Daily Republican., 1879-06-14
Facts I'm tn butcher Watson
scandal.


the butcher. Watson scandal through
the newspapers, and yet it is case
tn At cannot he easily brushed aside as
many well meaning persons imagine.
Fortunately tn, whole scandal is now
in such a shape that,th facts as near as
possible are to be arrived at through
the agency of an investigating commit
tee mutually agreed upon by Nh. Dutch
or and number ofour leading citizens.
l; is to be hoped that this investigation
will be thorough even if it involves
bringing to Wilmington all the parties
who have been SO diligent in publish
ing affidavi,s, from New York and Phil
adelphia, including Mr.. Spar who
really appears the person most inter
estei in the exposure OF Mr. butcher
and Mrs. Watson. For aught We know
all that Mr.. Spear has attempted to
prove is true, but it is enough to say
that the allegations of those he has in
duc-d to make atiidavits, are stoutly de-
MED by Mr.. butcher and Mrs Watson,
in All affidavit by the latter which shows
up Mr.. Spear in very unvenv'aole
light. Thus the matter now stands,
Ol4 parry denying the other, until 1t
ha- Eliminate in the formulation of a
COMMITTEES of investigation.
grra. many people say that the
affair IS given too much prominence
and slould b. hushed up; they lightly
say that Mr.. butcher is tramp, an
adventllrer, scarcely citizen of Will
mington, would not have been here at
all had the citizens not presented him
with handsome property worth some
$4,000, and all snch things, therefore
let the matter di- out ,ani Mr.. butcher
seek his evel. Many of these things
are said fippantly and without proper
consideration. Mr.. butcher has been
h I'D in too Ligh esteem not only by the
people of Wilmington but by these of
o.her ci lies to Le cried down in this
manner without an impartial hearing
before an impartial committee.
What srt the facts in the case? A
Temperance revival sprang up in Will
mington in the spring of 1877 under
the leadership of George W. Wells.
After having been successfully carried
on for some time by Mr.. Wells and other
Temperance men, Mr.. butcher COME s
along in train of cars from Baltimore
on his way to Philadelphia. He is a
reformed manpf some fourteen years
standing, and has been engaged in
temperance work in various parts OF
the United States, and his name like
that of Coughs was becoming known
all through the Union. We must re-
member that such men are not what is
Extensively called "tramps.' They be-
come SO we'll known every where that
they belong every where. Upon ar
irving at the depot in this city, Mr..
butcher bought a copy Of the REPuBLl'
CAN from boy, and in it he saw an
account of the great Temperance work
being carried OH nightly in Whining
ton. To stop over and take a hand II
it was the result of but a moment:
thought by Mr.. butcher, and that same
night he spoke at the Town Hall. O.
his subsequent labors and wonderful
success in Wilmington We need mo-
speak. They are known and read o
all men. But Mr.. butcher cannot pei
himself up in Wilmington all the while
He must needs extend his labors and il
the attempt to do SO, he got into thi
trouble. In one of his meetings il
Philadelphia, he numbers amongst hi
converts to Temperance Mrs. Watson
who by her own confession was a poo
miserable drunkard, and besides was
the mistress and slave of this man
Crawford Spear, who she and Mr.
butcher both say is prosecuting them
and trying to win Mrs. Watson back tC
her Old habits Of vice and drunken
ness. Mr.. butcher becomes the defend
er of Mrs. Watson, and she being
educated, good speaker and anxious
to do something to raise sunken human
ity from the depths of degradation
from which she herself had beef
snatched, Mr.. butcher places her upol
the lecture platform as he says to tel
the story of her redemption, and to tr,
to reclaim fallen women. In thes
efforts Mr.. butcher has not been sue
cessful, he says on account of Crawfor'
Spear interfering, and failing to in
duce Mrs. Watson to return to her lif
of shame, he traduces the character
OF both Mr.. butcher and Mrs
Watson, accusing them of criminal in
timacy. This is but faint outline Q
the affair, the details being Sc wei
known that it is useless for US to tel
that which has already been repeated
We will frankly say that We would no
have done as Mr.. butcher did, and W
have no words Of apology for the con
duct of himself and Mrs. Watson. Mr.