and faithful minister of God. But
within the past few days | have been at
tackled by /. most base and villianous SLAM
than proceeded to Winchester in search
of it's auther. | WAS not long in getting
upon his trail Before the first evenings
sun had S, lie Was confronted in his place
If business i'll Martinsburg, and the fol-
lowing letter placed IN his hands:
Martinsbmg, West Virginia, August 5,
1S74.-Mr. j. l.. e. Combs-Sir: You
nave circulated reports in Winchester,
Va, excessively damaging to my charac
ter us d gentleman, Il Giristan and a
priest. The nature Of these reports were
comment 'ated to me this morning by
Messrs. Reed and Manning, to whom you
spoke in this disparaging manner OF me-
| have in my possession a written state
ment of What you told those gentlemen. -
know not, sir, why you should have thus
vilited me. Remember that when asked
by Mn. Manning if you we're sure | was
the man, YOU reiterated your assertion
that you were not mistaken; that | was
certainly the one about whom these reports
were current in This town of Martinshurg.
Are you prepared. sir, to SuDstantlate
these grave charges against my good
name?
Under legal advice / call on you before
taking any further steps. 1t will not do to
say you did not speak slanderously OF me.
Any such denial on your part Will cause
me to institute legal proce dmgs against
you at once, lis | am fully prepared to prove
by the above named gentlemen that you
did
| now demand a full retraction, with the
understanding that | am at liberty to use
it as choose to repair the INJURY Which
your slantlerous reports have done me.
Three points your statement must cover.
You must declare these reports false us far
as you know; you must deny that any such
crimes are imputed to me i'll this commu-
nity. and YOU must apologize otherwise,
| will brand you in court of justice MS an
infamous defamer. This note must BIZ re-
piled to at once. | will tolerate no delay.
Ii you do not make an ample retraction
Immediately | must seek redress at once
in. court. Respectfully,
Pastor of s.. Peters Church, Harper's
Ferry, West Virginia.
TO this peremptory demand for repara-
ton of the SANDER this declaration, in
GLIDING all my requirements was promptly
returned;
Il, j. l.. E. Combs, declare that the
J. J. Kahn, Catholic priest at Harper's
Ferry are not true, to the best OF my
knowledge; that there are no such charges
circulated in this community about the
Rev Mr.. Kahn; that in reporting such III
famous tales have done an incalculable
injury 10 the character Of this reverend
gant lema,., whose reputation is pure and
blameltss and | regret most sincerely the
harm which | have done by cjrculatil. G
those base ISLANDERS and | do freely and
folly apologize for doing this injury to the
character of I, Christ ian, Il gentleman and
a minister of God
s.En witness whereof / hereby afiix my
name and seal this st day Of August
1874. u, l.. Il. COMBS.
WITNESS l.. a. MONTAGUE"
| Perhaps, Messrs. Editors, sirere was no
analeieus motive prompting the said
combs to utter these foul ;tsperslohs upon
the character Of one totally unknown to
him. But with his motives | have nothing
| do. Whatever may have been his inten-
ton. the injury to that which is to me
ttearer than life itself would be none the
less if his Islander had not been thus fully
acknowledged and repaired, as far rs snch
ali injury can be repaired. The moral at
mosphere is so completely charged with
the most abomindble corrllptinQs that men
are fast losing all faith in the purity and
integrity of even those who should be mod
els of every Christian virtue Mems minds
are therefore prepared to drink in every
imputatiou of g lit upon the slightest sus-
picion. No course, consequently. remain
ed for me but to trace out these libellous
charges against me to the one who first
gave them circulation, and obtain from
him, as have done, a full retraction and
ample apology.
Very respectfully, &c,
JOHN J. KAN.
Catholic Pastor Harper's Ferry and Win