The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-04-01
An Anonymous Letter.


will allow me little space in your
columns 1 wish to make a reply to q
blackmail letter that received March
10, 1872. 1t reads thus: al have
| thought for some time 1 would write
you few lines. know you are hav.
ing trouble and losing your neigh
bors." Well can just tell you who
my neighbors and friends are that
have lost if anybody wants to know
1 can give a pretty good history from
some of them. L have lived by some
of them for 10 years and 1 have neigh
bored with some of them, have work
ed for some of them, my wife and
have assisted some of them through
sickne SIS and / also have had dealings
with some of them when they were
holding an office, and think have
had a pretty good opportunity to get
pretty well acquainted with some OF
them. "And no wonder when you
took up with that low-down family,
they always did make trouble" Now
1 want to ask you right here where
was this family 8, 10 or II years ago.
1 have lived here for 10 years and this
neighborhood has always been in a
racket with some one ever since
have lived here. 81 knew of them in
Ohio but they don't know me and
don't want them to-" Well 1 just say
it would not be any credit to get ac-
quainted with persons who are trying
to blackmail persons. Some Z or
years ago there was blackmail letter
came to light in this neighborhOOd
and it begins to look as though some
one had gone into the business. "They
had to leave Ohio or do worse" Now
that phrase do not understand, but
we will see in a week or two if they
had to leave Ohio. will admit that
there are just as bad people come from
Ohio as come from Indiana or Illinois.
"And if they don't look out they will
have to leave here" Now that is a
very serious affair to undertake. Now
l would just say what authority have
you that you can make persons leave
here? "My advice TO you is to let them
go. You don't know how you are
looked down upon running over town
with them" Now just say to you,
You mind your own business and
sweep your own door yard clean and
you will find enough to do. am not
ashamed of my company and / am q
years of age and L am my own boss
and will go with just who please
and it is none of your business. "You
did have respectful neighbOrs 1 know
before you took up with Arnolds."
Yes sir, have just gained friends and
respectful neighbors since L took up
with them and left my old friends
stick i'm the mud with their partners.
"Now it's none of my business, but L
hate to see anyone go down and es-
pceially folks from my own State. 1"
No, but you are trying to make it your
business. Can you prove it that you
are from my native State? 81 know
if you will try you can fix matters up
with your old friends" Thank you 1
have no desire to fix up matters with
my old friends for 1 don't think it
would be any credit to me. "And L
know they have more friends than
anyone else in your neighbOrhOOd."
Well L am just thinking they will
soon be flooded with friends. 1 have
no desire whatever to again become
your friend if you already have more
friends than anyone in the neighbor-
hood. Why is it you are so anxious
to gain me back? "YOu will never
know who wrote this letter here"
Now would say this is not a very
hard matter to find out. 1 have re-
ceived letters before from some of my
old friends as they call themselves and
the hand writing is very familiar.
"But 1 will know by your actions if
you take my advice" Actions! Now
indeed what an absurd idea of my
actions. Now does anybody suppose
that 1 am such fool that L will go
around to my old friends as they call
themselves to perform some silly
action for signI presume it is meant
for, in order that may again become
their friend. No sir! Never. Never.
Never!
Readers please take the sentences
enclosed in quotations and put them
together and you will have the black
mail letter. G.. w. BAKER.