Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-12
Rather Enthusiastic for Fleming.


EDITORS HERALD: One remarkable
feature presented in the Fleming
case, and one that should call for re-
view,is the bitter vituperation displayed
by personal enemies of this now suffer-
ing man.
am called upon to speak in his de-
tense as business man, who is neither
personal follower or his enemy. To
me, as to many others whom have
heard express an opinion, this whole
affair Is put up job. Mr.. Fleming is
no stranger in Southern California. For
eight years he has stood before the pub
lie as an active, energetic preacher,
educator and business man. Perhaps
his work is best known in come ction with
what is called the Chautauqua movement.
In this field it is we'll known that he has
had long, hard fight in securing the
removal of the Chautauqua assembly
from Long Beach to Redondo. As
leader in this work, he has record
worthy of admiration. One year ago
the daily papers were full of praise for
the great work wrought out by this gen
tleman; now, today because charged by
q servant girl, all that he has done for
the church, for popular education and to
build up Southern California, seems to
be forgotten. l say it is unfair, unjust.
The best estimate to be put on any man
is the record of his daily life and work
covering a period of years. Now,
if the ''ex-Rev." is a bad man,
why shas it not been shown? No hint
ever has been made that he has ever be-
trayed trust, taken any advantage of
his social relations with hundreds of
families, been either liar or libertine,
or in any other respect dishonest. E. I.
Murryin today's HERALD says: "Flem
ing's previous record was bad," and that
fhis own letters prove him to be hypo-
critical liar" l suppose the allusion here
made to ''letters" and to''a previous rec
ord" is reference to the publication of
what purported to be sketch of Flem-
ing's life, in the Daily Times of May
goth; as no such evidence was intro
duced at the trial. That the publica-
tion of this "life" (so-called), was a
most outrageous assault and mean un-
derhanded attempt to create public SEN
timent against man charged with a
this record? j. @. Rossiter, of Pasadena,
on behalf of Mrs. Fleming and
hCl laihliy w SCb DO60C6blOh VI IlCLu-
ing's property, and divorce, and who
l surmise is "E. T. Murry." This
''record" was offered to the HERALD,
am informed, and refused. In this the
HERALD is entitled to gratitude. If
every man charged with an offense can
be stabbed in the back by an attorney
under cover of the columns OF daily
paper, who is safe from the grossest
SANDERS? So far as this life is con-
cerned, have the most positive infor-
nation that every charge is absolutely
false. There is but one truth under
cover of all this vituperative abuse.
Fleming, when 10 years old, was led
into marriage with a. woman seven
years older, with whom he never
lived, and from whom he was di-
vorced for adultery committed before he
married her and afterward. | am told
by leading minister of the Methodist
church that, when Mr.. Fleming united
with the Methodist conference here, his
papers in the divorce were examined by
the bishop and presiding elders, and
were satisfactory in every particular.
In fact, had Fleming's record been bad,
why has not some one beside the attor-
ney, and his wife, found it out?
If the people who have thus far
planned and executed this plot to de-
stroy man to satisfy personal griev-
ances, think they have succeeded, they
are mistaken. Active measures are be-
ing taken by Mr.. Fleming's business ac-
quaintances to furnish him with the
sinews of war, and we will stand by him
to the end, which will be full vindica-
ton both in law and in fact.
1 am told that Mr.. Fleming when
asked why he does not reply to these
articles in the news papers said: "I am
charged with the commission of crime
in the courts. In the courts l shall an
swer the charge. If Mrs. Fleming
chooses to publish the letters written to