The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-19
COLONEL GRAY IN KENTUoKY,

In his speech at Madison, Colonel Gray
took occasion to refer to the charges Of mis-
conduct attributed to him while in Kentucky
for short time as a federal officer. He grew
very indignant over the statements some of
which, he said, were that he Gray, was
horse-thief, and that he had thrown a print
ing-press into the Ohio river. He denied
the first, and as to the latter said it was a
rebel newspaper, and that the boys did it,
anyhow. That is the excuse he made, also,
for the charge Of breaking into store at
Bedford and despoiling the goods It was
fthe boys who did that boys Of Captain
Curtis's company. The charges had APP
peared in the Madison Courier, and
Colonel Gray grew very heated and
personal in denouncing them, trusting that
the editor of the Courier was present to hear
linn. Mr. CARRIER, the editor, was there,
and in caustic article reviews the
doughty Colonels defense The Cou-
rier says it never called Colonel
Gray horse thief, or any other kind
of a thief, but had merely printed what had
been frequently and repeatedly said Of him
by others. Mr.. CARRIER says: Before the
writer reached West street Con his way to
the meeting) he met Kentucky gentleman
who is practicing medicine in this city, who
reiterated former assertion, such as Colonel
Gray said the Courier had published abouthim.
The Courier mentions another man. Mr.. LATE
Mellender, who is in the habit Of remarking
frequently that Colonel Gray is what the Col
onel complains some people have called him.
The Courier invites Colonel Gray to go into that
part Of Kentucky nearest Madison, and he will
probably receive an access of information as to
the estimation in which he is held by the peo
pie Of that region. The Courier concludes its
article as follows:
.eThe authority for the statements concern
ing the destruction of a printing Office in Car
rollton is Col Thomas D. Wright, Demo
GRAFT without guile who charged that Isaac p.
Gray, and no other, is the sole
responsible party for the outrage.
Colonel Wright is as well known in
Southeastern Indiana as Isaac P. Gray is in
his home, and Wright's word will be taken
as soon as Gray's If Gray thinks he can cut
a broad swath in the Courier as he evidently
does, he only exposes the narrowness Of his
mind and the httleness Of his nature. We
have published charges against him, but there
has been foundation for all that we have said,
and our language has been such as to cause
us no regret for its use. To insinuate that
we have called him a horse thief for the pur-
pose Of yelling "liar" and Coward may be
magnificent valiant. parliamentary and
consistent with the proprieties Of
the occasion, in his eyes, but
we are willing for the people to look upon
Judge him accordingly, We do reiterate All
Of our former statements concerning him, and
while we have never said he was a horse-thi&
we do say that the testimony is overwhelming
that he abused the authority vested in him
while an officer Of the army in Kentucky, and
permitted the insulting and maltreating of
non combatants in manner that disgiaced
the uniform he wore. For his comfort and
information, we will add that Kentuckian
now resident of Madison, stopped lis at
noon to-day to inquire whether we
were going to hear Gray, When we
replied in the Affirmative he declined
to accompany us, declaring he would
not vote for Gray, and that he knew twenty
five other former Kentucky Democrats now in
Madison who wouldn't We are all down on
Gray he said"
Our disinterested advice to "Colonslg Gray
would be not to stir up the record Of Ills mill
tary career and services. There ate some
things Of which the least said the better, and
Colonel Gray's army service Cd is one