Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-09-01
JOHN DONOVAN
Explains through the Nashville Ameri-
can why he Absented Himself
from his Family During the
Endemic.

EDITORS APPEAI-In your Issue Of the twenty
seventh instant, you say have been much censured
personal matters. When the gloom now Weighing
down ali shall have passed away and when reason
will again have sway, propose to lay before the
good people of Memphis statement OF ny course.
It Will then be for them to say whether - duct
has been proper or not; until then. EGG 3 en-
sion of Judgment. JOHN l DONOVAN.
HIS REASONS FOR NOT JOINING HIS FAMILY
We copy the following card from the Nashville
american, of yesterday:
My attention has been directed to several extracts
from the Memphis press more especially the 4 "a
LaTach which has appeared in your columns for the
pain that appear in print at this time, but at the
request of many friends here 1 am induced to lay
before the public few facts that may show and ac
count for my conduct. have at this date addressed
a few lines to the Memphis press simply requesting
and excitement of the present shall have passed
away, ana when the terrible malady, now so dread
fully affecting Memphis, shall have subsidized, will
then fully aud In detail, lay before them facts jus-
flying my course. am informed that it has been
sent sickness and that had Abandoned
my family. Now TO the facts. | left Memphis two
weeks ago last Tuesday, in company with gentle
men-some of whom are now in Nashvllle-to at
tend gubernatonal convention After the labors
same left for Memphis on Sunday, the eighteenth
Instant arriving in Memphis early on Monday morn
ing, finding my family all we'll. l remained with
them until the "Wednesday evening following had
no Intention then OF letYing my home or family
til the morning OF Wednesday. when received in
formation that Colonel W. W. Vaughan, president
of the Brownsville marrow guage railroad was dead.
/ communicated the fact TO my wife, she having a
very large stock interest in this railroad amounting
TO more than thirty thousand dollars, and the larg
est Individual stakeholder. With her consent and
advice J left Memphis on Wednesday evening, the
twentynrsG Instant for the purpose and with the
derstanding that was TO take charge of the road
and secure a home for my family In Brownsville.
The fact of my being in Memphis at the time stated
| can be corrOboTated by Mayor Flippin Chief Athy
| and Mt Tom OSullyan, liquor dealer, on Main
street and have 10 doubt many others do NOT re-
| member 1 arrived In Brownsville on Wednesday
| night put up at the Exchange hotel, kept by Mr.
/ lay Mr. H w. Bond officers n no
diTctos owing 20 Inc f3ct that some VsTa shse1i
others living fifteen twenty miles In the country
| We concluded 10 cal a meeting for the following
Monday. They urged upon me TO remain, saying It
scarcely worm While 10 60 TO Memphis for few
days. consented % remain stated to these gen
| tlenen that the purpose or my visit was to take
charge OF the road aut secure a home for my fam
fly These facts can re corrob0rated by reference to
either of the well known gentlemen on the TWEEN
fourth instant received Information OF my wife 5
| being taken SEX IL was physically impossible for
me 10 20 down to Memphis on this day and the
III evening. in the meantime, atelegram announced
| my Wifes and child's death, saturday. Sunday
| and Monday. AZ the Whitemore House il was
| we'll known l was quite Unwell with Tialent
headache fever and irritation OF the STOMACH =.
! the premonitOry symptoms - avar gvas tI-I an
,...,llylne ireeIy and applying ice night and day
! These facts are well-knoWn to NJ Whit1IAore and
/ his hOuSekeepe-, Mrs. ELLIOTT While lying in this
| condition. wrote and teIegraphed TO many of NV
friends that my family were In distress and to aid
them. Feeling assured of the charity IbeTality and
resources of the Towards, knew the surviving
Il
and attention, and situated as was without means
could accomplish no more for my children. Ny af-
fairs In very complicated condition, and in
the event OF my contracting the disease and death.
all would have been lost TO any surviving members
of my family. These and other reasons were the
actuatiDg motives Of my conduct In my
soul and conscience | feel I have committed
crime ana TO the great Searcher of the secret Of
all hearts commit myself when 1 shall be judged
by higher tribunal than all earthly. | would like
ing duty, but the question has been so often asked
me that / am forced to answer In this public man
neT. / am asked why did not move my family out
of the infected district sooner? Ny answer Is simDy
this: had not, could get sufficient means to
do So and provide for them for thirty or sixty DAYS
The outside world may have thought different
have lived in Memphis twenty years l have occIl-
MED positions OF wealth and affluence but my more
intimate friends. some here to-day know that hayA
been in great peeunary embarrassment and distre s
fo- lew years. When l left Nash
vine for home on the eighteenth
Instant weIs It not for the llberality OF that
true noble and charitable citizen Mike Burns ESQ.
of yeur city who advanced me fifty dollars on my
note for sixty days, would not have had means to
nav INV expenses home nor dollar to buy necessa-
hes for my familg May God bless him. II Others
OF means Of nv own fellowtownsInen had been as
liberal might be In different positi to-day And
now have already occupied too much o. your ValH
able space hope may be spared ne pillnfni Gotl
OF again addressing you on painful suDleet. AM
comm IrsicaifoH ddressed to me ear9 OF MessTS
Nilsson & Walsh will find me Respectfully,
JOHN DONOVAN.