Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-04
card from Col. George Butter
f.rtfffu.

EpIroR HERALD.-Having read .
communication in the Times Of tins
morning, signed ''Watchman" in wnioh
the writer takes occasion to animaose''
upon Che character Of one OF the three
Democratic nominees for membership OF
the civ Board OF Elucaticn. and as Il
scanned in the opinion Of many oi my
friends as we'll as my own, that the conf
mpnicatiop in question referred to Inc, !
Thought ii proper TO call apon the editor
of the Times with view to ascertain
inu who it was that could accuse auy
man Of the various crimes and INSIDE
80, ,,,ssnors attributed 10 the candidate re-
ferred to in that article. and especially
~ the crime Of wife beating. Accom-
nanied by Messieurs Henry NJ. smith
and Geo C. Knox / went to the office OF
fhe Times. There we met MIR. Ill. IL.
Boyce. one of the proprietors OF the
Times who very courteously invited US
to be seated. My errand being ex-
planned by Mr.. Knox -viz; that | de-
sired TO knew whether the article in the
Times signed "Watchman' was intend
ed to apply to me, and Il so whetherr
the Times would divulge the name Of
the author-Mr. Boyce said that he had
not read the communication carefully.
ii then procured copy Of the Times
and. after reading the article, said that
he did not uphold that kind OF journal
ism. that he was fond Of fighting hut
did not believe ia hitting below the belt.
Mr.. Beyoe said that in the editorial
office they could answer the questions
and called to that part Of the establish
msnt. He received an answer ana re-
uuested my friends and myself to go up
stairs. We did 60 and entered the
editorial rooms, where there were pres
emf Mr. Otis aud some other persons.
On request for private interview
Mr.. Otis asked IL we would like TO go
into the passage outside Of the
atf;ce. Al the persons referred TO left the
',sanctum" we sat down. Mr.. Knox still
acting as spokesman. MIR. Otis was re-
quested to reply to the same question
which had beep put to Mr. Boyce. Mr.,
Otis asked whether Mr.. Griffin myself
thought he was referred to in the oom.
munication OF "Watchman.' ] replied
that this was what wished to know.
Mr.. Otis then said that he would not
answer the question. Mr.. Knox then
inauired whether or not the Times as.
susned the responsibility OF the state
meuts made by "yNatohman, and Mr..
Otis replied that he did. then told
Mr.. Oils that the letter Of "Watchman"
was malignant lie. The interview
with Mr.. Otis, who had not asked us to
be seated, and who himself sat down bt-
fore either or my friends did. then
Terminated. This Is. in brief, simple
statement Of what took place during my
interview with Mr.. Otis OF the Times.
The gentlemanly bearing of MIR. Boyce
made our uncourteous reception by MIR.
Otis the more remarkable.
am willing to let the voters OF the
CITY decide between Mr.. Otis--for he
for himself and his paper assumed the
responsibility OF "Watchman's' lies, so
far az the newspaper part OF the matter
is concerned. 0.her lies contained In
the Times and relating to me as candi-
date for public office l can afford to
treat with the contempt which all HON
est men feel for that abortion of jour
nalism. Every one knows that the
Times is controlled editorially by Mr..
Otis, and every one knows that. had the
population of our city remained at
standstill for the past three years,
there would not be now in this city a
man Of whom Mr.. Otis had not made an
enemy. II is also well known that Mr..
Otis is personal enemy of mine. This
being known. and II being known by
nv friends and acauaintances that In
Los Angeles there is no happier married
couple than myself and my wife ssho
has borne to me six little ones--it might
seem that | was not called upon TO an
swer an unprovoked and dastardly at
tack on the part of-=not the Times-but
Mr.. Otis. Both he and myself are well
known ia this community, the difference
being that have friends while he has
none, and | am willing to abide the
issue.
GEO. BUTLER GRIFFIN.
December 3. 1885,