The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-19
A CARD.
Expose Of A Fla9rant Attemnt tn
MuzZle a Miner Reporter
by Threats Of Making
False Charges
Against ~
Him,

F'renzied by adefeat which resulted
from their utter lack of ability TO
journalistic badinage, my local co
temporaries, have resorted to the ex
ceedingly unprofessional method O
meeting an entirely legitimate news
paper thrust, by a cowardly attack
upon my private character, and al
though the attack contained in yes
terday's Inter Mountain is couched
in the vague and uncertain language
of the anonymous assassin of per
sonal reputation, I am in possession
Of sufficient evidence to warrant the
belief that it is aimed at myself,
even though it did not contain
the UNANIMOUSLY cowardly allusion to
"a reporter in this vicinity" Were
the columns Of the MINER open to a
peronal controversy Of the character
inaugurated by the poltroon who
originated the tissue of lies contained
in the Inter Mountain attack, I
might retort in kind, by referring to
matters alike personal in their char
acter, but as they are devoted only
to the purposes of respectable Jour
nalism, l shall not retort in kind;
but I desire to say that last summer
when Butte was overrun by a class
of sharpers, who under the guise of
licensed lotteries" feeced victims
every day, [ took pains to gather the
stories of several victims, and I in
vestigated the operations of the "sure
thing players" far enough to lie able
to expose the modus operanG by
which their victims were feeced. At
the request of the officers of the law
the publication of the expose was de-
ferred. About this time one of the
principal "lottery" operators an.
nounced that he had secured, or ex-
pected to secure, the privilege of run
ming his game at the race track dur
ing the races. I declared publicly if
he was allowed the high-handed
privilege of fleeing strangers on the
race track grounds, I would publish
the expose for the protection Of
visitors from abroad. Subsequently
L was approached by a saloon man,
who has since skipped the country,
and who, on behalf of the lottery
men, threatened that if the expose
was published, a card would be
printed in the Inter Mountain, al
attempted blackmail. The
race track privilege was not OBJ
the expose was not published,
and some of the parties implicated in
The alleged bunko frauds have either
'greener fields and pastures
new" or are in parts unknown. fugi-
ives from defrauded creditors: ana
n one case from the avenging hand
If justice. If they have left behind
hem cohorts and associates to defend
heir operations while here, it will
probably become apparent before the
conclusion of this controversy. In
he meantime 1 desire to say that the
nan who asserts that L, at any time,
eceived from any person, lottery,
OF other men, five dollars, or
my other sum, as a consideration for
he suppression of an article, or for
ny other service rendered or to be
endered, is a malicious, infamous
nd premeditated liar!
That any such person who AYERS
bat I, at any time, demanded or Of
cred to receive $50, or any other
UNI in consideration of such services
) also a malicious, Infamous and pre-
aeditated liar!
That if, as intimated, the Inter
is in possession of affida-
its, in any manner tending to the
upport of any such allegations, the
ffiant or atlantis thereto will be
rosecuted to the full exten! of the
aw-for perjury.
For all of which language I hold
1yself personally responsible, and
t all time ready to give any person
7ho feels aggrieved thereby, any sat-
demanded.
PLATTE BURR.