Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-25
Mr.. Atherton's supersensitfveness.

Mr.. AthertOn's Supcrscnsitfveness.
| To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The news item published in your Satur-
| day issue does me serious an injustice
that am compelled to request the courtesy
| OF your columns for response in my own
defense.
| I do not believe The Star would gratui-
! tously lend its columns to the encourage
| n1ent of annoyances of the nature COM
| planned of, yet the inference is directly
conveyed that iil-bred boys and young men
| may with impunity indulge in such I'M
see!nly conduct at the expense of so-cailed
cversensitive persons.
The descriptive terms Rubber Neck
and slim jim mention of which is i'm
puted to me in the article. were not once
| made use of by me; but We're introduced by
those prejudiced against the case, and as
could be plainly discerned were uttered in
q spirit of malicious contempt. The de-
PENDANTS were not spoken OF as naughty
boys for the simple reason that they are
both young men, the oldest of whom is
twenty years of age. The statement they
stared me in the face in Il (mosO braZen
manner, was not made as a specific
charge for which they should be held
amenable. in which attitude. however, 1
am placed by your reporter; but the re-
| mark was elected by a denial of one of the
defendants that he saw me pass. Neither
was there any reference made by me Or
any one present as to my being given the
the previous (Friday) afternoon 1 had been
hallooed after by a gang until 1 was be-
You'd hearing. and expressed the determina-
ton that, if continued. l would have case
in court against several of them.
If the case cited were the initial occur
renee of this kind, might in all propriety
be regarded as Representative" in seeking.
redress through the court; but the ridicule
and disrespect which the article confers
upon me Is a grave injustice when it is
understood that this case is but the cul-
mination Of a series of most irritating an
noyances and indignities which have been
persistently and relentlessly heaped upon
me by the various gangs of this neigh
borhood and vicinity, regardless of time or
place. and whether alone or accompanied
by my family, extending over period ap-
rroximating year.
The truth of this assertion, as well as the
exercise of due leniency, and my reluctance
to precipitate an unenviable newspaper
notoriety by recourse to judicial proceed
ings, are amply attested by complaints
which have been made to Lieutenant Ver-
non at headquarters; to Assistant District
Attorney Pugh; to Assistant Superintend-
ent Gage of the public schools; to former
Lieutenant Teeple of this precinct, the
public chastisement of one offender who in
suited me In company with my family, and
by the more than half dozen cases in which
prosecution was withheld through the i'm
portunitieS and assurances OF parents.
In this connection / should like to re-
quest the gentleman who was present on
iaHoue 1SiaHu avenue ana lltn street, one
afternoon last spring. if he sees this to
testify to the abusive impudence 1 received
at the hands of a crowd of young men of
various ages who were congregated there
and with whom I had for the first time re-
monstrated for their actions: at which time
this gentleman also added his protests and
stated that his own daughters and their
friends were unable to pass along that
respectable thoroughfare without being
made the targets for ridicule and black
guard remarks. II closer regard were
manifested In bringing about an abatement