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

between r. ii DzcIxennon ana j
r.. Toibert FOR syvheel's
Support
In the Formers Race for Con-
grcss--A Reply to Owen
Of Garland.
CLARKsvILLE. ARK. March 2, 1856.
To the Editor OF the Gazette.
Tease publish the enclosed reply
to Mr. Thomas M. Owen, which has
been delayed by my absence from
home. Respectfully,
+. r. McKEENos.
Mr.. Thomas N. Owen:
SIR In reply to a polite confiden
tial letter addressed to you on the
9Th Of February. notice to day your
very remarkable reply Ga copy OF
which had never received) pub
Ilished in The Little Rock Gazette.
Knowing that you know nothing Of
me personally and being wholly un-
acquainted with you, I shall indulge
the hope that you are actuated by
good motives IN having your effusion
published; bat it seems to me that
oil thinking men will conclude that
you have in very ungentlemanly
way taken advantage OF private
correspondence to parade before the
public your own personal views and
to injure me by rehashing q lot Of
current demagogy.
/ Even in your malicious mode Of
addressing mo as "Iawyer, notary
public and money lender" you APP
peal In an ignorant way to the pref
udice of more ignorant men. 1t has
always been honorable to be learned
IN the law. 1t is Of no Consequence
to be notary public and to be mon
ey lender for other men who have
suspended, money lending is profit
less business. Yet you would from
bare notice OF my letter head seek
to do me dirty and contemplate
political wrong by leaving the i'm
preston on people whom have not
'II.1s liiaJ:1 am a money king-a shy
lock and an enemy to humanity and
good government. You would 60 TO
the expense Of publishing a letter to
prove to the people that am an en-
envy 10 them because ! have studied
the laws Of our land aud by under
going an examination in open court
have acquired the title OF lawyer.
You are not content by thus drawing
on the prejudice Of the public to do
me personal and political injury
on account Of my business Of life,
but you seek to leave the impression
that | have by violence of some sort
wrongsully forced your state organ to
sup port me through its innocent and
unsuspecting officers. You have de
layed answering my letter more than
twenty days, in taking time, perhaps.
to correspond with your Wheel Off
GERS and making ready your poison
Gus and deadly shots to be discharg
ed at me through the public press.
/ This calls for plain statement of
facts that cannot be denied. Hav
ing been a plain and outspoken ad-
vocate Of public men and measures
since 1881, when was elected TO the
Legislature of my county, have en-
gendered some personal and political
prejudice against me which cuimi-
mated in electing me coroner, as .
burlesque, when was no candidate
in 1882, to my great modification
and the humiliation Of my family,
and in defeating me for the legisla
ture in 1884 as the democratic nomi-
nee. at the same time electing Hon.
j. E. Cravens, our ex congressman
for coroner, because he spoke in favor
Of Democracy. confidently believ-
ed that the three parties contracting
with me were at the head Of this
reckless opposition to me and could
control 1T at will, and when they
came to me for help they acknowl-
edged that had been wronged and
they agreed to help me if / would
lend them money with which to sus
tain their paper. | cheerfully dis
commoded myself in money matters
to aid them, and on my own motion
and without solicitation agreed to
expend with them 500. All this l
did for the purpose OF allaying pref
udice and having peace at home. /
reduced the contract to writing be.
cause had not confidence in all the
contracting parties, and so the same
could not afterward be denied.
All that / have to regret, or apollo
gize for is, that did not draw
skull and cross bones at the head OF
the contract, and then have the par
ties to swear that | did not ask or
force them to make the contract, but
that 1t was made by consent Of their
wives and their higher officers. Let
me say, for fear the paper loses its
influence, that it has studiously vio-
lated the contract with me since its
date, October 30, 1S85-in the face
of the solemn contract signed by its
managers. You can now reindorse
your organ, for it has even sustained
itself at the expense OF obtaining my
money under false and fraudulent
pretenses.
Before / made the contract Mr.. P.
G. Stone assured me that he could
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