Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-04-17
MR.. SHEWALTER ON GOULD.

Judge II. d. Laughli,s, ST. Louis.
LEXINGTON, Mo-, April s.-My
Dear Sir:-I recently saw handbill
signed, H. NJ. HOxie, and having as
motto, 'LawlessneSs must be repress-
ed.' / was glad to see Jay Gould and
his lieutenant sailing under such colOrs.
all good citizens will ap-
prove the same, and as the notice re-
Quested that all information as to law
lessness should be communicated to
you, hasten to give you the foil
ing. may by way of preface decline
the reward of $500 as l shall be more
than compensated if the righteous
prosecution promised is waged against
the guilty parties. Then as to the
facts:
ROBBERS AND SABBATH BREAKERS.
"First-You and would agree that
robbing is very heinOus crime. By
the laws of this state, to say nothing OF
the laws of God, six days constitute a
weeks work. The man who cOmpels
another to work seven days and pays
him but for six robs him of one day,
and one day at home, to which his
family is entitled. Your employers
have been guilty each week for four
weeks in each month and twelve
months in each year, and tor years
past, of this crime. That they have
thus also desecrated the Sabbath and
have violated the statutes of this state,
and are thus legally guilty and liable |
to its penalties, ample evidence can be |
furnished. Ii it is your desire to sup
press lawlessness, and if, in truth, Jay
Gould Il Co. have any respect for the
law, which they have always violated
when it answered their sOrdid pur-
poses, but which they now invoke,
WHEN CAPITAL WILL COMMAND RES
PECT.
"Will you take steps to punish these
guilty viOlatOrs of the law, or are your
shafts only to be leveled at those who
tread on your toes? Let me make IA
little suggestion, with moral: When
jay Gould & Co. show some respect
for the laws themselves the honest peo-
pie of this country will take more in
terest than they are now likely TO do i'll
seeing that his legal rights are respect
ed. When sordld (and as in this case)
ill-gotten wealth shows at least little
regard for flesh and blood, bone, mus
Gle and brain; in word for manhood,
capital will have little to fear from
labor. For the year 1884 the Missouri
Pacific made over l2A per cents net on
the capital invested, above all expenses
of every kind, repairs, etc.-hOw much
of this was honest gain? how much
was illegally filched from the farmers,
producers and shippers Oh one hand,
and the employees on the other? How
much?
STATUTES CONSTANTLY VIOLATED.
"SecOndly, our state constitution
contains many wise provisions. 1t is
deserving of all praise, and you and ],
sw orn to support it ourselves,nO doubt
would like to see all its provisions hon
cstly enforced. would, and l take it,
you are equally patriotic. Certainly
Jay Gould Il Co., having issued proc.
lamatiOn against Iawlessness in general
are exceedingly anxious TO see the fun
da,nental law upheld. There is, fol
instance, the provision against the Civ
ing of free passes to certain officers
: the placing OF competing lines under
:. the same management, the engaging il
business other than that authorized
, (coal mining, etc., by charter; thu
,, furnishing of supplies by officers of thu
company, Determinations and over
charges on freights, and other wise con
stitutional safeguards. Is it not nOto
> rious that your employers have violated
repeatedly and constantly, every on,
! of these constitutional provisions
3 Evidence thereof can be furnished
: desired. Will you prosecute those
+ parties2 or do your instructions onl.
embrace the meaner fellows of tn,
Il in Of III pf
D in the gentry who corrupt the legisla
a lures, tranple upon constitutions, Ia,
C the people illegally, and thus rob then
by over-charges and other crooked
n practices, or do they simply embrac
@ ted by those who are guilty of beini
s laboring men?.
THE SQUEEZER BEING SQUEEZED.
p "Your client now bellows and erie
ia aloud that the Knights of Labor ar
II squeezing him. Ahl did he neve
,, squeeze any one? Is it not a notoriou
n fact that this is his favorite game
a How many railroads has he not froze
"a or squeezed out? How many commu
- mites and individuals has he nc
;c swindled and ruined by this same pro
A cess? These are his own tactics; bette
m advise him to take his own medicin
If like a man. He complains of violenC
1 used against his property. La,
m abiding citizens have a right to con
70 plain and should condemn such cours'
# but has not your client himself SOW
II the seed, and is he not now siinpl
az reaping the harvest? When the pr
N cesses of courts were too slow, or h
al right not clear, has he not repeated
, used force and violence? nay, the vel
g force now arrayed against hlmsel
,e Has he not fOrcibly land by armed mo
= taken possession of property Did
ID not do SO at this place, St. Louis all
70 elsewhere? He now threatens to su,
70 Better not His own character f,
m these things might damage his cas-
i'm especially before twelve men whom
At had probably wronged. Tell him
of had better mend his ways. Tell hi,
70 he had better learn to keep the Ia
m himself, and then the people will 81
of that his rights are respected.
al WHAT THE PEOPLE WILL DO.
ii. "But you may assure him of OF
cS fact, that out of this unfortunate sta
y of affairs, condition brought abo
" by his own practices and methods. a,
a AZ for which he is mainly responsible, tn
IL will result: That the people of tn
~ state, the farmers, merchants, laboriI
''' men, all the people not owned by Il
. railroads, will elect a Legislature tn
w. fall that cannot be bought by railroad
'e This strike has demonstrated VIII
II. many have long seen, that railway
- being public highways, must be co
Us trOiled by the state, and the peop
~ will demand of this legislature tW
II, things:
vi "First-That laws shall be enact,
H. protecting the shipper on the one hai
US from extOrtiOn and robbery, and Il
'o employe and laborer on the other fro
sII oppression and injustice.
Gu "Second-That these laws and q
'n provisions of our constitution shall
vs. respected by the railroads, or the I'll,
ny road officials sent to the penitentiary
u, a jury find them guilty.
VI In the hope that the law may be G
20 forced, am respectfully yours,
We j. ID. SHEwALrER.
II