Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-08-20
JOSEPH COOK AND RoBERr NIGER,

IcOo1A ~ bOOAe
SOIL.
An encounter between two such str0n
and lively personalities as Joseph Cook. tn
champion of aggressive orthodoxy, an
Robert G. IngersolI. the worlds creates
infdel, Is an event of interest to the gen
eral public. il not to the world at large
The two men are very large, physically
and Of about the same weight, from $50 4
800 pounds, and they came In collision Au
gust ls, 1888. at Rodgers's Rock Hotel, a
the north end of Lake George, In Me-
Cooks own township. Ticonderoga. Mr
Cook was accompanied by OH
own Professor J. H. w. Stucken
berg, formerly Of Wittenberg. but now o
Berlin, Prussia. and in this country q
present, with his wife, raising funds fol
the erection of an edifce for the American
church at Berlin. of which he Is the pastor
Mr.. Cook, having been advised that Mr.
Ingersoll was In the hotel, told the proprie
tor, Mr.. Denton Treadwsy, that he did no
wish an introduction to him (Mr. Ingersoll
as the results might be unpleasant.
Mr.. Ingersoll come in at the front dool
as Mr. Cook and Prof. Stuckenberg wers
leaving, to take the boat. They, in pass
ing, came so near to each other thai
Mr.. Treadway said: Mr.. Ingersoll
Allow me to introduce you to Mr.. Cook"
Mr.. Ingersoll tossed up his head and
said: 81 don't want to be introduced to Mr..
Cook. He is q d-d liar" This was be
| fore Mr.. Cook had said word, and II was
In q crowded room, with thirty to fifty
people In it-many of them ladies-it being
q rainy day. which kept the guests Of the
hotel In doors.
Mr.. Cook said to Mr.. Treadway: 'You
know did not want an Introduction and
told you SO. He Is probably sore over Mr..
Gladst0ne's reply to him." Mr.. lnger-
soil continued his abuse. addressing him
self directly to Mr.. Cook, who had turned
his back on him, and said again to Mr..
Treadway: 'I do not wish an introduction
TO man who Is not a gentleman"
Mr.. IngersOll then went on, with foul
and vulgar expressions, when Mr.. Cook
turned to hir and said: Anthony Com
stock has published an article which nails
the charges to which you probably refer. "
Mr.. Comstock's article Is in the March
(lsss) issue of Our Day, new monthly of
which Mr.. Cook is editor. and Rev. Mr..
Brown, Of Dubuque. Iowa, has also made .
like showing, on the basis of overwhelming
documentary evidence.
Mr.. Ingersoll then said directly to Mr..
Cook: "You are d-d liar and q dirty
dog. and have half mind to give you q
licking now" At this Mr.. Cook stepped
up to Mr.. lngersoll, and looking him direct
iy in the eye, said: "You will never have
a better chance than now. Put your finger
on me and will have you arrested in three
minutes" Thereupon, Mr.. Ingersoll
moved backward, and turned away. max
ing no further threats Of personal violence.
but muttering about his being . ''dIrty
dog" and i'd liar" and finally becom-
ing silent, as he reached the stair leading
to his room. Mr.. Cook standing where
they had parted, looking after him and ex-
claiming, Lively boy! Lively boy !"
Those present expressed themselves to
Professor Stuckenberg as greatly shocked
at Mr.. Ingersolrs conduct and language.
IL is hardly necessary to say that the pro-
fessor was himself astounded. or that he
formed an entirely new opinion of Inger-
soil as man. Mr.. Cooks charges con-
cerning Mr.. lngersoll's leadership of the
Liberal Leagues. have always been sup
ported by congressional document pre-
sented In report by Mr.. Beckwith. Of the
house, several years ago. in which this
language occurs: ''The petition of Robert
G. Ingersoll and others, for the repeal of
certain clauses in the postal laws, cannot be
granted, for the pOstoffices OF the United
States, in the opinion of your committee,
were not established to transmit infamous
publications and instruments of vice."
This document leaves no doubt that In:
gersolI's name headed the petition, al
though when public Indignation grew hot
over this scheme of the Liberal Leagues,
Mr.. Ingersoll removed his name, as Mr..
Cook is always fair enough to state, al
though Mr.. Ingersoll Is still, undoubtedly.
the champion of the league. now called the
Secular Union.
Either this erpose of Mr.. Ingersolps con-
1act, or Mr.. Cooks assertions that MIR.
Ingersolrs lectures are half chaff and half
.kaffing," is undoubted the cause of NJ.
Ingersoll's irritabiity. C. NJ. N.