Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-14
A LIAR FIRED.
The Topeka Commonwealth Makes Reparation
for the Injury Attempted.

| On the 9th of this month representa-
| tive of the Topeka Commonwealth came
| to this city on his own responsibility, and
in face of accurate information furnished
him, deliberately sent a special to the
Commonwealth most shamefully exagger-
ating the facts in regard to the half dozen
isolated cases of small pox in this city at
that time, by saying that there were sew
enty-five cases of small poX, of a virulent
type, that there was great alarm felt
throughout the city, it was feared the city
would be depopulated, etc, etc.
The board of trade took the matter up
and wrote to Mr. F. d. Baker, the manag
ing editor of the Commonwealth, giving
| him the facts in regard TO the small pox.
| Mr. Baker very promptly published the
correction and wrote a letter stating, in
! substance, that he would discharge the
author of the special referred to. If he
could be furnished with evidence that
| Forney knew that what he sent was not
true. In accordance with his request, the
| Board of Trade procured the following ev-
/ idence of Messrs Cox and Koher, who told
! him the truth in the matter before he sent
the special.
! In addition to these evidences, that For
ney made up his mind to wilfully exager-
1 ate the actual condition of affairs, is the
| fact that he told Mr.. W. 4. Copeland,
| freight agent of the Rock Island, that he
was going to send his paper special, stat
| ing that there ware seventy-five cases Of
! smallpox and fifty flags hung out, that
| people were dying with the disease and he
! intended TO warn the public, and was
! going to give the city roasting"
| Following are the affidavits of the gen
| tlemen named:
| STATE OF KANSAS, su
County of Sedgwick,
! Morgan Cox, being first duly sworn,
| upon his oath testified in the matter of in
! formation furnished TO one E. c. FOrney,
/ d Topeka (kansas) Commonwealth" cor
respondents concerning the existence OF
smallpox in Wichita, as follows
My name is Morgan Cox. am proprie-
tor of the Occidental hotel in Wichita,
Kansas. On the 9th day of January |
stepped in back of the Office counter, when
Mr. John koher, the head clerk and Mr.
Forney were discussing the question OF
charging or ''dead-heading' Mr. Forney's
bill, which began with lodging on Janua
ry 5th and ended with supper January 9th
ify his statement that it was
customary for the hotel to ID.
H" Commonwealth" representatives
and stated that he had on several occasions
stopped here under those conditions. /
agreed with him and the account was
checked ID. H." The subject of small
poX being mentioned by one OF the party,
| said to Mr.. Forney: Now, don't you go
and write up any great sensational story
about the small poX here, because there
are not over a half dozen cases, and these
the authorities have we'll under control,
and there is not the least danger of any
ones catching the small poX by coming to
Wichita" His answer TO this was: Il am
not going to say a - word about it. But
if Marsh Murdoch had such an opportu-
nifty as this at Topeka he would blow it. >
| explained to him that there was no alarm
felt here, and cautioned him not TO send
out. anything but the facts, that all we
objected to here was the wild character of
the reports circulated in other papers.
TSignedl MORGAN Cox.
subscribed and sworn to before me this
18th day of January, A. ID. 1888.
Ben r. HITE, Notary Public.
[SEALl 246 North Main st.
Term Expires Dec. 30th,. 1891.
The following is the affidavit of Mr.. John
Koher, head clerk at the Occidental:
STATE OF KANSAS,
SEDGWICK COUNTY 80
John Koher, being first duly sworn, on
his oath says:
Ny name is John Koher. | am head
clerk at the Occidental hotel in Wichita,
Kansas. On the 5th day of January, 1883,
Mr. E. c. Forrey, of Topeka, registered
for lodging and remained until after supper
the next day. On the morning of January
&, 1888, had a conversation with Mir. For
rey, who told me he was a Topeka Com
monwealth representative. / then told him
| would simply make charge of his ac
count to the Commonwealth. to which he
objected, saying that the Commonwealth
and the hotel exchanged courtesies.' In
the conversation on this subject he eX
planned that this was not his territory, and
that he was sent down here especially to
write up the small poN news. | asked him
what he intended to say about it. He re-
piled that he heard there Wee fifty cases.
of the disease in Wichita, and
that they We're of the most virulent
character: that he regarded the attitude of
the Wichita press in keeping silent on the
subject as outrageous, and he was going to
lei the people know of the danger. | said
| hoped he was not going to report fifty
cases upon the strength of mere idle rumOr,
ana offered to bet him $50 that there were
then only five cases in the city and pro-
ceeded TO give him the location of each
case. ! also told him that the first case
was a party who came here from California
and the second one, the only fatal case,
was a man who hauled the first ones
goods from the train for him. This second
one boarded at the house of the third
one who showed any symptoms of
smallpox ! further told him that the
cases at present reported as smallpox, were
of such a mild form, that The physicians
are uncertain as to their being anything
OF the sort.
He took no notes, upon what | told him.
and by his actions indicated that his mind /
was made up. He simply laughed sheer |
ingly at what | told him as actual facts /
referred him to our board Of health ana I.
suggested that he ought, at least, to get /
his information there.
He expressed no wish TO consult the /
health officers nor betrayed the least de |
sire 10 get the truth.
Signed. JOHN koHER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this |
13t h day of January, \. d. 1855.
SEAL. BEN Il. HITE, Notary Public
246 North Main street. Term expires /
December 80, 1891
SOON IN NEW QUARTERS