Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-13
A sLANDERoUs REPORT.


In connection with my stock of general
merchandise, drugs and medicines, have
been keeping small supply of spirituous
liquors for medical purposes only, and have
never sold or disposed of them except upon
the written prescription and over the sigma
ture of regular practicing physician. But
on the 28th day of April, 1882, some un-
principled men, who came to the closing
exercises of Oakland Seminary, at this
place, came to my store and tried to get
some kind of spirits without prescription,
and failed to get it. They then forged some
prescriptions over the forged signatures of
Drs. Rankin and Limbaugh, and presented
them, but failed to get it in that way. Then,
III the evening, they succeeded IN getting
some genuine prescriptions from the above
named doctors, and had them presented by
parties that were not suspected of evil in
tention, and thus succeeded in getting what
little spirits | had on hand, which amounted
to three quarts, including one-half gallon of
sherry WINE.
And now, because I am q minister of the
gospel, and bold and outspoken advocate
of temperance, they are telling everywhere
they go that l sold whisky all day to any
and every body that wanted it. Now, this
is a vile and slanderous lie, end they know
it is he, as do many others who were at
my store during the day.
They are also telling that / was intoxica-
ted on that day; so much SO that | could not
tell what one peck of corn was worth at 20
cents per bubhel. Now this is a wilful
and malicious falsehood.
Here are the facts ia reference to the corn
aIa tn.
came into the store at noon, and wanted to
buy peck of corn for horsefeed, and told
my son to get it for him, and while the
corn was ben G weighed he called for a can
of oysters and cents worth of cakes, which
| | got for him. He then went out of the
store aud SAID that he would pay for all in a
few minutes, and in about thirty minutes
he sent a little boy back into the store with
| 20 cents. l told the boy that would only
| pay for the corn, and that there was still
| due me 20 cents for the oysters and cakes.
| The boy then went to the door and said that
the Young man was on his horse and going
OIL and that was the end of that matter.
Now, there were no questions asked by
| him, and no words passed between he and
[ as to what tie corn would come to, and
he knows it, as do many others who were
present. And now what that d. unken set
| have been blazing over the country about
my being intoxicated, and about the corn,
is maliciously untrue.
And the ever-blessed God in whom
trust and whom / serve with a good con-
science, knows that it is a villainous un-
truth, and God knows, too, that during the
day above referred to, 1 did not even tas e
one drop of anything that had any intoxi-
eating properties about it.
And God also knows that for the last Is
years, or more, have not drank any kind
of spirituous liquors.
And with regard to the statement of an
other young man, who sat by my side dur
ing the exercises at night, at the seminary,
who said that he smelled whisky ON me az
sat him, l have this to say: Either his
smeller was very defective, or the scent
came from some one else who sat near him
or it was upon himself. [ do not say how
that was, but do most positively say, for
am positively certain, that it was not upor
me, and God knows that it was not, unless
it was thrown upon me by some villainou'
whelp as I passed through the crowd These
are the facts, SO help me God. Let al
whom it may concern take due notice O.
this, and govern themselves accordingly.
A J. BRUNER,
Laurel Gap, Greene Co., Tenn.
May 10, 1882.