Smyrna times., 1885-09-23


| carpet Dagger" from the North with
all the characteristics of cheek and unscru-
pulOusness belonging to the most approved
| member of this tribe, with unknown ante
cedents prior to his short residence among
! us, but which has been sufficiently long to
establish character for profanity, reck-
lessness and audacity. Having nothing to
lose and thus Indifferent to what may be
said, you will only servo his purpose in
! keeping up sensation for the sale of his
| paper, which is undoubtedly the cause of
| his weekly attack on some one of character
ana position; We hope that you will re-
! spect yourself and US by ending this matter
as briefly as possible. Your FRIENDS.
There is one thing, however, on di-
rect issue of veracity that must be
| cleared up-the payment of John B.
Cough. He says he never gave a
check to him, and makes the statement
so plausible as to appear that Mr..
Cough was fully paid. The Redpath
| Iyceum Bureau, the business mana
gers OF Mr.. Cough, tells Il very different
story, as the following correspondence
will show. We should premise this.
however, that Mr.. Cough, subsequent
to the lecture here, delivered one in
Dover, when, in talking of the non
fulfilment of the contract, he spoke of
the editor of the Record publicly in the
Hotel Richardson, we are told, as the
most cOnsummate scoundrel he had
ever met Remembering this. when
Phelps was using his double loaded
columns in attacking the characters of
so many men in mere wantOnness to
give him and his paper nOtorietv. a
| gentleman of Dover wrote to Boston
to know the facts that should color
Mr. Coughs language so strongly, and
received the following reply:
BOsTON, July 10. 1885.
Dear Sir We saw Mr.. Cough yester-
| day ut his home at Worcester on business
connected with the coming season. and he
refers to us yours in reference to +. S.
Phelps of Smyrna. 1t is a matter Mr..
Cough can hardly write to you about person.
ally, as the entire transaction was with us
as his agents. We shall be pleased to give
you any facts in regard to this man which
you can make use of in exposing him TO
the public in his true character, and to this |
end we Will send extracts from our corre-
spondence regarding Mr.. Coughs engage
ments. The letters speak for themselves
and hardly need further illustration from
us, to show what sort of man he is We |
found that it was useless to sue him. as his |
property was attached in every direction bv |
those who had unfortunately had dealings |
VIII Hlul1 Wnll0 OLnefS are waiting to nut in |
their claims if there is the slightest possi- |
bllity of n return for the money expended. |
We sincerely hope you will be able to Gre |
ate public sentiment which will rid the |
community of swindler. We will send |
the extracts as soon as copies can be made. |
ours trRly
REDPATH LYC. BUREAU.
Three days after, the following was
received, giving the gist of the CORE
spondence in reference to the act of |
bad faith:
BOsToN, July 10, 1886
Mr.. F. S. Phelps wrote us in Sept. '84. |
lnqulring for prices Of several of our at |
fractions. We replied asking " Are YOU |
alone IN the matterW To this he made no |
direct reply, but signed F. S. Phelps, |
Smyrna Record" After price and date for |
Mr.. Cough were agreed on, we wrote |
again, " We would like to know if YOU are |
responsible for the amount of the contract |
whether you make or loseP' He an |
swers, Il should expect to pay Mr.. |
Cough each night" &c. We write. Oct. !
q" We do not want to take chances on |
Mr. Cough and our experience is that when |
manager goes out of his own city. he al |
most always loses. We have no objections /
to place Mr.. Cough with you at the terms |
named, but want you either to secure sub |
serlptions in the neighbOring towns, or a /
guarantee from prominent citizens so that /
there will be no risk of loss. Can YOU do /
this p His replyis in the hands of alawyer
and not accessible, but its tenOris shOwnby /
ours of Oct. a We will accent vour
offer of $3.50, deposited with us one week in 1
advance of Mr.. Coughs first lecture, and /
lecture"
On the llth of February we received his
check for $3.50, and it was protested ut the
Nat: Bank Of Smyrna on the l4th. He
wrote on the 23rd claiming that he put in a
note for discount and that they assured
him it would be all right, but that the note
was let to lie over the day of discount and
the check returned unknown to him, asks
cost of protest, and says he will pay all N
week, asks for Cough again in April and
says, shall pay you the $3.50 and costs
Whatever you do, but l trust you will give
Smyrna and Salisbury in April" We had
wired him on the Dist to know if he had
settled with Cough in full.
We reply on Feb 25th,-" There is only
one thing for you to do in order to gain our
confidence and maintain your own reputa-
ton with US under the circumstances, and
that IS to remit promptly the balance due
Mr.. Cough, at the time set by you as being
IN condition to do so. We are perfectly
willing to consider your proposition to |
place Mr.. Cough with you later in the sea-
son, provided you do right in this matter.
We shall certainly expect to hear from YOU
by the first of next week, and while we
deeply regret that you were unfortunate in
your enterprise, shall hope to receive a
check enclosed in your next" On Mon
day, March 2, we write again. urging i'm
mediate payment, and calling to his atten-
ton how much the facts if known would in
Jure him in his section, and demanding it
by Thursday of that week. On March
2lst. he telegraphs us, having heard that
MF. NTOuOn tO in nOvor
Cough from Dover parties till you receive
my letter." and writes,-"I see bv the
papers IN Dover that Cough is to be there
again on March 3lst. How is this | ex-
Pected to be in Boston on Wednesday or
Thursday, pay up the bill, and make ar
rangements to have him in Dover and
Smyrna again. You promised to give me
the chance. 1t seems to me that when
have been put in a hole that l should have
the chance to get out when l asked for it.
flease let me hear from you at once in ref
erenee to this if | can have him in Dover
ana smyrna and there will be no use in my
coming on. will agree to send you the
S253 on Wednesday of the coming week.
which is the 4th, and will agree to paV
Cough each night before he goes upon the !
platform. Now you can get out of the en-
gagement in Dover if you desire to 1
snail pay you the money whether you let
me have Cough again or not because owe
1t, but really think | am Justly entitled to
chance to get this after the money l spent
in working it up before. have a bond all
signed and shall get the cash next We'd (
nesday morning. so you are certain of it.
Let me hear from you by telegram" We
wire him, 23rd -" Letter received If we
hear from you favorably by Wednesday.
will talk business" and write to the same !
effect He telegraphs, 23d =" What dates
will you give me for Dover and SMYRNA if !
l send Wednesday? Answer quick" to !
to which we reply" You can not have
Dover. April first Smyrna, if prompt set
tlement." On Mar 80 we write again re- {
minding him of his promise and saving {
that only by prompt settlement can he Sc 3
cure Mr. Cough for the next season. ,
Yours truly, :
kEDPATH LYC. BUREAU
Here there was an end to the cor q
respOndence.
This check was sent to LAWYER of
Dover for collection the middle of !
April. The characterOf the contracted /,
debt was changed from check to bond :
with promises to pay it off in INSTALL :
ments, but which were all broken and :
finally an execution was ordered. which =
was served by the sheriff July 2nd. but =
with some $4,000 ahead of it which had =
been entered up in the less than two r
4 4