The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-06

Splendid Tributes From His
Old Fellow-Townsmen.
A LIFE WITHOUT A eLEMisH.
Prompt snd Deeisivs kesponss 70 the
Seattle .sTelegrsph's'' yile fnstnra-
sisn Frsm Hfaw ssha and ralrview.

The Seattle telegraph. which has been
conspicuous during the campaign BY its
utter disregard OF honor In dealing with
Candidates on other than the Democratic
and citizens tickets. has not scrupIed 70
resort TO disparaging innrendo when il
dared not opeaiy attack. Is declared in
ore of its editorials tha. il had nothing 10
say against Byron Phelps personally. On
Thursday. February q, the TeiegrapA
said: I'VE say that 50 far IS we know
Mr. Byron Phelps Is in private life an es-
timablc gentleman, who. in bis private
transactions, is ali that can be desired"
Yet. IN the issue Of March z it contained
an insinuasion that there Was somethin z
in the career of Mr.. Phelps NJ Hiswatha
and Fairview, Kan, which IL Was deslr-
able to conceal Among the residents OF
Seattle who knew Mr.. Phelps during that
period is Mr.. Phineas w. Fuller. brother
in-law OF Senator J. NJ Frink, and 4
noble, Christian gentleman. He addressed
letter TO the Telegraph, giving ii the in
formation its vile insinuation suggested.
but that inscriptions journa! refused TO
publish 1t.
The letter of Mr.. Fniler is IS follows:
"SgArrIw. March 2 1891
'To The Filter Of The LlegrGph: In this
mornings Issne OF the Telegraph. under the
caption Odds and Ends | see the follow
ing;
Biographies Of candidates are in order
and that OF Byron Phelps has been pub
lished. There is one curious gap IN IL,
namely, the period when Mr.. Phelps lived
In Hiawatha and Fairview, Kan. Mr..
Phelps ought to publish supplementary
chapter covering this portion of his life
aud thereby save people the trouble OF
guessing why his biographer made no ref
erence 10 it..
II think can fill the gap referred TO.
During the three years that Mr. Phelps
lived in Hiawatha. Kan, and vas engaged
in business in that city and at Fairvlew, a
few miles distant, l was intimately ac-
uuainted with him and with his general
reputation. He came to Hiawatha in iSs5
and engaged in the business Of selling
hardware and farm machinery. He dis
played great enterprise and, together with
his partners, succeeded In establishing
largo and prosperous business. He was an
exceedingly popular man aud had the
esteem of every man in that community.
He showed marked business ability and
great tact in the management OF his affairs.
I can truthfully say that no business man
in that section Of the country stood higher
than Mr.. Phelps. He afterward estab-
iished q business st Fairview, where his
reputation was equally good. was en-
gagged in farming there At shat time and
had dealings with Mr.. Phelps and know OF
hundreds of others who would express
opinions similar TO the above concerning
him. Mr.. Phelps has much to feel proud
OF concerning his residence in Kansas and
nothing to conceal.
Hoping that you will give this publica-
ton in your columns, | am, yours very
truly, 'P. W. FULLER
Finding that the Teiegraph was deter
mined to keep up its pretense, Mr.. Fuller
and several other old Kansas friends of
Mr. Phelps sent dispatches to leading men
at both places. and promptly received the
most decisive replies, some of which have
been sent to the PosT-IsTEILIeEsckR.
Ex-Congressman Morrill,, president of
the Morrill, & Jones bank at Hiawatha,
telegraphs as follows:
"HrAwATHA. Kan, March 4.-Byron
Phelps was we'll known to me and warmly
regarded IS an honest, upright citizen.
lie left here with an unblemished reputa-
ton and with host of warm. true friends.
"E. NJ. MORRILL,,
"Ex-Congre.sman and President OF the
Morrill, & Jones Bank"
/, Another dispatch. jointly signed by j.
L. Mcknight, postmaster at Hiawatha
III. j. Aten, United States special agent,
and ID. W. Wilder, ex-commissioner of in
surance, is as follows:
"HIAwAruA. Kan, March I've knew
Byron Phelps intim ateiy while he resided
in this place and that has reputation for
honorable dealing was unquestioned. His
preparation for leaving here covered a
period Of six months or more, and long
afterwards he had means here that could
have been reached by legal processes by
any one holding just claim against him.
-. p. MCKNIGHT. Postmaster,
al. J. ATES,
Omitted States Special Agent
n. W. WiLrKR,
"Ex-Com IN issioner of Insurance"
J. v. McSamur, county clerk, tele