The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-01-07
TO THE PUBLIC.
Ted Burg vindicates Himself in the Fol
lowing Letter


lowing Letter
Mr.. Would you be kind
enough to allow me a short space of
your paper TO answer Mr. Harkin's
false charges contained in your paper
of the 10Th inst?
Now, as to the story of big, two
hundred pound tramp being fed and
kept at the county jail for two nights
and being refused the third time, |
know nothing of it, whatever.
As for Mr.. Harkins only slapping the
great big man with his open hand, /
will allow the public to Judge. Would
slap with the open hand have the
force to knock the man against the
railing so that his hat fell into the
yard, and why, if he only intended to
administer slight slap, did he rush at
him the second time, as though be in
tended to annihilate him, and was only
prevented from doing so by learning
of the presence of eye witnesses, who
interrupted him in his midnight attack
upon poor, old, gray-haired unfor
tunate man with no place to shelter his
aged body from the winters chilling
blasts but the county jail. AS to Mr..
Harkin's statement about the man
being forty five years old andrweighing
two hundred pounds, | would say the
man was sixtyfiVe years of age, and
would not weight over 150 pounds.
Even though the man were forty-fve
years old and weighing ton, does that
justify Mr.. Harkins in striking the old
feeble man? | would state Mr.. Har-
kin did not speak one word to the old
man until after he had struck him.
c. E. Gage and who were passing
the jail at the time of the trouble, and
from our observations and being dis
interested witnesses, were of the one
opinion, that it was an uncalled for
and unwarranted assault upon poor,
unfortunate fellow, being made by one
whose acts he knew would be justified
under most any conditions.
Now, regarding the charges made
against me by Mr.. Harkin, of arrest
ing a Mr.. Macaree. In reply, will
say / would respectfully ask MIR. Har-
kin should he find an intoxicated
stranger along the public highway
miles from town, would he with loving
care and tender heart forcef another
man to sober him up by giving him
lodging in his clean and tidy heds, not
knowing what vermin or disease might
be lurking in his clothes and system ?
AS for me playing officer and arresting
the man, Mr.. Harkin knows he is not
telling the truth, but he knows Chas.
Halves and I carried the man to the
Jail and told Mr.. Harkin this man
would and could pay for the trouble he
might cause you, and we thought the
safest place for the man was under
your care. And Mr.. Cropley know
will bear me witness when | assert that
when he called upon me the next
morning wanting to know what my
trouble was worth, l replied [ would
make no charges, as what | did was for
the mans safety, not his money, and
refused to accept it until after being
told by Mr.. Cropley to accept some
thing and wanted to know if 81 each
would satisfy us. | replied anything
he felt disposed to give would be &C
ceptable, as I made no charges, and
Mr.. Cropley replied he thought 81
ought to pay us, and later Mr.. Harkin
brought the So down to me, ST. to de-
liver to Mr.. HaWse. AS to my charges
of So, I would beg of Mr. Harkin to
please state candidly and honestly how
much he charged the old man. No /!
Mr.. Harkin says nothing, as he has the
official mantle of being an officer to
hide his acts.
Should the city council have regard
for Mr.. Harkin's advice and appoint
me as special policeman, | would not
be guilty of attacking poor and un-
fortunate men at the midnight hour
The difference between the actions
of Mr.. Harkin and myself with these
two men is this: / took my man and
placed him in what / supposed was
good care, and he, with his character
istic nature, abused the poor old man
asking for shelter.
I have witnesses who will bear me
out in every asser Ion | have written;
and will now submit the two state
ments to the public and feel no fear
but what | am justifable in what [ have
done. Respectfully,
TED BURG.
Dec. 30. 1896.