Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-09-12
BEAVER RIDGE, Septembel

Mr.. EDITOR: ! am now seventy-two
years and some months old, and never had
any occasion before now, as 1 thought, to
write anything for the public. But 1 think
are there a few things that ought to be put
before the public.
I think it is due me and the patrons of
Beaver Ridge Post office to say that, on the
9th day of Al ril, 1881, was appointed
postmaster at Beaver Ridge, and on the It'll
day of May, 1881, received my commits
sion
Soon after, there was a petition written
and sent around by Cal. Leinart to have
the office moved back to Capt. S. d. Lem
arts. Cal. did not succeed well
and then they went over into Anderson
County and got up a petition. 1 under
stand they took the names of whole families
children and all. If they ever showed either
of the petitions to a man on the south side
of Beaver Greek, where nearly all of the
patrons of the Office live, I never heard of
it, SO, 1 thought would do something. 1
got up petition in favor of the office re-
manning where it then was. 1t was strong
petition of the patrons of the Office-none
others.
L took my petition to L. G. Houk for him
to endorse. He wrote few lines to the
Department, in favor of the office staying
where it then was, at my mill, and
also recommending me as postmaster.
He also told me the reason Eeinart
was put out of the Office. He said it was for
not paying his quarterly dues as postmaster
de said they wrote to him to send them the
name of some person that would suit for
postmaster at Beaver Ridge, and that he
wrote to them if they could consistently, to
retain Leinart, if not he gave my name
| have kept the Office the best L could
since | received it until to-day, Captain
Leinart came and demanded it. 1 had built
an addition to the front of the mill, pre-
pared an office, also a desk | had both
under lock and. key. | have, as l think,
been credibly informed that Houks
broSher-in-law, A. +. Smith and Boss Sam
had both been writing to Houk that L was
doing all | could against him. If this was
written, 1t was as bare-faced lie as ever
slipped off the point ola pen, for have said
nor done nothing against Houk, nor for
him. Not long since, l suppose through
Houk's influence, I'll. r. Gibson was sent to
this office as an excuse for what they in
tended to do. l saw in Gibson's little
down-countenance that the woe was passed
and the sentence had gone forth.
l was in the office, Gibson came in, was
seated; wanted to see some of the papers of
the office; l showed them to HIM. | SAID to
him, II the Post office Department was dis
satisfied with the way l k pit the Office,
L would rather resign than to
be put out wrongfulIy. He said
uor the way it was kept, but that Leinart
was put out wlongu 1y. Gibson sa he
must go over and see Leinart He went;
got Houk's sub boss, Sam, in the buggy,
and went over in Anderson County about
three miles TO see after the Beaver Ridge
Post office. Gibson never went 10 see the
main patrons of the office. Such decep-
uon! will say right here, that there has
been some men taking hand in this post
office affair as corrupt BIS any one this side
of the dark regions
[ nave seen great deal in the Republi-
can about the custom-house ring. think
there is a ring about knoxville. A part Of
| that ring has even reached Washington
City, and also into the 9committee room,
and fear that little part of the ring has
been disgrace to this the second Con-
gresslonal district, if not the whole of East
Tennessee. l call him the little erd of the
| ring, because he stOops to such little things
| think it is time for the good people of
this Congressional district to put down this
whisky ring and elect sober, moral men to
all offices, from the least to le greatest
This may be the means of putting
down intemperance, it would let the young
man know that if he was not temperate, he
| could not be elected to any Office.
L will say to L. G. Houk, you know we
have talked about men drinking whisky,
| you told me you had not tasted whisky for
one year, and you told me you had no more
! taste for whisky than you had for a green
| gourd. e. D.. 4r..-
i have always voted for you, Judge, but
the time has come that | am sorry to say
| Zone 1eason why l am sorry to say it is the
fact that you was raised in old Sewer, where
L was raised) | can't go any further with
you. am like the Federal recruiting off
Ger who was captured and tied safe and
sound, and after they started with him and
| got about one mile, he got his hands and
feet loose, and jumping off the horse said:
Il can't go any further with you, boys,
| Good-by.
! So sub Boss Sam got the whole post office
on his back, as happy as koon on korn-
shock, and marched homeward with his
Rountenance frightened for Judge Houk.
50 Houk VII get the influence of Azor, his
Tom, Jim, Ike and John, and black man,
whom they call Cal. Leinart.
hope all my relations and friends in
! Sewer and Blount counties will consider the
way l have been treated in this lost-office
matter, and at the November election let u S
all work on the same Rule, vote for the
same Rule, and elect the same Rule to Con-