The times., 1890-10-31
Who Tells the Truth 4?
Rev. ]. s. Valentine Proven q FaI-
sifler.
A Letter From Commander W. L. Reed,
of Charles T. Foster Post Pulverizes
the Distinguished Ex-Pastor's
Free Press Epistle

To the editor of the Lansing Republican.
Dear Sir:-I am receiving letters from
Grand Army comrades, of which the follow
ing is specimen:
SCHOoLCRAFT, MICHIGAN, Oct. 90, 1890.
Commander of Charles Il. Foster Post. No.
~, Lansing, Mich
Dear Sir:--I see that your post, Charles
L. Foster, No. AZ, occupied rooms near to
rooms rented by James nj. Turner, i'm 1854,
and the Post and WOmans Relief Corps
had to leave their hall on account of the in
suits you received from the inmates of the
house; or at least 1 saw such statement in
print. Please give me the truth in regard
to the matter.
Yours very respectfully in +. G. and L.,
j. Il. BARKER.
Now as j cannot undertake 10 reply sepa-
rately to all such letters | have received
and shall probably hereafter receive, and IL
did j could not say more to the writers
without first taking the trouble to. ascertain
whether they were comrades i'm good stand
ing, than l could through the medium of
the press, with your consent will avail my
self of q little space i'm your columns to make
reply to all questions that have been put to
me by those claiming to be my comrades,
with regard to a certain communication of
COmrade Valentine that appeared in the
Free Press on the 23d inst.
Charles Il. Foster Post did not have to
vacate its room on account OF q woman OF
questionable character occupying rooms in
the building, the woman vacated. The post
did not receive any insult from James M.
Turner, who was acting as agent for the
building for the collection of the rent.
James nj. Turner did not rent the rooms to
the woman, they were rented to her by the
owner of the building, who also rented to
the post. / have examined the records of
our post and while cannot state what they
do contain, unless | have as little regard as
has Comrade Valentine for an obligation
taken with uplifted hands, / think | am
permitted to say what they do not contain.
They do not show that any such report was
ever made as he said there was by any COM
mittee appointed to call upon Mr.. James M.
Turner and interview him regarding wo-
man of questionable character occupying
rooms under our post room.
Thinking that our records might not be
as full as they should be l have called upon
members of the post who were present at
the time the subject came up, and i cannot
ind any who say they remember that any
such report was made as claimed by Com
rade ValaAne.
| have also inquired of Comrade James
II. Baker Ga letter will reach him at Harri-
son, Clare Co., Mich.), who called upon Mr..
Turner in behalf of the post. AS to what
Mr. Turner said to him, and he told me that
Mr.. Turner told him that if he, Baker,
knew anything against the character of the
woman, to do what was necessary to have
her removed from the building, and he
would stand by him. ] may also add it
grieves the members of my post to have
Mr., Turner's character and good name
questioned by member Of the post; and
especially to have it done falsely; for Chas.
Il. Foster Post has no better or more liber-
al friends than James M. Turner and his
estimable wife. When we need assistance,
as we often do, for memorial day or for q
banquet or for anything else, we go to them
without dread or fear of q refusal or a
gift, which is worse, for we never
get either from them as, l am sorry to say,
we do from some others, and as GA. II. boys
have their friends, and stand by them, as
they do by each other, and as a cOmrade has
made the charge, they will, know, permit
ME to say what would just as gladly say
for Hon. o. NJ. Barnes ii his character was
by cOmrade. for he is another of
our good friends. That what Comrade
Valentine says against the character of
James Nj. Turner as u man is not true.
| will also ask comrades II it would not |
be in line of duty for Comrade Valentine to |
repeat to himself certain imprecation that |
be has so often, as chaplain of the post, |
repeated to others with great force and sol |
amnity? w. J.. REED,
Commander of Charles Il. Foster Post |
No. 40, Department Michigan G. A. II.