The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-09-17
The Tables Turned.

1t has been our luck to have a good many
auarrels with brother editors, but we do not re-
member that we ever took delight in the misfor-
tunes of any one who at least preserved a bear
ing not inferior to a common hog. But when one
takes US at disad vantage, we are one of the best
hands in the world to wait, and to "lay" for him
against his time Of trouble, and try to make it
square with him. One who rejoiees in the troub-
les of Others sure to have it react on him. soon
er or later.
Last Winter, we Published statement which
we believed to be true, but which happened not
TO be so, in consequence of which we got on our
hands one of those pets called a libel suit, We
did our best to rectify the error, and to explain
how were led into it, but that would not sat
isfy injured integrity. But two or three news
papers in Kansas expressed delight at our pre-
dicament. One of these, and the most inten sely
tickled of all, was the Paola Spirit 1t fairly
went into spasms. We had undertaken to lam
poon the wrong man-we had undertaken to
black-m in the wrong quarter, and all that.
Our explanation was characterized as a craven
eating of our own words, and We were represent
ed as cringing and begging like whipped span
| iel
That's the time L. J. Perry had his he old fun.
But the other side is up now, and it doesn't look
so funny to him.
Some time last Spring a brother of L. j. Perry
was arrested for attempting rape on negro
| girl He was tried, and County Attorney John
ston and City Attorney Nicholson performed their
duty in prosecuting him. He was found guilty,
and Judge Stevens sentenced him to the peni-
tentiary, but Gov. Osborn pardoned him out.
| Perry came out in a recent number of his paper,
charging Stevens, Johnston, and Nicholson with
having conspired to ruin his brother-with hav-
| ing bribed and intimidated witnesses; drilled
witnesses, and pnt words into their mouths; and
with being cold -blooded, treacherous scoundrels,
who had succeeded in their design of perjury,
ETC. The result was, that each one of the three
brought libel suit against Perry. What did he
doi Did he cravenly eat his own wordsf oh,
no, not bit of it! Did he cringe aud beg like a
whipped spanielf Not he, indeedl We let him
tell his own story. He had not our excuse, that
he had made his statements upon information
which he believed to be reliable; but he confess
| es that in a mad fit because the officers would
not eyate the law to favor his brother, he delib-
erately lied about them, without any foundation
in fact and he acknowledges that he thus pub
Iicly confesses hsmself liar, in order to avoid a
libel suit Read his own words:
| APoLoGEuc-On the Goth day of August A. D. 1874
editorial which appeared in paper of that
date in which referred TO the Hon Hiram Stevens
Judge of the Tenth Judicial District W. I. Johnston
County Attorney Of Miami County, Kansas, and L. e.
Nicholson late City Attorney of PaOa in the following
words I'VE think they both rascas" All the con
of Lutte Perry has with deteation OF
these two men this: I'VE believe that W T. Johnston
T. c. Nicholson and Hiram Stevens, entered deliberately
into a conspiracy to ruin and disgrace our brother.
There real against young Perry, but by
cunning manipulation of witnesses aided by wholesale
perjury they did partially succeed in their vile and cruel
scheme He (referring W I. JOhnsOnD prosecuted.
He aided by tA spy anu nformer, Nicholson worked
night and day bring about the boys conviction They
drilled witnesses and put words in their mouths They
threatened with the res calamites il they
appeared for the defense As for Johnston the last six
months have taught that he cold blOOded reacher
| Gus sconndrel."
We frankly admit that the above statements were
made without mature deberation, and were published in
the passion and under unusual excitement and
without any foundation in fact In short, when feel
that have done a wrong willing to make the
honorable We give this retraetion the benefit
of the publicity that given the chars-s-for the
purpose of smoothing personal difficulties and con-
trOversies.-PdOia Spirit
Now, Perry, the next time you want to poke
in your nose to make sport Of another's tronbles,
perhaps you appreciate the feelings of a whip
ped spaniel.