The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-12
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
Col. Greene Replies to Mr. Patterson with
Dignity and Directness.


James G.. Patterson, Esq:
Dear Sir-I see in this evenings papers an
open letter from you referring TO my letter &c
Messrs- MeGG1rdy Hyde and Beers. in which you
charge ne, first with breach of confidence;
second. with incorrect statement.
As to breach of confidence, permit me to say
that had no confidential relations with you in
this matter. I did not send you to New York
to these gentlemen. I did not know you were
going. You went at their request not mine.
You were their messenger to me, not mine to
them. was not privy to your relations with
them; they were not formed at my request or
for my benefit I had no responsibility to or for
any of you. I was entirely ignorant Of the
whole thing until you delivered their message in
their behalf You were in confidential relations
with them, but not with me. You did not ask
me to treat their message as confidential to me;
the circumstances, would have made such re-
quest absurd; no man would have so received
such message.
AS TO incorrect statement, permit me to say
you have overlooked the very first part of your
story to me. After telling how you were called
to New York by these gentlemen you said that
Mr.. Whiteaw Reid had informed them of my
article being in type in the Tribune Office, await
ing publication, and that they could have space
to reply on the same terms. That they did not
wish to have the article appear, that any further
controversy would be injurious to business that
they had had enough, and desired peace. and
that if / would stop they would STOP and that
you were authorized to guarantee their good
fol oh; nd c{r;o toll
you that article was about semi ontine, and
would appear this week. That article was the
reason Of your being sent for, as you put it, and
that and the other Tontine articles were all the
attacks on my part that were spoken OF. You
mentioned no other. either of your own knowl-
edge or as complained Of by Messrs. McCurdy.
Hyde and Beers AS matter of fact there was
nothing else to talk about. But that article
disclosed to them by Mr.. Reid was the starting
point and key of your story to me.
You say did not answer your question as to
to Tontine. Pardon me; you did not understand
me. said they would refer to Tontine and
things growing out of Tontine.
You say that your proposition was that ''the
New York companies and Connecticut Mutual
should cease their attacks upon each other" You
put it in quotation marks; 1 do not know why,
for you did not put it to me in those words but
just as have stated it.
learn from your letter for the first time that
you undertook your mission on account of your
interest in the Connecticut Mutual You told
me you didn't know why they had pitched on
you as a peace messenger, for you were accus-
toned to campaigns yourself, but that you had
concluded to do their errand. Your manner of
treating it did not convey the impression that
you thought the Connecticut Mutual or the Trav-
eiers' had suffered or would suffer from what
had done or proposed to do. Indeed, thought
you were quite as much amazed and entertained
by their proposition as was. Yours, etc.,
JACOB l.. GREENE.
HARTFORD, Jan. 4, 1886.