Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-04
THE OTHER SIDE.
What Rev. Mr.. railack Has TO Say OF
the .sPost" Trade.

VIII you kindly give place To the following
explanation, since your former reference 10
the sale of the Saturday Post, and the diff
Guilty arising theFefrom is somewhat mis-
leadingf
1t liz now more than three months since
Mr.. Fairchild first wrote me desiring 10 trade
his paper, the 4icoaa County Reosese, for the
M. G. Burch and to W. q. Beckwith, as per-
sonal friends, asking their assistance in
making the exchange. declined a trade at
first, but offered TO sell. After one or two
more letters, however, went TO Harrisville
and spent about three hours of daylight in
looking over his Office and the village. /
made him no offer, but he was so anxious
for trade that he followed me back, ar.iy-
ing only one day behind myself, and spent
three days here. He made an offer which,
after his return home, l accepted, but which
he Immediately changed. After consider
able delay and more correspondence, again
accepted his proposition. He came here
again, but being unable to complete the
exchange under three or four days, we drew
and signed a formal contract and he re-
turned home. Said contract bears date Oct.
22. On the day l expected TO consummate
the matter he telegraphed that he could not
go on with the bargain because of difficulties
at that end of the arrangement. Thus the
matter rested for time, but was again
renewed by bim, and the third time l ac-
cepted his proposition. He came to this
place again and the final exchange of papers
took place two weeks ago last Friday, pos
session being deferred one week at his re-
quest. He came and took formal possession
of the Post on Monday morning of last week
instead of Wednesday as was stated, and in
stead of going Immediately to secure posses
sion of my purchase, which certainly should
have done had i been conscious of any at
tempt at deception, which he was then Ger
tain to discover, remained to help him in
getting started with the Posi-. Wednesday
afternoon he astonished me by sudden
proposition to 'throw the thing up
and return home," alleging not
that he had been deceived, but 'that his
family were ice-bound up north and could
not get here: that Providence seemed to be
against him, and he believed he was doing
wrong in attempting to make change"
attributed it to fit of the "blues''-a little
home-sick that would soon pass away, but
after thinking it over that night concluded
that, blues or whatever it was, he was too
unreliable to trust and had best move at
once to secure myself against loss. My sus-
picions were confirmed the next morning by
his boarding, at Owosso, the same train by
which was going north.
/ submit it not only to newspaper men
but to any person of good sense. that the
charge of deception is not admissible In
view of the length of time taken by Mr..
Fairchild to consummate the trade: in view
of the fact that he was here three times dur
ing the interval, spending more than week
altogether In looking the matter up; that
every facility in the Office and out of it
was afforded him for informing himself:
that, as suggested, made no effort to secure
immediate possession of my property at
Harrisville, but placed it in jeopardy by re-
naming to give him needed assistance: and
especially In view of the fact that his own
friends advised him not to make the venture.
Said Mr.. Beckwith to me: 81 think Joe
is making mistake. but he seems
determined to try it and it's his own job"
Said Mr.. Burch, II should dislike to see him
make the venture, but he knows his own
business best"
dealt with him as would have dealt with
any one, and as any other man would have
dealt with him or me-lQoked out for my
own interests, but did not misinform him
upon any point. Had / not supposed was
making a good bargain j certainly should
not have traded, and / believed he would be
able to handle ,he Post to better advantage
than could Isupposed he had some special
object in view which he did not see fit to
divulge, and others suggested the same idea.
He had been In newspaper work much longer
than /, and had also the advantage of being
practical printer, of which fact he boasted
when looking over my Office. More than
that he used again and again during the ne
gotiations the very argument he is now try
ing to turn against me-insisting that the
patronage of the Post, especially in adver-
tising, was very low and would have to be
worked up by him. In view of all these facts
it seems to me entirely out of order for
either party to plead the "baby act'' at this
stage of the proceedings.
j. w. HALLAcK.