The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-11
Mr.. KEHoE READY TO BE SUED
HE WRITES MIR. PECK OF THE
CREMATOHY A PLAIN LETTER.

MIN an injury or Has mane any
False Charges Against Him-The
Facts of the old Iron Deal as He
Has Them-He Relieves Mr.. Peck
of Any Charges of ApprOpriatinG
Snakes, Rabbits or Mattresses, and
Concludes by Telling Him If He
Wants 10 sue for Libel That Ser
vice VIII be Promptly AcISnOwI-
edged by Mr.. KehOe's Lawyers.
The crematory scrap iron deal continues
10 be a subject Of interest and was gem
orally discussed yesterday from various
standpoints. Friends OF Messrs. Rogers and
Peck expressed the desire to have an in
vestgation ordered by council Of the whole
matter Of the disposition OF receipts from
every source at the crematory.
The statement Of Mr.. Rogers as to the
deal between Mr.. Kehoe and Mr..
A. A. Wheeler. the former super
intendent of the crematory, they
consider. fully answers any charges
by Mr.. Kehoe or other persons OF any
misappropriation Of funds which properly
should have been turned into the city
treasury.
Mr.. Kehoe replied last night to Mr..
Peck's letter published in yesterdays
Morning News, demanding a retraction of
certain statements claimed by Mr.. Peck
10 reflect upon his conduct as an official
Mr.. Kehoe's letter is as follows
Savannah, Ca. May 3, 1Ss6.-Mr. W. H.
Peck, city: Dear Slr-Your letter Of even
date has been received. In reply, I say:
]. The interview published in the Press,
OF which you complain, does you no in
justice, and certainly no deliberate in
justice.
2. have never charged that you APP
propriate money received by you from
me for scrap iron delivered from the city
crematOry.
3. The facts stated by me in that in
teryiew published in the Press were true,
ana no investigation could have shown
them to be false.
4. l cannot pretend to saw what is or
IS not your personal belief, but ] had no
intention in that interview to mislead or
deceive the public. nor has the public
been in any wise misled or deceived by
any statement of mine. 1t was not my
purpose TO lead the people of Savannah
10 believe that you had Incorporated
money which should have gone to the
city. 1 did state that "all the checks
nad returned to us after payment at the
bank, bearing the Endorsement of either
Mr.. Peck or Mr.. Rogers" Such was
the case, and the checks now in my pos
session show the Endorsements of your
self or Mr.. Rogers. 1t is true that but
one of these checks bears your indorse-
ment and that is for $3.50, dated Nov. %,
1895. It is not true that this fact was sup
pressed. On the contrary, the several
checks were shown to Hon. Herman My
ers, mayor of Savannah, on May 5, 1896.
ana this one with your Endorsement was
shown to him. You insist that you be
heve' my purpose was to reflect on your
character. ! had no acquaintance with
you prior to your appointment and only
a. very slight acquaintance with you
after your appointment. There was no
reason why / should desire to reflect
upon your character. | had no desire to
lnJure you in your office or reputation,
and / did not endeavor to create the
impression that l had received several
checks from you; and no such impress
sion can be properly drawn from any
thing stated by me.
5. 1 had no desire to libel you, nor have
1 done so. have circulated no rumOrs
and nave published no article rejecting
upon you, excepting In so far as the truth
may reflect upon you. 1 have never stated
THAT the amount of my check of $3.50 was
not accounted for by you. / am informed
page IS, received from superintendent,
proceeds of sales of COW hides, $1470" Is
hides scrap iron should have been men
TONED, the amount of $l470 being a bal
ance turned IN by you. As to the cor
rectness of this balance 1 have no knowl-
edge.
G. I deny that have done you any in
| jury, or that 1 have made a single ma
| lcious statement. You demand from me
| public retraction, and threaten me with
| prosecution. Your threat is idle and I'M
Of na5Hce wd had @ a9af S 9g an m5F
| every reparation, for it would be my
| pleasure and duty to do so.
Z. Let me tell you the facts as I under
stand them. If they are not true as sta
! ted Will, upon being set right, gladly cor
| rect them. My firm had a contract with
! the city to take the scrap iron from the
! crematory. We received various lots of
| this iron from time to time, and paid 10
/ Mr.. Rogers and yourself the sum of sos.
| All the payments, except the one made
| TO you, We're made to Mr.. Rogers. When
| the Mayors Report was published 1 saw
| that only $3i.70 had been received from the
crematory; that of this 500 was for a mule,
! and Sl4.70 for cow hides l deemed Ii
| proper to call the attention of Mayor
| Myers to this condition of affairs. His
honor requested me to put the matter in
4 writing, which 1 did. l exhibited to him
the. checks l had paid. L did not seek to
make the matter public, but when APP
| preached by representatives of the press
/ l stated what had occurred. In a word,
Mr.. Peck, have paid to you and to Mr..
Rogers $2OS for scrap iron belonging to the
city; the only account that appears OF
this sum of money Is $l4;70. proceeds OF
has gone l do not know, nor have l ever
stated, If you will refer again to the in
terview in the Press, of which you com
plain, you will find not a word that charges
you with the misappropriaton of this
| money. In that interview you will notice
that reference is made to '9 snakes, 4
rabbits and ] mattress received at the
crematory." In order that there may be
no misunderstanding between US, l beg
| 10 STATE, IN the most run, complete an0
public manner" that, so far as am con
cerned, relieve you from all Charges
insinuatons or rumors" of misappropria-
ting any of the snakes or rabbits, and
even of having had anything to do with
/ the mattress.
If you stnl prefer to sue me for libel
my counsel Messrs. Lawton & Cunning
ham, will cheerfully and promptly &C
! knowledge service for me. Respectfully
William Kehoe
Public Works Commissioner Willink SAID
yesterday that he did not care to say any
thing until he saw Mr.. kehoes reply tC
Mr.. Rogers statement that the deal for
the scrap iron at the crematory was made
between Mr. Wheeler and Mr.. Kehee, OF
an agent of the latter and that the money
! received for the iron was paid to Mr.
Wheeler. If Mr.. Kehoe answers this Mr.
Winink said he might have something tC
say.
A member of the Liberal club speaking
of the matter expressed himself pointed
ly:
Il am a native of Savannah" he said
fact which would probably handlcaT
me fatally if l were ambitious for office
under this administration. | am also a
! registered voter. and a tax payer, and fol-
| these latter reasons, I feel that despite
Il