Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-05

r~-"-
In his remarkable personal state,
ment" In the editorial columns Of the
Fntelllqencer yesterday regarding the
encounter between himself aud the gen.
tleman he has been so persistently mis-
representing and black guarding, Mr..
HART poses as an injured representative
OF the press who refuses to be "bull-
dozed" in "battling for the public inter
est" Mr.. HART's attempt 10 make
political capital out Of the unfortunate
Misunderstanding of the facts OF the
affair in the Mcclure House
dining room by Mr.. FRANzHEIM
and his brother is hardly
worthy of a gentleman Of Mr.. HART's
standing in the community. The REG
ISTER refers to Mr.. HART personally be-
cause he personally signed the miserable
piece Of Misrepresentation and dema-
goRy aud over his own signature posed
as q brave and virtuous editor on whom
an attempted assault has been made be-
cause of his political attacks on
Mr.. FRANZHEIM, knowing, as
Mr.. HART did full well,
that the only attention that has been
paid by Mr.. FRANZHEIM to his indecent
aud unfair attack upon him was his
prompt demand for an investigation by
the authorities-just what an honorable
man would do, and all that any man
could do, while his brother, Mr.. c. w.
FRANzHEnI, went further, made per-
sonal investigation Of every detail and
made public statement which fully
and completely exonerated his brother.
In his screed Mr.. HART says:
Public affairs and the acts Of public SER
wants are proper subjects of public criti-
cism. The public record of a person who
asks 10 be elected TO public trust is recog-
nized by the law as being open to investi-
CATION and comment. The Intelligencer has
done this, receiving its first intimation Of
Franzheim's record in the gas board
through men of his own party who urged
not receive the Democratic nomination.
Well, why did not Mr.. HART demand
an investigation and raise all this fuss
when he first heard of these alleged
shortcomings of Mr.. FRANzHEIM? Why
has he waited until the election was
upon US before he sprung these sensa-
tional charges? 1t has been about
a year since Mr.. FRANzHEM left the
Office OF secretary OF the Gas Works,
with a clear record. Why has Mr..
HART, who is now so terribly sollcitous
In his guardianship Of the public veal,
waited till the eve of an election at
which Mr.. FRANZHEIM is a candidate
for an Office the Republicans would
ike to have control Of, before he
sprung these charges. he says over his
own signature that he knew all about it
long ago. Why, then, we repeat has
Mr.. HART waited so long? Such an
exceedingly conscientious conservation
Of public morals as he ought TO have
leaped to the rescue of the people at
once, or, at least, as soon as Mr.. FRANZ
HEM became candidate for public
Office.
in @ Connection e with il this aGfr th and
knows that Mr.. FRANzHEIMs ad-
ministration as Secretary Of the
Gas Board was capable and hon
est. and that it was only out
Of his kindness Of heart in making mem
orapda in his own name and paying out
of his o,ua pocket the gas bills Of people
who were too poor to pay them, in pref
erence to shutting of their gas, that all
this fuss has been raised. That is the
sum and substance Of the matter upon
which this grossly unfair and infamous
attempt to blacken Mr.. FRANzHEM's
character for Republican political pur-
poses is based.
The Republican campaign against
Mr.. FRANzHEIM is the most unfair and
the foulest that ever disgraced Ohio
county politics, and we believe we are
horne out in this statement by every
Republican as well as Democrat who is
acquainted with Mr.. FRANzHEIM.