Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-28
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,
u. S. CENTENNIAL COMMISSION,
PHILADELPHIA Sert %, 1876.

PHILADELPHIA GeIt -, io'o.
TO the editor Of the Richmond State:
a tieLd la, favored me with a cory CT your
paper containing n letter from MIR. Y. j.
Schooccaft, making an unprovukcd prrsoua'
attack upon hi late asSo latcs lu the manage
n,ut of the Ric mond Eoquirer Aware that
nothing Mr. Schoocratt may say can l'Jure me
in the es imaioo of my friends OF the public, |
should not notice his communication were 1t
not that its admission into your 'lum0s gives
it same importance. cc
Passing over mauy wiful pcrversloDs OF t:ct
10 the letter 10 question, l may say that hr'
Sehorlcrafi's connection with the Enquirer was
of his own seeking. He applied 10 Ut for an
interest in the paper, ietmaung that ne
thought his Identification Herewith would do
s,urthing towards placing him 10 better
Esh, before a community 10 which by lew
months Of fast living be had attained most
uncnviabIe prominence. He said be had been
| ''bled TO death" by the associates whose good
will he had bought; that the family TO which
be was most indebted for whatever position he
held 10 society had closed its doors against
MIN; that evcryb Jdy, i9cludin: some OF the
| hes known business men 10 Richmond whom
| he oamed), was trying TO swlndle him; bat he
| need something 10 steady him, AID thought
| if ie had some regular but light employment
h. ,uld live better aud fe: better. t"ld
| him frankly that We Desd NJ my and "ouia
be glad - .cI him -omr stock 10 the corcern'
bu, .dv,,d nm Cat fist verbally and tIcr
wards in wIltl"g) TO nslder well before q" ne
cid d to jpin Us, aud especially TO consult any
friends hr mighi have left as to the pfopreiy
of the step. A few days afterwards he came
into the Office and said he had made up his
mind. He would like to have one hundred
shares Of stock, aud was wiling to pay $lO,U
for il. | told him that the stock was not worth
so much, and named 81 500 as The price,
stating that this would Civ. Us fair profit.
Belus told also that a.; h5ugh the p4p,r Was
growing in popularity h. could DOT cxpect an
early reiurn, he seemed perfectly sauhcd.
d the dividends, said be, ''whai l want
is something to do; all | care tor Is to ct
even" WhcreuEon he dr,W check anu re
c.ived his scrip We tried 10 make some use
Of hui as we'll as Of his money, aud tor month
or more he did some very good work IN spas.
modic way. But be soon found new toys; aud
when he was 10 the editorial room it was our
principal carr to keep him out Of mischief Ii
his Police Gazette clippiogs and puerlle art'
Giles we're not published ne went about llk"
bear with sore Eean; but when be wrote s. M
Thug clever. as he did now and thea (tor ne Is
cot the fool people thUkl. aud 1t Was printed
he Was al smiles. L. the matter OF money, how
ever, he d good 5, rsicc for awhile, but 10 more
than any of the other stockholders 10. proper
ton 10 their respective interests III tn cJm
pauy. The idea tina; he was Vlc'lm z d Is alb
surd. When | saw him las! he said be could at
ford to pay We thousand dOIia!S tor ~hat
had Taught him abn ut j,uruaIlsm aud III re
than once he remarked 10 Mr.. Warrcn, my,.if
and Others, that hi conutc in with the Ia.
| u,rth Sfiln 500 a month HIM
by giving him steady employment ADD keeping
u,lu a,7ay from 'the deau beats. But the
point wish t, mphasz: Is that he went into
the Euaurer Company .vth a lu knowledge
of is cOodlrion and prospects, and SO lar from
| b.iug dissa tistad With his original invest meut,
soon, OF his own accord incre sad II by purchas
Ing tn. interest Ct Mr.. Baker, which gave him
a ,utroIlirg interest 10 he Concern. Ii is his
habit t. suspect every Que with whom he has
business relations (Sporiug characters except
ed) of sharp practice or dishonesty, and there
Is 90 Que to whum he mas loaned money or
with whom be has bean associated 10
business whom have not heard HUI denounce
| 10 str nger terms than he uses 10 regard tot the
| EGquiter. h.: is COILS antiy pos urIog III the
ro VI victim thereby c2nesslug bis OVID ina
iiIl 10 la6c care OF himself or mis- muoey,
Onc other rout il Mr.. SchnoIcratt's letter
deserves meut,or. La utter :filce Of lru d
he end"aQors to Create The Impression t.,t
approved Of his scheme OF selling the Enquirer
to the republicans. This, repeat, Is wlIul
az ever oth.r member of the Enquirer Publish
ing Company. knows that | protested against
it at every mc-tlog where the matter Was cOn-
sdcied, aod ooIy submitted because be mad a
majority in crest and my objection could not
prevent the sale, even though all the other
stockholders should take my view Ut the mat
ter. When MIR. ellis spoke to me about the
scheme | agreed to lay II before MIR. ScuOol.
craft but ted him frankly that | could DOT
conscienti,u.ly approve it. Mr. SchooIcrait,
however, Jumpeci at Il: and said he would give
a thousand dollars to effect the sale. then
named price 81 high that [ knew it could
not be obtained, aud ins sted that We should
not sell tor less SchooIcratt, however, was
hopeful, even Iecful, about the matter, and
sworc he would sell 10 the tevll himself il any
nouey cpud be made, aad take the conse
GU, uces Meaotime he Went away, and ueg-
leciing to support his interest the bu5locss de-
partmeut was 10 great straits Then, al the
urgent request OF the treasurer, wrote the let
ter which Is now published III garbed form,
| Informing Schoocratl as 10 the progress OIL his
scheme and renarklng, by way OF putting him
in good humor. that | begun to think We
might make something OF II. The word ltal-
c zad Indicates that had hitherto looked up
on it uotavoraby. Subs, qutnt c'ion con-
WINGED me that to sell he paper t. The rapub-
caus u!i be to sacrifice principles and a''use
the confidence Of our patrons, and never Wav.
ercd in my opposition thereto. Soon after |
withdrew from active edl'erlaI duties, and 90
the revival of Schoolcraft's pr, ject by his send
iog an agent North, against my protest. to ne
gotate the sale, not only Informed bis agent
| that coulj have part IN the matter, but
| immediately resigned the edltorship of the pa.
per and the presidency of the company, Mr.. /.
A. g. HAndy, the assistant editor, taking the
same course. 10 al accompanying letter dis
tincty stated tia would sacrifice every dollar
! | had ia the paper rather than it SD u!d pass
irto the hands OF the republicans. Wheu MIR.
Schoolcratt received these designations be did
not treat them SO lightly as DOW, but foreseeiog
dt,. n /