Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-31
LIBELLER SCORCHED.
Gen. John II. Rice, OF Fl. Scott Pays
His Respects to a Topeka
ScalawaQ.

Zen. JOnr' n. NICE OF TT. SCOtt rays
His Respects to a Topeka
SCalaWag.
To the Editor of the Kansas City Journal.
Fort SCoTT, Kas., Oct. 24.-There appear
ed in the Journal of the 21st special from
your Topeka correspondent denouncing in
strong and robust words the cold-blooded,
hear,less scoundrel, TomlinsoE, who edits
the Topeka Journal, and who is private sec
rotary TO Gov. Geo. w. Click. To-day ]
have read the cowardly and villainous arti-
Gle of that corrupt scavenger of all that is
dirty, filthy, slanderous and foul in Kansas
journalism. And as / wish to give this
atrocious hbeller chance to hunt up his
proofs succinctly state:
First-I never wrote one word or line OF
any sketch or biography published in the
Kansas Herd Book" as he calls il.
Second-I was married at Cassville, Ga,
December l, 1S47, by Rev. John Crawford,
by authority of license, and my oldest son
was born December 16, 1913.
Third was not Major-General of the
Georgia militia in 1861, but was elected as
such in 1856 and moved out of the limits OF
the division in 1857, when my successor was
elected.
Fourth never said that in 1861 l was
paralyzed-for l never was either, before or
since. In 1861 and 1862 l was sick a
greater portion of the time.
Fifth-If Governor Click was ested to
the legislature in 1862 he was elected by
simply copperhead votes, because every
word of his history from 1861 to 1865 proves
he was venemous copperhead, and there
is no evidence to-day that he has ever re-
pented.
Sixth-All this vile SANDER, il seems, is
poured out upon me by this slanderer be-
cause have on many occasions ventilated
the disloyal and reasonable record of G. w.
Click, which he made himself, and because
as he SAYS, have sneered at Sam Wood,
the records of the civil war las he ssys) be-
ing full of his brave acts. have done no
such thing Never once have l referred to
his private character, and only referred to
him by an amusing anecdote, as TO how
Samuel came to be under fire on one occa-
sion. But as this assault, the most cowardly,
slanderous and foul ever made upon any
man in Kansas, and evidently made at the
bidding of Geo. W. Click and Sam Wood,
if. in fact, one or both did not have hand
in.writting it. will say that for all Of Sam
Woods bravery and heroic conduct
during our late civil war, l honor
him; for every drop of blood he
sheu IN the defense OF the government
glorify him. But when he was arrested and
confined in the guard house at Fort Scott
charged with great crime, and when re-
member that he was court martialed and
dismissed dishonorably from the service Of
the government, then l in common with all
true men, hang my head in modification a,
the result of human deprsvity. Withou,
being asked for it, advised Governor Click
20 ,,ot on his ride in his cr,aciol twain lilo a
'prince of a empire that is furnished him
by the railroads, and Sam Wood to attend to
his canvass, and let me alone till at least the
election is over, for even if l was rebel, that
in no way atoned for Clicks copperhead
treason-neither docs it wipe out the records
of that court martial, or blot out of exist
ence that soldier of Waubunsee county that
stood guard over him when under arrest
charged with high crime and misde-
meanor. Respectfully,
JOHN H. RICE.