The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-17
BLATANT GUSSY BLASS.
FAM WOULD HE POSE AS A TRULY
WASHED SAINT,
But the Facts In the Refugee Case aud
His Record as Citizen and Business
Man Spoil the Picture-His Combina-
ton Gard Can't Do 1t.

Gus BlaSs is one Of these truly indignant
fellows, while The APPEAL and Police
Officer Wolf are the objects OF this 'goody-
goody" mans overwhelming wrath.
And the cause? Gentle reader, il APP
pearcd in THE APPEAL yesterday, and is
doubtless fresh in the minds OF every one
OF you, Here is his card
"Some strangers stopped at my store
last Monday morning and asked me where
they could obtain boarding. | told them
that they might find boarding housc on
Mulberry street, around the corner. They
then asked ii they might be allowed to
leave their baggage consisting OF II bird
cage containing two birds satchcl, and a
guitar, at my store until they found n
place. | readily assentcd, not knowing
anything aboutthcm or whence they came.
In about ten minutes they returned and
took away theirluggage. | thought nothing
further OF the matter until officer Wolf
entered my store in very insulting and
buldozing manner and asked me Whole
those yellow fever refugees from jackson.
ville Fla, were. | told him | had seen
no refugees from Florida and did not know
the whereabouts OF any. Calling me "a
liar and threatening TO arrest me, he
stormed about in an outrageously redicu-
lous manner. OF course, told him he
could not arrest them and order them
out. As TO all the statements made about
me in The APPEAL ! can but character.
ize them rs lies of the most malicious
order have property in Memphis to
the extent Of SIS 900; have lived here oil
my life and have the best interests OF
Memphis rs much at heartas THE APPEAL
or any one else. Why | should DC called
the famous would like TnE APPEAL to
explain, us have done nothing TO deserve
such title
This combination card appeared in an
afternoon paper, but OF course the
famous" did not write IL. officer Wolf
accepted it rs the production OF Gussy,
and accordingly called at THE APrEAL
office 10 subSiantiate what had cmanatod
from him. With him was young gentle
man named Grconcwald, who BEGAN the
Woodworking about Gussy by relating the
following circumstances;
81 stopped To- talk 10 Gus DlaSs rs ! was
passing his store ON Monday morning, on
my way to work. 4 party composed Of
thee people, two gentlemen and u lady,
passed by. Blass, without any inquiry
on my part, said: DO you see those people
going up the street, | responded in the
affirmative. well, they are from Jack
sonyillc, Fla, and ] have some Of their
baggage stored in my house was aston
shpd at this information, and told Blass
| lac should not have encouraged thcm TO
stay here. | determined that the anthor.
tiles should know about this, aud, from a
sense Of duty, informed officer WOlil OF
what had learned"
Officer Wolf then told his story. "Mr.
Grcenewald told me that Gus Blass had
| informed him that three people from
jacksonville, Fla, had stored some goods
| at his stOre-houso, and that Blass know all
about them. | went 10 the store OF MIR.
| BlaSs, hut found only his mother there.
/ She grew very much excited nj my IN.
quirics about the refugees, and insisted
| that she knew nothing about them.
asked again for Gus, but she said he
wasn't in. left the store 10 hunt him
up, when | met his brother, Joe blass,
and button hOldcd him. lie acknowl.
edged that the goods Ol the people had
been left at BlaSs' store, and remarked
to me In a confidential tone, being jew
as well Ms himself, Wolf, don't trouble
them, they are poor Jow family We
had walked into the store ~
tho mean time, and Gus suddenly
appeared In ON the scene and
In tho face OF tho statements N Mr.
Grcencwald and his brother, lac persisted
In saving that lac knew nothing about th,
people, and no lied. lie lies further when
hc avs that / tried 10 bullduzc him
Neither did | call him liar, or act ~
any but cool calm and digniiicd way
and in performance Of my duty As aswor
officer Of tho law.
Gusy, that Is three out Of three horse
ON YOU. 80 far rs the goods aud your knOwl
edge OF who owned them arr concerned
Now. the 'Iica" OF THE ArrEAL in cnnrac
t.riling YOU as famous" Perhaps II WI
incofrect In that the term was 10y Tar To-
mild. AZ you have asked for nm cNplana
ton Il shall be made:
Gus,y will doubtless remember how ~
came out ahead on the epidemic IN 1875
Ito was one of "A sal aud detected loOkin
party that took refuge In Cincinnati III
party huddlcd together In a cellar, aud Il
a condition 10 wrclchcd that Il would hay
touched the sympathy Of u wooden man
A committee OF Jewish citizens, with th
spontaneous philanthropy Characteristic ,
, the race ~ a whole, inaugumied q canvas
for funds, which Noted the "pOycrt
, stricken" refugees n snug littlo forum,
since then. according 10 GuEsy's own o.
; mission. lac has accumulated property
7 the value Of ~, 900. lie WIS Ia buslnc'
2 long before 1873, but life must have bee
Z a burden TO him, In a financial sens
Either that, or his appearance at Cincii
4 matt was an Infamous sham.
J Then Guxsy will remember little tn
In squire IIughoy's court, several wccl
AGO. In which ho and Fila Moore figure
> az defendants Ella is a negro prUsutut
p and Gus.y's relations with her were OF,
|. and notorious. "CanCbrake' Sal was q
k prosecutor. The trial lastod two OF thr
4 DAYS, and during lis progress Gussy "
J, badly done up by the female prosrcut
n for some sighting remark concerning b
character. Both the defendants We
fined. but this small part OF the pfocrc
Ing. amounts 10 nothing "a compared W
Gu-y's lowdn,ss with the negro wonIa
Il would be hard to cnumcratc the
u .tances this same sanity GuAsy las .
urod In police and criminal court fll
n. lie IL now resting under a sentence 90 8
m months imprisonment IN the wofk.h0u
Al lof receiving stolen property.
gn But II seems tho Blass family u iamOl
cc as thc following from the Imsrlcun Lrtd'
=, published 1T Cincinnati, Of date Aug,
Is. will show
There Is family In this ci,y-they
blaD-tho poor, hoaftbroken mother
connected with the jlass family IN Mo
phis, Tenn, whore her rich mother 9