The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1892-06-04
D. E. BEASLEY,
The Eminent Afro-American Photogra
pher of st. Paul.
Claims he was Vilified and Abused With.
out just Cause in an Article by Justice
in The Appeal Last Week and Gets
Back at Justice in Great Shape.
To the Editor

Dear Sir: see in last weeks issue of
IHE APPEAL, what purports to be an ed
ltOrlal with no other sigma ure than the
word Justice. l see the writer has
seen fit to unfavorably arraign me in
his letter. do not know to whom am
to reply, yet since my name has been
called into question by this odious arti-
Gle, l feel it my duty as a citizen and
man, to reply to it. I herewith append
the head lines of the article to which
refer: Harry Shepherd, the eminent
Atro-American Photographer of St.
Paul, who is vilified and abused with
out just cause, has Lawyer McGhee
and many others to come to his rescue.
1t has pleased the writer to depict me
| as one of the number. Who would de-
fame the fair Shepherd. His, the
writer's, idol. 1 desire to say in the
beginning, that do not desire to vilify
the name or fame, of any man. Nor
would |, like the writer, endeavor to
get the best of man in business
transaction, no matter whether he be a
white or black man, as the writer,in-
ferred that Shepherd would be justified
in doing, provided he might be success
fnl in defrauding the former. In a
business transaction, I simply want
what is due me, nothing more nor less:
l believe that is as much as any honest
man would wish. Now so far as the
Hunt VS.. Shepherd suit is concerned,
have nothing with which to do. I was
summoned to appear as witness in the
case. l was called upon to give my
testimony, which I gave to the best of
my knowledge, without fear or favor of
any man. Shepherd came to me about
year ago in the guise of a friend laden
down with Misrepresentation and
dumped them upon me. In regard to
my gallery, in which he assured me
upon his word as a gentleman and a
friend, that was buying very cheap,
and in consideration of my purchasing
by his advice. that he would do all that
he could toward teaching me the bust
ness, and help me in any other manner
that he could find possible, to assure
my success. But instead of keeping
his word in one instance, he has done
the reverse in all. 1t has been his
proud boast that in making the deal for
the parties from whom 1. bought. that
he had made a hundred dollars on the
sale, and had in the meantime put a
man in the business with no expert
ence, who he would soon be able to
swallow up. Now about the man who
Shepherd so kindly secured to learn me
the trade, and who, he says, gave up
SIS per week job to do sol am accused
of discharging him.
After being in my service but three
weeks, without notice, to this I plead
guilty. 1t took me just three weeks to
learn the business of this hireling of
Shepherds, whose business | found was
not to learn me the trade, but to teach
the patrons of my gallery, which l had
just purchased, how little l knew about
the trade, and how important it was for
them to go to Shepherds to get good
pictures. Shepherd claims l have de-
frauded Hornbeck out of 5000 on false
promises. The following affidavit will
prove the truth OF falsity of his state
ment:
STATE OF MINNESOTA,
County of Ramsey
Charles S. Hornbeck after having
been duly sworn deposes and says:
1. That | am we'll acquainted with
David Beasley of St. Paul, Minnesota.
2. That / believe the said David
Beasley to be perfectly honorable and
upright man.
3. That the said David Beasley has
never, either by word or deed, defraud-
ed or attempted to defraud, or acted or
attempted to act dishonorably towards
me the said deponert.
G. S. HoRNBECK.
Subscribed and sworn to before me