Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-30
JOE WRITES FnoM JAIL
And Tells How He Got Thcrc-inde-
fntigabIc and Irrcpressibie.

To the Gazette
Ryan Jail. Ryan. I. r., Jan. %, 1896
After ten long years work In the In
tcrast Of civilization and the settle
ment Of the Indian Territory | find my
self locked UP In jail. For what? 1
submit tho charge MS sworn TO by an
intruder living three miles from Conn
anche. to wit: THAT J. S. Works did
on the first day OF September 1880
[ and ~ various and divers times excite.
encourage and maintain suits and
puarrels spread false rumors and cal
umnies and aid and encourage
suits which caused discord, disputes
and dIsquict among nclghbors and in
the community surrounding Conan
che"
feel proud that after the attempt
to Kill me of for telling the truth, the
gang dare not take me into their own
court and charge me with one specific
act on which 10 base an action. one of
the prosecuting witnesses produced my
circular TO the settlers as a disturb
ancc" and road little Of II. He was
then compelled to read the rest Of II,
which was the Chickasaw law show
ing he had no right Oh! that trial was
a honey In the name of the United
States against one who stood by the
flag IN the long ago and who has never
violated the laws knowingly. | have
faults, certainly, hut an outlaw never
zens of Comanche. When It was known
what the charge was. a public meeting
was held. and without one word OF ar
gument n vote was taken as to wheth-
cr the charge was true or false, so far
as ComAnche was concerned. Every
man voted It false Two long days of
trial followed at Duncan, aud the best
people Of Comanche denied the charge
ns against Comanche and In general,
but II was no use, and hundred-dol-
lars fine was the result. Threats OF aid
were made and published II any aided
or abetted me. and to let them have
their way came to jail.
Let me say here every officer who
has dealt with me has been as kind
and honorable ms / could wish except
the judge, who promised me n fair and
impartial trial II ! would 60 to trial
/ before him at Duncan. 1t was a DELHI
crat' trap. The animus was truly eN-
plnined by the prosecution, who said;
send him to jail and let him organize
his town company there" and answer
him back from here to say that | am
doing II. The men who work with me
are business men and do not have to
resort to such means TO maintain su-
premaoy
To the credit Of one man in Duncan.
let me sny | was offered hondsmc1
there, hut my attorneys We're absent
and before their arrival I was sent
mere ~ tpUlNnCne tneN would have
taken me or the train and given bond
az once, but the Judge was not there
Their manner proved 10 me that Com
nnche will resent this Insult When
mans neishbors and town says he Is
all right, how can three or four men
ten miles away have more weight with
an impartial Judge?
To these people Who are sending. in
their names, let me say our company
Is over half fun and one town at least
is making a struggle Ia secure us.
Ring rule Is no part OF the WORKINGS
Of our union. and the town company
ana farmers should work In harmony.
Let me tell you. reader the ring can
no longer domlncer over this land. and
the intruder must co. The cAlrts here
are for the protection of the law-abld-
ing citizens and the grand jury, which
meets soon, will cause another STAN
pede. See II ] am not right Address
me at Comnnche and IN be out before
your letters can reach me, and our
town company will soon have notice to
meet and organize.
Truly yours,
Slightly Dishsured).
j. s, WORKS