, 1874-03-03
ur. Storoy's Attacks on Dr.. Johnson's
Friends and tho Ro}icf and
lid Sdeiety.
Mr.. Storey's Threatening Let
ters.
A Card from DR.. Johnson.

private letterH, given expreBBlon 10 n'so.
hostility to myself. Unler tho pretoxe OF
3 zeal for the public good, ho has rocontlY ro-
newod those attaeka with groat viruleilco' ou
account Of his personal fcoling against NO. Ao
has accused tho noliof and Aid Society Of crime,
for no other roaHon, as l bocVe, than tla1
have been co,.ncctod With 1t. Ha las without
rcason Judged unjust1y other persons whom ho |
know or believed to bo my friends. I desiro
therefore to p!aoo bofore the public facts, aud
extracts from his lcttors which may aid In |
truo Interpretation Of what ho has Haid, Or may |
eay, Of my friends, or of tho work Of Relief
Tho roason for hin hostility towards mo Was |
the sudden and unexpected denth OF tho late !
Mrs. Storey whilo under my professional caro-.
ntr. storoy's friends boiovo that this ovont pro-
ducod III him morbid feeling. rendering him
incapable Of carefully considering evidence, but
forcing him. before ho knew Of the facts, to q
conclusion for WHICH thoro waa no just roason,
and for which he had not evon attempted, by my
rational method, to find . reason. It is also
thought by thoso who know something OF h1a
nfo during tho past your, that this samo morbid
feeling Inns 80 far affected bis previous habit OF
reasoning aa to account for bis recoutconvorsion
to spiritualtam. flint Ao formed lis opinion OF
my troatment Of his late wifo without knowledge
or Judgment, is abuudant1y ovidont from tho
faets, aud, having reached this orinlon without
reason it ia quito consistent TINT ho should hold
1t in spite of reason. In other words, upon that
subject he Ia mentally aud omotionully doraugod.
These preaumptioua, think, nre charitable. X
they are not true, ho ia certainly tho greatest
MORAL monster OF tho ago.
know that did my duty In tho matter. II
Is obvious thnt could have boon aotuated by no
motive but dcaire to do oil / could for hor ro~
covery. Sho died Of rheumatic Inflammation Of
Tho heart, and tho sudden anl fatal termination.
though unexpected, Was perfectly III accordance
with tho occasional experience Of the profession,
aad with facts found in tho medical litera-
lure of tho subject. That did not foreace ler
death is truo. There were no facts within my
knowledge upon which could bnae such q prog
nosis. NY treatnent did not produce or hastou
her death, nor could by any moans have pro-
vented 1t.
Mr. storey's frieuds suggested that, as mat
ter of humanity, might help him 10 his distress
by submitting tho history aud troatnlcnt Of the
case to a few physicians OF approved character
a1ld standing, for their opinion. It was thought
that such nn opinion 'whother favorable Or ad-
yorse to nao.would furnish reasonable hasia for
q just Judgment, and TINT hlr. Storey ought to
accept ii aud that it might not only
eayo him from permanent mental arrangement.
III accordance with this suggestion, prepared
from my notes. statement Of tho symptoms and
treatment Of Mrs. Storey whlo under my caro-.
Ehis statement was subsequently pnblshed[ in
tho medical Journals Of this city. To NJ. sto-
tys iifc-ong friend, Dr.. Z. 8. Fowler, Of Spring
field, proposed that ho, with any two ophysicians
of Chicago, Of reputable clsaractor md Standing,
whom ho might select, Hhould carefully examine
tho cnBo togethor, with such additional in
formation. il any, aa Mr. Storey might desire
to give them. Dir. Fowler informed mo tlat
llr. Storey did not desire such reference
but TINT 10 did doslfo ls SDr' .,ls Eowlera}
stil do, Dr.. Fowler to lo man OF honor and
physician Of intelligence, placed tho matu-
script in llia hands. Although have no writton
statoment to TINT effect. I do not understand
TINT he believes that Mrs. storoy's doath ~as In
neglect, or that could havo prevented it: 1n
justice to DR.. Fowler. I ought to Bay TINT Mr.
Storey admits, in one Of his letters. that DR..
Fowler thinks tint the profession would lnaoTse
my treatment, md that sho died from the dig
enao statad. Alr. Storoy's alleged raason Tor
declining tho reference Of the case
was, that doctors wore au leagued to-
gethor, and would always sustain each other.
quite sure two or three honest and capable
x6o % would have caadidly expressed their jug.
ment without faar or favor.
from his lettora, believe that upon this subject
he is mentally and emotionally morbid. foar
tAat ho will mover recover from, it. Because Of
tl1iB beliof, fcol no moro resentment towards
him personally than would towards mad man
who might raise his hand to strike MIC.
Hs letters are made up tor the mont part Of
thu sanlo arguments that ho publiahnd last aunl-
mor in his newspaper, expressed, however, in
the most violent and indecorous language. I
have never replied to theaa, because llis language
tdnot admit OF argument, and was satisfied that
he waa not anaenable to reason. He has con-
atrued my silence as cowardce, and my roticenGe,
[i my published statement, aa to the
facts In tho previous history habits,
and character Of his late vito, which might
have influenced the case, ae M evasion
- want Of candor. NY consideration TOR hit
mental md moral mnladY ho las interpreted az
confession on my part Of guilt And, as he
owns newspaper, ana can print oyory aay III the
yoar. II lle iikoH, any charge winch le may
choose to mike, and as ho has declared his in
teution to crush me. and as ho claims to be
ectuated soleIy by o desire to protect tho pubic
tlom the injury that must, in his opinion, bt
aallsed BY INV recklessneas and dcarelessnesa III ~
treatment OF my patients, ana a. he proposes e e
atflko any OF my friends WHO may clanco TO
ltuud III tho way OF . blow aimed at mo, ex-