The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-07-15
TO RIGHT A WRONG.
will You Walk Into My ParlOr,
Said the Spider to the Fly.
Editors Herald:

courtesy of publishing a few ideas
in relation % the late unfortunate
hank robbery, l venture upon pen.
ming you a communication, not,
however, with the intention ofmak-
ing defense of the conduct of my
brother. whose actions deserve pun
ishment, but more for the purpose
of giving a word Of advice to other
young men who may be led astray
through the influence of bad advice,
as well as example, of those who
only rejoice to see them in similar
position. Some twenty months
ago, a weli-knOwn contemporary of
yours, published in your city, whose
editor we Will for convenience sake,
as we cannot do so for any other
reason, call Good One, saw tit to
regale the public mind with an ar
ticle sneeringly referring to the i'll
ness Of my father, Apostle G. c..
Rich, and who, on being subject to
polite invitation to retreat, made
the following apology under the
head of "TO Right Wrong
"On Sunday morning last per-
sonal notice was published referring
to the illness OF G. c. Rich, and re-
ferring to the sick man in sheer
ing manner. The notice appeared
IN the Tribune without the knowl-
edge or consent Of the responsible
editor or reporter Of the paper. 1t
was W. 0ng in all respG cts, and in as
public a manner as il was FIRST pub
lished the GT6bLns expresses its
sincere regrets that any such notice
appeared. rhe Tribune finds it often
duty to publish unpleas ant things
about individuals and systems, but
it never Willingly aSsails men who
they know through physical infrmE-
ties are helpless to defend them
selves. Every responsible man
about this Office regrets sincerely
that such notice should have ap-
peared regarding man who Is en-
titled to commisSeration instead of
abuse. This case is the more ag-
graVating because the universal
sentiment Of this community is that
Mr.. Rich, through long life, has so
borne himself as to win the respect
of all as a good citizen and an honest
man, and men of every creed, and OF
no creed, extend to him now their
sincere sympathy in bis illness"
We will now see how this truth
fu4 v ould-be Teformer Of Mormon.
ism never Willingly assails mel
when they, through physical infiim
tiles. are helpless to defend them
selves" In the Thursdays issue O.
the Tribune your readers vii
doubtless have read several para
graphs, all more or less insinuating
that the character of my brother
who lays in jail, has been the re-
suit Of his parental teachings. Now
Mr.. "GoOd One" you know that The
father of this young man lies at the
present time at the point of death
but you evidently forget that yor
once had to Right Wrong" anC
you again assail him when he is yet,
"through physical infrmities, help
less to defend himself" and the sol
who will sit quietly by and see his
father thus abused is worse than tht
coward who makes the attack. L
will fOrcibly strike you readers that
the position my brother is now il
Is only due to the advice given il
an editorial published in the Sal
Lake Tribune of March 6, 1881
wherein they declare that they IRE
joice when they see the young Nor
mon play billiards, get drunk, ruI
with bad women, and they believe
that billiard halls, saloons, anC
houses Of ill-fame are more power
full reforming agencies in Utah thar
churches and schools" And, nov
they have the young man where
their damnable advice has carried
him. they give US an unhappy illus
tration of the old fable, " Will you
walk into my parlor, said the spideI
to the fly"
To the young men of Utah, ]
trust that the fearful experience Of
my unfortunate brother will act as
a warning to them in the future, as
they can now plainly see how those
who are sent here to "ChristianiZe ?
the Latter-day Saints Will re-
joice at the downfall of one who is
the son of a servant of God; anC
to the editor of the Tribune, l will
only say that l do not expec
anything else, but that he vii
attack my brother who nal
brought disgrace upon his owl
head ; but l would remind him o.
the fact that it was the son and no
the parent who committed til,
robbery, nor was this the result o.
the teachings and examples he haC
received, which have always beer
for hia to serve the Lord with al
his might, mind, strength, and t,
| live an honest, virtuous life. AS
have before said, do not expect o
desire that the editor of the T'TibEn
should refrain from condemuins
| the action of my brother and 81
lsuch, but by way of advice an,
friendly counsel, I would FAY tina
| he had better honor my father an,
my mother that "his days may b
long IN the land that the Lord hi
God has given him"
Yours, etc.,
BEN. Z. RICH.
Ogden City. July IA, 1881.