The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1886-03-11

anu AL &sAsA~0 =
ssBefore God and Each
Other" to Keep
shady.
The following concerning the Nc
Kennon Owen rcIbert mstter has
been made public BY Editor Toioert
Of the GAINESVILLE Economist:
DEAR Sra Your last Issue con-
tains a letter from +. r. Mckennon
accompanied BIZ contract 70 which
the ECONOMIST Printing Company
was party. and also The re.s'sassss
Mr.. Il. M. owen. ssa reply Of Bro.
Owen is terse, pointed and sounds q
.ssnell that will meet with happy
response from every valley and bill
top 10 the fourth congressional dis-
trict. His aIIusions, however, 70
the Economist would have been Of =
somewhat different character had he
fully understood the situation.
With your permisslon I wish 70 say
4 few words 10 regard to that con
tract
The end Of last October found the
Economist in = crippled condition
Il had reached point from which y
could not go further without assist
ance. Arrangements were mate
with McKennon to furnish the nee
essary ali. About this time ! went
in as q partner in the paper, to con
duet the editorial department. IL
d short tune after the money was
furnished, the mortgage lifted, and
the contract at the instance OF Me
Kennon, written and signed. Al
that time, under the circumstances
I did not consider that either IN,
partners or myself we're committing
the slightest breach Of trust, OF
wrong IN signing the contract, nor
do yet think so.
Let us for moment examine that
contract. There is nut one or two
points in it.
First-I obligated my self to use
my private influence (not paper) 10
removing, il possible, unjust prejn
dices, as l thought existed In the
county against McKennon. Prcju
dices against him, find, are as nu-
merous az the stars Of the heavens.
The prejudices alluded to in the
contract were these: A short time
ago the people of this county as an
act of ridiculc, contempt or some
other motive not signified, elected
Mr.. McKennon coroner. | thought
that prejudices that consigned him
to what he regarded as the dirties.
humiliation, we're probably unjust,
and had no objection to using my
private influence in removing them.
Secondly, l agree in the contract
to use nv private and personal in
duence (not paper) in securing Mr.
McKennon the democratic nomina-
ton for congress, and in the event
the Wheel did not put out \ candid
ate to try and have him endorsed by
it. Is there anything wrongin thisi
II NJ. McKennon was a suitable
man for congress, would there be
anything wrong in it? Whatever may
be my views now, at that tune
mean the contract was made, from q
democratic standpoint). thought
McKennon was qualified to fill the
place, and being county man l pre-
ferred HIM TO any other mentioned
at that time. With this idea was
there anything wrong in saying that
would work for his nomination BY
the democrats. and try to get the
Wheel to endorse him provided 1t
had no candidate in the field.
Thirdly and lastly, l agree to
shape The tone OF the paper so as to
correct any false impressions that
may exist against the said McKen
men As a public journalist, should
feel bound TO do as much for any
gentleman in the absence Of con-
tract.
Now this Is all there is OF the con-
tract, and in making 1t we have sac
r.ficed neither honor nor principle as
gentlemen aud citizens, nor violated
in the slightest degree fidelity to the
Wheel. Notwithstanding some al
fusion is made to the paper in the
contract, it was never understood
then nor since that it would in any
shape or manner espouse the cause
of McKennon. l distinctly told him
at the time. and have repeated it fifty
times since, that the paper would
not and could not speak syllable In
his favor, and no one has ever seen
anything OF the kind in the paper.
l must, Mr.. Editor, in justice to
all parties, pursue this matter lit
tie further. When this contract was
made all parties to it entered into n
solemn obligation before God and
each other that neither it nor any
part Of the transaction should ever
be divulged. To carry out this
point, the papers which probably
had to 60 before the county clerk
were drawn in the name of an out
side party. This obligation was
made about the first OF November.
Before the close of December f. r.
McKenncn had shown the contract
to several parties, and by the middle
of January most of the leading man