Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-05-16

INJURY from the attack OF the envlouS or
the assaults of the malicious. Let but a
newspaper lose the respect of the COM
munity, and not only is its influence
gone, but so also is its Business and it's
profits. We do not believe THE CITIZEN
has lost the respect of the people of
Asheville whose respect is worth retain
ing. but it has been marked out for an
attack that is calculated and meant to
destroy it utterly if that attack be sue.
cessful.
Two years ago last February Thomas
W. Patton was part owner of THE
CITIZEN, his share being one-fourth in
the newspaper and one-half in the Job
business conducted by the Randolph
Kerr Printing company. Some weeks
previous 7. W. Patton conceived that
THE CITIZEN had done him some wrong
in the publication Of an item clipped
from the Asheville Baptist, and he began.
or, perhaps it is proper to say, only
started to begin suit for the appoint
ment OF receiver of the paper. In the
bill of complaint which got as far as
the Office OF the Clerk of the Superior
Court, and no farther, several assertions
were made that were totally incorrect;
one being to the effect that the plaintiff,
to wit, the aforesaid Patton, had been
refused access to the books of the con-
Germ, the fact being that not only was he
welcome to examine The books, but also
several statements were prepared almost
solely for him and given to him, show
ing the exact condition of the affairs OF
the newspaper and job office. Moreover,
there having been some profits in the
meantime-so something that had never
been known under the Patton manage
ment-the aforesaid Patton received OF
his share of them more than the other
members of the concern did.
Fearing that the purpose of Thomas
W. Patton was to wreck THE CITIZEN,
the present owners cndcavorcd to save
what they had built up without his aid
or advice-for he was totally without
knowledge of how to conduct the bust
ness of a newspaper, having made con
spicuous failure in an attempt to con
duct THE CITKEN-and took the heavy
burden of buying out 7. w. Patton. II
was difficult to effect this, for 7. w. Pat
ton, knowing that THE CITIZEN had ac
qurcd value and reputation in thi!
community that he had been unable tc
give it, stood out for an cxtortionat
sum for his interest in the newspaper.
Negotiations were finally concluded
and the present owners of THE CIrlzE.
l became the sole owners of the paper ant
Job Office, we agreeing to pay T. W. Pat
, ton ;S5, 800 for all his interest in botl
branches Of the business. We gave T. W
! Patton six notes. with the paper ant
, OBJ office as security (See book of mort
!, cages No. 20, page 90, in the office c
the Register OF Deeds OF Buncomh
J. county,. Business was then cncoural
Il ing, and by taking out no profits and b
= drawing only insignificant salaries W
n were not only able to meet the first not'
y but also to pay small amounts on til
! second before it became due. Soon, how
y ever, came the depression in bushes
c that was shared in by everybody, an
it the advertising of THE CITIZEN and I'll
l. profits OF the job Office fell OIL material.
:. . We continued, nevertheless, to meet a
d bills promptly and to pay out in cas-
ID every Saturday in the neighborhood
IS 5000 to employees of the newspaper an
-. the lob office. Later the business situ
o. tion became worse, and when the secor
T. note became due. on the Goth of Pc
r, ruary, 1894, we were unable to meet it
~, iull However on March we paid $50
S. on the note-intcrest and all this no
% amounted to about 81, ,1O0-not for t
:, moment believing that we should
ID troubled if we did all that was possit
e. under the circumstances. At the time
n this payment 7. W. Patton gave no in
H. nation that he was dissatisfied wi
n what had been or was being done. TIL
I'd the election followed, and we began
rt hear rumors OF the intention Oft. W. Pa
NJ ton to "cose us OUT" rumors that
IN had said he could do so at any tin
st but would not do so while the elccti
,c' was pending as it might make politi
~ he capital for the side THE CITIZEN h
he taken up.
at 1t will not have been forgotten so SO
it that THE CITIZEN could not support
u. W. Patton for mayor in the last conte
THE CITIZEN opposed him honestly a
th on grounds that seemed sufficient at
IT. time. 1t conducted its campaign, he
", ever, with the determination to av
an personalities as far as possible, and
nd fused to take advantage of the ms
ne charges against 7. w. Patton made
,,so m public by perfectly responsible gen
,ed tlemen, and gave them no circulat
md whatever. That this regard for his
10Y ings was not appreciated VIC now kn'
a. ~ for We shall be able to show at
dc. proper time that the step taken yes
day was dictated solely with view
tue crush THE CITIZEN Tor its oppositio,
.iu .i the reelection of T. W. Patton.
,lso The rumors we have referred to, thr
the ening the existence Of the paper. bee
[coSrlNuEp ON SECOND rAoB,l