Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-07
TIE ooLLEoroRsHrr TROUBLE
Sensational RumOrs AfiOat at the Gus
tom House-Interview with Colonel
Darnen in Reference to the Threaten
ed shooting of Collector Pleasant.

Sensational RumOrs AflOat at the Gus
tom House-Interview with Colonel
Darneu in Reference to the Threaten
ed Shooting of Collector Pleasant.
There was lively breeze in the vicinity
of the custom house yesterday, caused
BY the rumored threats of United States
District Attorney Darnell to shoot
Collector Pleasant for the alleged utter
ance of certain statements defOgatOry TO
his personal character. resulting from the
Peasants bond.
In order TO learn the truth Of the rumor
a reporter of the MORNING News called
upon Col. Darnen at his office last
night and was accorded an interview, IN
which he denied ever having made any
such threats. and declared the report was
false and grOundleSs and without a gram
Of truth.
rs there any truth in the Tum0r that
YOU have threatened to shoot Collector
Peasants for the utterance Of certain re-
ports derogatOry to- your character ask
ed the reporter.
Il have seen and read an article headed
Trouble in the Big Building
10 Shoot Captain Pleasant in an even
ing paper of this city to-day. and do not
hesitate TO state tC YOU most emphatically
that | not only did not make threat
or threats to kill Pleasant with
gun or clean out his
entire Office as charged. but at the time
TO which the statement relates. did not
have him in my mind. | did not say that
| would shoot him with dOuble-barrelled
shot gun or with any other gun. l had no
reference to him whatever when | stated,
as | here admit | did state, to one
Beckett, that so far as any official con-
nectiOn with Peasants bond was con-
cerned. had simply performed what l
believed 10 be my duty. and that had
done no more nor no less than l would do
in the case of any other person or per-
sons whose official bond might be sub
mitted TO me for examination.
This man Beckett has made il his
business for the past ten days to visit,
perhaps. every office in the custom house,
for the purpose of obtaining some infOr-
nation. or any information. detrimental to
me. to be conveyed to certain OF Pleas
ants friends in this city, and with the
view of producing between us difficulty.
presume, in keeping with that general
purpose. he visited my office about
i've O'Clock Tuesday afternoon, and
coming only to the door. stopped and ask
ed me when | thought the Bowen case a
post office case pending in the L. ;. Cir
cult Court would be concluded. l stated
to him that unless he and his crowd sue
ceeded in finding my successor in office,
in lSe meantime, l thought the case would
be finished the next day. He asked me
what | meant. | stated to him that /
meant his crowd. and that he could un-
derstand the significance Of that phrase.
l also stated TO him that | had been in
formed that he, and perhaps others,
had been engaged i'll the circula-
ton of some re port which
might affect my personal character, integ-
ritY and honor, and that | desired to in
form him then and to inform him for
others, that while my official action might
be criticised, should take no notice of
that. but that the man who called into
question my personal honor for the ac-
cOmplishment of any mean or selfish pur-
pose, would be compelled to make with
me personal settlement; that l would
protect my personal character against
such assaults, if it took shOtguns 10 do
it, and that is all / said about shotguns."
"There Is no truth, then, in the report
that you took shotgun to your office yes
terday morning."
Not a word of it,
In resuming. Colonel Darnell said Il
have been disposed to treat Pleasant as
kindlyand literally as he would permit me !;
but / have felt from the beginning that he
was being badly advised, and had allowed
himself to be placed in the hands of some
men who would make trouble with me, if
possible, upon some imaginary preteXt,
but the real reason being my refusal to
approve Peasants bond, when l did not
believe, as | do not now believe, the same
ID be good and solvent"
''WhO is BeckettE'
This man Beckett, who has been in
strumental in bringing about this I'M
pleasant state of affairs by the means
already stated, is Peasants hired attOr-
ney, as he states, i'm connection with
matters pertaining to the bond, and has
made himself in the whole affair capable
necessary to produce misunderstanding
and bad feeling. and think can dismiss
him without further criticism"
As to the character of the reports
claimed to have been circulated, Col. OAR
nell states that he is ignorant of their
nature, but is informed they are derOga-
tory to his character. Since he has been
in the office Of United States District At
tOrney he has endeavOred to conduct the
public business with perfect honesty and
prOpriety, and with due regard to the pub
lie interests, as well as private rights.
In reference to his official position Col.
Darnell said "My official acts are all
open to inspection and investigation at
all times. | never perform an official act,
all the particulars Of which l am afraid
10 have made entirely public, and as to
my private character and personal integ-
rity and honor | am perfectly willing
to have it compared, since my youth to
the present day, with the best that can be