Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-10
KANSAS AGrrAroR. GARRETT. KANSAS.
INGALLS, AFTER THE AGITAToR.

The following dispatch appeared in Wednes-
days Topeka Capital:
GARNETT, KAs., July Last Thursday,
when the Republicans held Mckinley ratif-
cation at this place, the KANSAS AGITAToR
printed in circular form, and distributed, the
purported letter of John J. Ingalls-the same
that was published in several papers-in which
he is made to predict the defeat of Mckinley,
etc. copy of the circular was sent to Mr..
ingalls,, and to-day he answered, denying it
and intimating that he knew who originated
the fraud. He closed his letter by saying:
'Please see the county attorney of your county
and ascertain whether the Populist paper can
not be made liable criminally for printing and
publishing the libelous forgery"
The county attorney has been shown the let
ter and has the matter under consideration
The letter above referred to appeared in the
AG1TAToR last week. We copied it from Sen
ator Stewards paper, the Silver Knight, of
Washington, but the printer failed to credit it
to that paper. Yesterdays Capital contains
another dispatch, from Atchson, stating that
the editor of the Silver Knight acknowledges
that it published the letter without knowing
who its author Was, and that this weeks issue
would contain retraction.
John J. Ingalls, is lawyer by profession,
and is supposed to have been maker of laws,
having warmed seat in the United States SEN
ate for eighteen years. However, it seems that
he is so ignorant on the question of law that
he had to ask our county attorney to find out
whether there was any law to enable him to
prosecute us. That do settle. it. If John ].
ingalls, don't know any more than our county
attorney, we are willing to swear he didn't
write that letter. But, if he didn't write it,
whole lot of people are badly fooled. Even
John G. Johnson who sent the circular to In
gals, said he believed John j. wrote it, and
others who are familiar with his writings have
expressed the belief that he wrote it,
But, what if he had written it, 1t isn't
whit worse than other letters he has written,
and no worse than the last speech he made in
the senate, copies of which we have, and ex-
tracts from which we shall publish from time
to time during the campaign.
This letter which Ingalls, denies writing con-
tanned the truth, and he does not help his own
cause by denying that he wrote it.
But, what worries us is that our two Repub-
ican editorial brethren, of the Plaindealer and
the Eagle should take the matter so to heart.
Neither has slept single night since we pub
ished the letter. rhe Plaindeale Ter man fears
we will get into trouble over it, and to help US
out (no doubt), he throws the blame onto the
"Popust managers, whoever they are, when
in fact, they had nothing to do with it. The
Eagle man froths at the mouth like a dog with
hydrophobia-but he won't bite. We can
stand all of nice names he calls us--we're used
to that kind of thing.
Had we not supposed the letter was genuine,
we should not have published it. We have no
desire to adopt the Republican method of pull
fishing fake letters and dispatches
LATER.-The Silver Knight is just received,
containing the "retraction," together with "a
few remarks" which are very interesting. We
shall publish it in full next week. Suffice it to
say, now, that the letter first appeared in the
New York Journal, marked especial cores
pondence," and John ]. ingalls, was the New
York Journals special correspondent, accord
ing the daily papers
THAT CHICKENS often come home to roost,
and when least expected, too, is once more
proven in the case of Governor Boies, who
thought he was proving his loyalty and placing