The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-15

NeighbOr's Testimony. B
To The Editor Of The h,tGiaecer. Is.
slR:-In the issue Of your paper OF
March l, 1854, is a letter written by Gov.
F. e. Pierpont, in which he aays among
other things that "When Marshal Atkinson
was boy it was Represented to me that
his father was an honest man., but in a
destitute condition, with a family. pro
cured an office for him, which supported
him and bis family. l have no doubt but
that tho money that paid the Marshals
expenses when he was sent to Ohio funder
thick cloudy 10 college, came from the
cilice which l procured for his father" n
My attention being directed to this
passage I feel it duo 10 myself to Say
through the eamo paper which published
the letter Of Gov. Pierpent, that ss to the
late Col. James Atkinson, at the time he
WAS appointed collector ior Kanawha
county, he was not only ".an honeS!
mar" but wss man in good circumstances,
being then possessed OF agood farm, well
stocked, and was also actively engaged in
other employments, QUIT oil which, he was
making good support for, his ilmily, in
fact the office Of collector, surrounded az it
was with dangers on every hand, WAS not
desired by him, but was pressed upon him.
and was with many misgivipgs accepted,
which misgivings in the end proved to be
we'll founded, for at the close Of his term be
found himself charged with taxes which
he could neither collec. nor return delin-
auent -
lived close neighbor 10 him at the
time he was made collector, and being on
intimate terms OF friendship with him,
talked tho matter over With him often
before he concluded to accept the Office.
l know that the expedieucy Of accepting
the office was pressed upon him and it was
accepted with hesitation. l do not mean
10 bs understood Us questioning what Gov.
Pierpont 8ays as to what was represented
to him by those who made application Tor
the appointment. Iknow nothing OF that
matter and eau say nothing. slu&
Gov. Pierpont's statement that Marshal
Atkinson, whom q boy, twas sent to Ohio
(undcr Il itick cloud to college," is
wholly wrong, and his informant must
have been wholly misiuformed or wilfully
traducer Of character. Eo. IN
am Satisfied that there could hnve been
UU. tHiGh C1tUR tfS9 tlc <'AAtaAA Hleu u
boy without my knowing it. I was con.
Gdential adviser Of his luther in all LiB
matters OF business, including matters
closely connected with the weli.bei1g OF
bis family in tho trying times through
which VIZ were then passing, and | was, as
q business man, constantly mixing in the
world, aud feel certain that no report
prejudicial to the character Of Marshal AT.
kinson, at the time suggested, could have
existed without coming to my knowledge.
I am satisfied that the statement is wholly
untrue. a}ls w 10; ;.E
Marshal Atkinson, at the time he was
aent to college in Ohio, was regarded by
all who knew him, as an upright youth ol
promising talents, who had then acquired
considerable reputation as q busine-s man
Ihave felt it my duty to write these lines
in vindica!ion Of the dead father and the
youthful son. AS to other matters STATED
IN Gov. Fierpont's letter, L shall Say
nothing. Marshal Atkinson, Eow tht
grown up son, can take care Of himself.
JOHN A. WARTn.
fHdrIrsi0n. ~ Ia. March ll.lSSl, El. Il,{,