Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-04-24
About Circulation.

he was permitted to rant and blow
about the circulation of his paper,
and no notice was taken of him. No
body cared about it. Emboldened
by the unIlisturbed manner in which
he was permitted to lie about the cir
culation of his own paper, he sought
to lie about that of others. He knew
he was lying, but he never dreamed
that it would be proved on him. He
ascertained that the INDEPENDENT
did not have 2S5 subscribers in the
county. This lie was patent enough
to any rejecting business man who
would readily understand that a large
establishment like the INDEPEN-
DENT could not run six months on
such patronage. But we chose to
nail the lie in the most emphatic
manner, and offered to put up 500
for the benefit of the poor, that the
INDEPENDENT had much larger
circulation than any other paper pub
lished in the county. The PROPOSE
tion placed Buzfuz in an awkward
position. If he refused to accept, it
would be an acknowledgement that
he had deliberately lied-Aif he accept
ed the banter and the terms proposed,
he knew he would be proved a liar.
He squirmed like skinned eel, but
it. was no use, public opinion, not
withstanding his rhinoceros hide,
forced him to do something. He said
he didn't have hundred dollars, but
would put up ten dollars. We ac-
commodated him as to the amount,
and placed our $40 in the hands of
the Treasurer of the Relief Associa-
tion, and also, in accordance with the
terms of the proposition, full list of
the subscribers to the INDEPENDENT,
and awaited a similar action on the
part of Buzfuz ''or any other man.
who wanted to compete for the largest
circulation. The Treasuser of the
Relief Association was authorized by
the terms of the proposition, to have
the lists published to determine
which paper had the largest circula-
tion. Buzfuz backed square out. He
refused to place his list in the hands
of the Treasurer of the Association
because in that event he would have
been compelled to make oath to them.
But he still sought to wiggle out of
his dilemma by publishing a list of
his town subscribers, amounting, all
told, to 271. Although he had com
pletely backed down and sneaked off
from our proposition, thereby ac-
knowledging that he had lied, we de-
termined not to let him off that easy,
but to prove the lie on him. We then
published a portion of the town sub
scribers to the WEEKLY INDEPEN-
PENDENT, amounting to 2S7-which
beat Buzfuz's list, and proved that
he lied when he asserted that the In
DEPENDENT did not have 2S5 in the
county. BuZfuZ also asserted that
the entire circulation of the INDIE
PENDENT in the three counties of
Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan did
not exceed $50. We then published
1856 subscribers-just enough to nail
his second lie. We then offered to
publish the remaining lists of our
subscribers to prove that we had by
all odds,the largest circulation of any
paper in the county. Buzfuz refused
to come to time. He caved. He found
he was badly beaten, and he began to
s'squeal.' lie tried to lie out of his
unpleasant predicament by asserting
that we had combined the Daily with
the Weekly circulation. Why
don't he produce some proof of it. Ii
it were so he could easily produce the
proof. He finally admits that we
have the largest circulation, but says
we give our papers away. That's too
sbsurd to need notice.
We are done, and ask pardon of our
readers for occupying so much OF
heir space with such subject