The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-23
Eow Father Kahn strangled SANDER.
From the Baltimore Mirror1

|
No one is safe from SANDER either since g
before the day that the Jews cried of the r,
deemer, he blasphemeth |" but every one ba
| the power to make even the Pilates of tb;
y world exclaim, "Lo, this man is innocent
rather Kahn, of Harper's Ferry, Va, was yilel
slandered by j. L. E. Combs, of Martinsbure
+ and was of course deeply panied and agerieve,
by the malicious falsehood. The SANDERS wer,
communicated to him for the first time b,
Messrs. Reed and Manning. What did he do
he was q priest of the Catholic Church be
fouled and besmirched by calumnious tongue
although he stood high in the estimation O.
his congregation and of those not of his con
gregation. Did he call committee, Beecher
like, to solve the truth or falsehood of the
chargesf No. He knew there was law in tho
country which preserves mans character AZ
we'll as his property, and he determined to in.
woke that law or make j. L. E. Combs eat his
WORDS. de hurried from his home to Martins
burg; the slanderer was told to his teeth that
MS course was base," his stories infamous
tnat he was LIAR, for his charges were no,
| true and that he should humbly apologize for
doing such "ipjory to the character of a Chris
| thar, gentleman and minister of God. -
There was no bolstering about this proceeding
no convenient friend to "hush up" no excla-
! nations of " what a scandal !" if it were known.
Rather Kahn was merciful, for he feared not
publicity, but he should have reparation
Before the first sun had SET" he says, " he
was confronted" He could have gone before
court of law, ruined this precious Mr., J. l.,
E. Combs for life and mulcted him in money
heavily. But the pastor of Harper's Ferry did
not choose vindictve course. The Door crea
ture who lbeled him was glad to get off with
branding himself as slauderer, and with con-
tossing that the priest he slandered was "pure
and bIameless." An innocent and an injured
man can always take the course which distin
guished Father Kahn in this case, and gripe the |
robber of his fair fame, as he would the robber
OF his household goods, by the throat to make
him disyorge the truth. He courts inquiry. |
for he Is conscious of blamelessness and wishes
his character to be vindioated in the fulI LIGHT
of day. We cannot institute comparisons here
with celebrated case current, but this ia how
q Catholic priest trampIes upon Islander in ths
name of truth, recttude and morality. ws
publish the correspondence on the subject.
taken from the Winchester (Va.) Ne,rs, which
explains the matter fully:
HARPER's FERRY, w. ", Aug. 6, 1874
Mecsrs. Editors of Winchester News:
1t Is with great reluctance that am com.
oefled to resort to the public press in Defiance
If my character, 30 foully assailed in yonr
For eight years have been labor 7
ng in tnis andothe adjoining counties of Vir t
;!nla and West Virginia as Catholic priest,
Iisoharging the onerous duties of my Office t
With the fidelity of one who is fully conscious 9
+ the high and awful response bilities of the | z
acred ministry. Thus far ! have claimed and b
ece1ved from all good men Of every Christian b
enomination the respect due to pure-minded jc
no FAITHFUL minister of God. But within the p
asst few days have been attacked by most c
ase and villainous SANDER. No sooner had l a
cen informed of it than proceeded to Win b.
hester in search of it's author. was not long 81
getting upon his trail. Before the first eve. W
lng's gun had set he was confronted in hiS th
lace of business in Martinsburg, and the fol-
wing letter placed in his hands: -,
MARTNsBuRG, w. ", Aug. s, 1874. W,
I. J. L. E. Combs: 90
Str-You have circulated reports in Winches -.
r, Va, excessively damaging to my character W
gentleman, Christian and priest The
.ture of these reports was communicated to De
g this morning by Messrs. Reed and Manning eli
whom you spoke in this disparaging manner -.
me. l have in my possession written Tie
atement of what you told these gentlemen. he
know not, sir, why You should have thus aw
lifted me. Remember that when asked by
. Manning If you were sure WAS the man,
q reiterated your assertion that you were qu
mistaken; that / was certainly the one the
out whom these reports were current in this que
vn of Martinsburg. Are you prepared, sir, enc
snbstantiate these grave charges against the
good nameH will
Jnder legal advice call on you before TAX all
any further steps. 1t will not do to say egg
! did not speak slanderously of me. Any of
h denial on your part will cause me to in kee
ute legal proceedings against you at once, the
am fully prepared to prove by the above bell
ned gentlemen that you did. sho
now demand fall retraction, with the I'M eae
standing that am at liberty TO use it as effo
ose to repair the injury which yonr slander- the
reports have done me. Ion,
hfee point7 Tour statement must cover san