Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-04-12
Gard From Hon. W. III, KEENAN,,

cara FROM hon. w. IL. hennan.
To the Editor of the Ledger.
MEXICO. Mo. April cit is being
industriously circulated that | am
giving my support to Charley Bruce
for recorder because he is indebted
to me. He does not owe me one
dOllar-not one cent.
Since my motive in supporting
Mr.. Bruce has been attributed to a de
sire of gain | will give my reasons
for supporting him:
First. He is honest and compe-
tent.
Second. He is growing old; he is
poor; he has a family to educate; he
has placed a deed of trust of twelve
hundred dollars on his farm in which
he only has a life estate to pay his
debts.
Third. He and | were together in
the Confederate army, Prices di-
vision. Charley and four brothers
and father, together with the much
lamented Clifton Black and Ed
Haley, Frank Glide. Elias Floyd
and others left Audrain county in
1861 and joined Capt. Bob Maupin's
company from Boone county, where
I enlisted. And from this county
at the same time, with other COM
mands, went Billy Eller, DR.. Joe
Luckie and Dan Mcintyre, who bear
honorable wounds, Capt, Oss Rodg-
ers, Alex Day, AlTurner, Rufus and
Thomas Jackson, Thomas Maffitt,
Sam Wright and brothers and others
whom I cannot now call to mind.
all of whom distinguished them
selves as brave soldiers.
At the battle of Pea Ridge, in Ar
kansas, where fell Generals Ben
McCulloch and Mcintosh, Charley
Bruce was wounded and lost an arm.
Two of his brothers We're wounded,
one of them MORALLY.
Fourth. Think four years in that
office is sufficient for any III man.
1t paid i'll the last three years net
S2l93.90 per year, according to the
statements of the present incumbent
filed in the county clerks office and
the verbal statements of his deputy,
in all Sc, 5S1. 20. and he has the re
ceipts of 1894 to he added to this
amount.
Fifth. The loss of his arm rem
ders him unable to do manual labor
and makes it impossible for him to
farm successfully.
Sixth. We have sumptuously pro-
vided for Hopkins. Torreyson and
Minor at the first table. all old Vir-
ginia ex-Confederates. Now wont
you let an old one-armed Missouri
ex-C Confederate set down to the sec
ond table? Let us be just.
. If Mr.. Bruce is elected. and | am
living, l shall not support him for a
second term if he should offer. No
collector has ever dared to ask for
more than four years, and the office
of recorder pays more net money pei
year than the collectors office.
| don't care what the precedent
has been in the office heretofore. ]
am in favor of a fair division OF
the offices. In this case the plea fol
a second term is not a good plea.
Are these not good reasons fol
supporting Charley Bruce? With
these Isl is it wrong that
should do 50? Is it right and JUS
treatment to me that l should b,
charged with selfish motives in 81
DOING can't see why this attacl
should be made on me when I an
only doing what others are doing
supporting an old comrade in arm.
i'll a lost cause and a friend.
This is a free country and a MAJ
should be allowed to do as he pleaset
without laying to him selfish mo
tives. / hope those who have limo
Gently repeated the false statemen
will be fair and contradict it so tina
justice may be done.
Very respectfully,
/. ". III. KEENAN,