Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-04-15
JUDGE HILL TOT. G. SMYTH.
WICHITA, KANSAS, April IA, 1856.


Z. e. SNYTH. ESQ.
SHIN answer to your open letter and
Misrepresentation of facts, OF the 18th, inst,
l have this to say:
did not make the statements or use the
language or words you say / stated. You
say said 'You apparently took no interest
in the Schuyler Light company until was
approached by the servants Of the company,
when, in your language, the scales fell from
my eyes, and L Immediately became the
champion of the company" did not SO
state. / had not been IN the county Of
Sedgwick, or city of Wichita, during the
month of March. On the 22d day Of March
the ordinance granting the Schuyler Light
company franchise was passed. l did not
know, nor did l state, that you apparently
took no interest until certain time. / did
net know, nor did care, when you became
the champion of the Schuyler Light COM
pany. | was not here during any of the
time, and no fair construction of my Ian
gusge could be made to imply, or convey,
the idea you implicate to me.
When | asked fox my electric light FRAN
chise, you opposed it, and said: Il don't
know about this light. think committee
ought 10 be appointed to go and investigate
this electric light business. We want the
best light, etc, etc." And my recollection
is that YOU voted "Ho" ON tie ordinance.
What did say. or AT. implied 10 say, WISE
this: When / wanted the electric light or
dinance you were blind, and wanted COM
mittee to go and investieate electric lights;
but when the Schuyler people came round
they laid their hands ON you, as old Ananias
did on Saul, ana you, like him, was inlmedi-
atey healed and the scales fell from your
ewes. No one ever accused old ADanlas OF
healing Saul with anything but his religious
ideas and notions. The meaning that | in
tended to convey was. that the Schuyler
people had so tlattered you up with their
idea of their light and stuffed you so full
with their ideas and notions, thst you inn
meGiately became their champion, and go
far forgot the extraordinary care and
protection you seem to manifest in regard TO
electric light, when | asked for my ordi-
nance. This was my reason for saying that
the scales had fallen from your eyes after
seeing them. You further say in your let
ter charged you with accepting q bride and
violating YOUR oath OF office. l did not use
the word bribe, or say that you had viola
ted your oath of Office, or use any language
charging you with any crime. If you or
any one else so construed my language, you
mistake my meaning entirely, and certain
" would DO you the justice to correct such
an impression, If you or any one else SO con-
strued my language or my meaning. L
never questioned your character so far as
dollars aud cents were concerned, or desired
to impute by anything said that you would
knowingly violate your oath of office. The
idea that intended to convey. was that the
Schuyler light people had made great fool
of you. and / am now more than ever thor
oughlv convinced in this opinion.
|, and every other citizen have the I'M
doubted right to criticise your actions, say
ings and doings as public officer, and CEN
sure, praise or condemn. as they think you
deserve. This was all l attempted to do.
When my electric light ordinance was
granted, you said you wanted competition.
When you bid farewell to the council you
placed on record your report, saying you
had always let contracts TO the lowest bid
ders, and believed you had saved the city
considerable money by SO doing, and sd-
vised "your successor to follow your exam
Pile" How does this sweet morsel tally
with your action in championing 5000
contract for lighting the city and shutting
off competition for FIVE years, without Civ
ing an opposition company chance to bid.
How does this chime with your music? Il
advise my successor to follow my example,"
After the council had passed a resolution
tina. hey would NEE, Friday night, and
only canvass the vote, and hear the report
of the committee and adjourn, in the alb
sence of his honor, the mayor, and several
other members of the council. why did you
move tina. the aforesaid resolution be re-
scinded! Isn'tit fact that you wanted TO
get chance to securely fasten this 5000
contract on the city in order to prevent
the matter from being opened up. because
you entertained i'll feelings toward me, and
was only prevented by Mr.. Richey moving,
seconded BY Mr.. Stone. for An adjournment.
Thus, in the midst of this act Of heroism,
you dropped out of the council.
Respectfully submitted.
J. ID. HILL