The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-10-22

In 1875 few Democrats of Wash
ington county, Tennessee, organized a
stock company, or entered into part
nership, or whaterer it may be termed,
for the purpose of publishing a news
paper, to be called the Jonesboro Jour
nal. Stockholders were added from
time to time, and in 1888 the property
owned by the company was worth at
least 81 800. About that time Mr.. r.
A. Kinsloe became the publisher, and
owner Of some of the stock, part OF
which he bought for fifty cents on the
dollar, and part Of which was given to
him on the express agreement that he
was to continue to publish a Demo-
cratic paper at Jonesboro. In less
than two years from the time he be-
came publisher, the Journal petered
out and Kinsloe, in violation of the
bylaws of the company, in which he
could only claim to be a stakeholder,
in violation of the wishes Of those who
had paid dollar for dollar for the in
terest they held in the concern, in vi
olation Of every principle of fairness
and honesty, secretely, privately and
without the knowledge of many or the
consent of any of the stockholders, re-
moved the presses, types, fixtures, &c.
&c, to Goodson, Virginia, and COM
menced the publication of the socall-
ed Demaocrat. Shortly before leaving
he published in the Journal that sub
scribers need not be alarmed, that ne
would leave enough material to contin-
ne the publication Of that paper. But
alas, when he was gone nothing was
lett but a number of duped and cred
ulous subscribers who had paid in adj
vance for a paper they never received.
Emboldened by the fact that he sue
ceeded in running the paper out of the
State, Kinsloe now claims it as his
own. Does he not know that large
number Of the stockholders have nev.
or parted with their stock and have
never received one cent for the money
they invested? By what principle Of
law or ethics can he deprive these
people of their property? II he has
any right at all, it is the right of con.
quest-certainly not of purchase
With all the shares he bought at hall
price, and all the shares that were
given'him on conditions he has since
violated, Kinsloe had but bare ma
iority OF the stock Yet he now claims
the whole outfit, and is advertising il
for sale. A few OF the owners O
stock have filed bill in equity in vir
ginia, and enjoined him from dispos
ing OF the property. And it is only
since this suit was brought that he ha,
claimed the property as his own. Be
fore that he advertised it for sale anc
signed "R. A. Kinsloe, for the owner
II he was owner, why did he want t,
lead others to be believe he was onl,
acting for the owner? The same motive
perhaps, that caused him to say ii
the Journal that he would leave ma
terial sufficient in Jonesboro, to con
tinue the publication of that paper.
Kinsloe thinks one of the editors O
The COMET had something to do will
the Virginia suit. He declares tina
this man Burrows can have no pos
sible interest in the matter" May b.
Mr.. Kinsloe is mistaken. If "thi
man Burrows" had not been consult
ed by the President of Jonesbor,
Journal Company, whose property hat
been fraudulently removed from thi
State, he might have found some ex
cuse for his interest, in his desire no
to see newspaper, bought and pal,
for by Democrats, become the hirelin,
and tool OF the enemies OF Democracy
Orhis interest mayhave been analogou
to that of the citizen who joins in tn
pursuit of the criminal who has "sui
repticiously absconded" with hi
neighbours property, In concluding
five column explanation Of his cor
duct, Kinsloe whiningly declares tina
he has already lost $1,000, and ever
the little he and his family have lei
is sought to be rested from then
Without noticing his pitiable attemp
to create sympathy for bad man an,
worse cause by throwing his famil
into the breach, it is sufficient to So,
that il he lost money on the Jonesbc
10 Journal, it. was his own fault. |
he had stood fast and firm by tn
Democratic party, Democrats woul,
have stood by him. If he had faith
fully supported its candidate for Cor
gress last fall, instead OF sulking bacl
when he found he could not bleed. tina
candidate out Of $500, the Democrat
would have trusted him little longer
1.-The had continued the Journal
Democratic paper, instead of becon
ing the lickspittle and stool-pigeen {
Walt Brownlow, Democrats would nc
have lost all respect for him. As
was Democrats lost all confidence i