, 1886-02-11
That Scrap Of History

The CaU is awfully anxious about
the reputation of Goodall, Per
kus \ Co. and insists that the ARGUS
has called them smugglers, which
anyone knows is not true, from read
ing the item it republishes from our
columns in proof of its assertion. 1t
| further recites that In 1882 Hon A.
W. Bash appointed Mr.. Weir to
position in the custom house." and
says also that Special Evans so siren
uously objected to the appointment
that MIR. Weir was fired" We do
not know whether somebody has
really imposed on the editor of the
| CaU in this matter or not, but we do
know that its so-called scrap OF his
torvr is a lie out of whole cloth In
1882 the editor of this paper was
given a temporary appointment IN the
custom house for thirty days, and
was employed to assist with the cleri
cal work under Deputy Harmed, and
also as clerk for the Shipping Com
missioner. At the end of the time it
was found that extra help was still
needed, and another temporary ap-
pointment was made out for fifteen
days; and SO the time was extended
until three months had been put in.
When there was no longer need Of
the services the appointment was
discontinued. Mr. Evans had moth
ing to do with the matter at all, and
Mr.. Weir was not fired" in any sense
of the term. If editor O'Brien has
any manhood about him he will do
US the justice of making this correc :
ton before his readers. 1t is true
that when the ARGUS was fighting
might and main to get the Treasury
Department to increase the customs
force in this district sufficiently to
effectually check the illicit influx OF
Mongolians from British Columbia,
Special Agent Evans had himself
interviewed by a San Francisco news
paper reporter, and that be thereby
published to the world a statement
that the editor of the Port Townsend
Argus wanted to get employment on
the customs force and that in order
to get the force increased this paper
was manufacturing" news about
Cinnamon crossing the line; that
there was no truth in our published
reports beyond the fact that snow
and then stray Chinaman managed
to enter the county unlawfully." 1t
is trne that when Mr.. Evans made
that statement about US he willfully
lied. We called him to account for
it at the time, and publicly offered to
substantiate by competent testimony
every item Of news we had published
on the subject: but Mr.. Evans never
allowed US the slightest chance 20 re-
fute his malicious SANDER upon our
character for truth and yeracity We
also publicly announced that we had
no thought of securing an appoint
ment on the proposed extra Chinese
detail, and would not accept such ap.
polntment if rendered; yet MIR. Evans
reported officially to the Department
after pretending to Investigate" the
matter, that there was no truth in our
published reports. As a consequence,
the customs force was not increased
as was so necessary to enforce the
law, and coIitraband Cinnamon
poured into Puget Sound from Vic
toria by the sloop load and canoe load,
until the citizens of Tacoma, Seattle
and Whatcom, tired and sick of see.
ing the law such a farce, arose in
their might to drive the heathens
out. This paper was acting in the
interest of the public good and the
enforcement of the restriction act;
Mr.. Evans was not Now, the Port
Townsend Call bots up as Mr.. Evans
special champion. 1t is extremely
anxious to get up an issue of some
kind, and by all means to take sides
against the ARGUS, right or wrong.
When it essays to give scraps of
history" however, it would appear in
public less IN the light of an ass if it
would tell the truth.