Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-13
wATTERsON IN ILL HUMoR.
The Grip and Bogus Interviews Disturb His
Even Temper.

The Grip and Bogus Interviews Disturb His
Even Temper.
A Louisville dispatch says: The following il
published in this evenings Times: representa-.
tive Of the Ece,in9 Times found Mr.. Watterson
confined to his house with an attack of grip,
and opened his attack by saying: 'Mr. Waiter
son, the New York papers have broken loose
again about the Hill letter.
'Then." said Mr.. Watterson, ''they must
have very little to do"
"Have you anything to say?"
Nothing"
Would you like to hear what they are say
ing?'
Il don't care anything about it." Mr.. Wat
terson replied. with some irritation. 81 said
nearly a month ago all had to say, and, al
though spoke fully and frankly, the news
papers have been making a mares nest out of
it ever SINCE"
But. Mr.. Watterson," persisted the Times
scribe, have you not been interviewed about
it?"
interviewed be - exclaimed the old
journalist, savagely. ''What do you call an in
terview? Is it a chance conversation written
out at second hand without notes and from
memory by another man and heralded az your
own? have authorized nobody to speak for
me. have seen no interview. as you call it,
in advance to revise 1t and make it nv own.
half dozen conflicting statements, for the
publication of which am as innocent as the
man in the moon.
Here is the Ecening Post Of this city greed
lily gobbling up every line that has appeared on
this subject, declaring that ought to be
charged advertising rates, and the St. Louis
Republic yawping about my explanations,
when. as a matter Of fact, / have been pursu-
ing the tenor of my way. Winding my own
business seeking to get well of this internal
grip, SO that l may fill a series Of prearrange,l
lecture engagements, and in no way troubling
myself about politics, and least Of all New York
politics, which stink in the nostrils of good
people everywhere"
"Bnt did you not write letter to Mr. Cleve-
land?"
i have written many letters to Mr.. Cleve-
land"
"But did you not write a special letter to Mr..
Cleveland and get a special answer?'
Whatever have at any time written to Mr..
Cleveland is my affair, and whatever he has
written to me at any time is his affair. The
Hill matter got into the newspapers in a gar
bled shape without my knowledge or consent.
l merely consented that the truth should be
printed. BY that, and that alone, l stand.
I'm the meantime 1 am engaged in no con-
spiracies and refuse to be put on exhibition for
purposes either OF news vending or contro-
versy. The hounds who are seeking SO to use
me shall receive no assistance from me. am
not criminal, not even a candidate for Office,
and have committed no fault, unless it be a
fault, for man to exercise his right of free
speech as a citizen and a democrat in the in
terest of his country and his party"
Bat. Mr.. Watterson," insisted the reporter,
what shall be said to those who are lombard
ing the telegraph Office for some explicit ex-
preston from your
Tell them all to 60 to -" exclaimed the
victim of the grip, as he took handful OF
quinine, but as the scribe was about to retreat
from very sick and very angry man he called
him back, saying in gentler tones: NO, dom,
do that: don't do that; they will get there soon
enough without any maledictions or instruc-
tons from me-"