The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-23
THE TRUTH HURTS.
City Tax Collector Coon's Method
of Defense.

Yesterday afternoon as NJ. H. Clayton,
editor of The Times, was ia the act of
goinL into the courthouse, he was accost-
ed by City Tax Collector Coon, who de-
manded to know if he (Mr. Claytor) was
the author of Il certain editorial which
appeared in The Times OF Sunday, which
he'(Coon) called a 'scurrilous article ~
Mr.. Clayton at once Informed him that
he WAS responsible for the article in ques-
tion, whereupon Mr.. Coon denounced it
as "a tissue of lies.'' at this Mr.. Clay
tor struck him a blow in the face, when
City Sergeant TilleUt caught the irate
editor. Collector Coon seeing that his
assailaut was being held, he at ouce
struck Mr.. aytor several blows, one of
which completely smashed his hat and
cut u considerable gash In the side of his
head. Officer Mack Morris, who saw the
occurrence, stated that Coon held some
thing like weight in his hand while
striking Mr.. Clayton, who was still held
by Sergeant Tillett The latter upon see
ing what Coon's intentions were turned
Clayton loose. when the fighting tax col
lector was caught by Deputy Sergeant
Boswell The combatants were then sep
arated, neither being much the worse for
the encounter, except the slight scalp
wound received by Mr.. Clayton which
was evidently made with some kind of Il
| sharp or heavy instrument
| 1t is alleged that both men drew their
| guns and n serious affair was probably
ayerted only by the timely interference of
| others.
| For the benefit of the readers of The
| Times who did not see the article over
which Mr.. Coon became sc greatly in
censed,it is. here reproduced as follows:
'The bright young man who holds the
nfyt of INV he citx-
cluded few mouths sao that he would
teach the newspapers of Roanoke Il trick
or two and incidentally put a good round
pile of dollars in his pockets. When the
time arrived for him to print the delin-
uuent tax list he secured bids from the
evening and morning papers and Their
coolly proceeded to have the list printed
in an alleged journal entitled the Enlight
| ened Age at about the bare cost of the
actual labor performed, and cheerfully
| put the difference between the cost of
| publishing the list and printing i0 in his
inside pocket, and Riiiy paraded the
streets and talked about the lesson he
| had taught the newspapers of Roanoke.
| He announced that the best lawyers in
| Roanoke had advised him that he was
| all right and for q while he poked him
| self in the ribs and wore n smile that iu-
| Dictated that he was tickling himself all
over. The henlthful condition OF his pri
vate eXchequer, the result OF his brilliant
coup, together with the pleasant reflec
| ton that he had administered distress
ing dose'to the ewspapers, made him
enjoy life to its full. The young man did
not stop to consider the interests of the
unfortunate delinquents, as the law
plainly directs him to do; but, dazzled by
| the dollars saved to his pocket and being
| ignorant of the difference between the
meaning of the words publish and
print, he had the. list. printed in the hot
month of August. The two newspapers
of Roanoke, after recovering from the
stunning surprise administered by the
lashing genius, concluded to make COM
mon cause and endeavor to pull them
selves out..of the. wilderness. They en-
ployed lawyer. Result: The city attor
ney last week advised the young man
that he had better have the tax list pub
lished,' and the same was published in
the evening paper of Friday. The City
Council delivers to the tax collector
fund amounting to about $400 to cover the
cost of publishing If he can have the
list published TOR less the difference goes
into his pocket. His brilliant scheme to
print the list in an alleged sheet that has
never been seen by one taxpayer in
thousan nd in Roanoke was dashing one,
but it dashed in the wrong direction
The above article was true in every de-
tail, save the statement that the Getty