Evening star., 1898-08-02
AWAITED IQHALLENGE
Senator Sullivan Denounced Editor
0onaIly.
FORMERS STORY Of qHE TROUBLE
Went to Memphis and Was Put
Under Bonds.
OBLIGED TO KEEP PEACE

Senator Sullivan of Mississippi, who sue,
ceeded the late Senator Walthall, is in the
city. Stories of the difficulties that have
arisen between Mr.: Sullivan and Editor
Corally Of the Commercial-Appeal, re-
sulting in both of them being placed under
bond to keep the peace, have been widely
published.
THE story is not short one" said Mr..
Sullivan to Star reporter today, but
Will simply summarize. The Commercial
Appeal has been hostile to me for about
two years. On or about April that paper
stated in substance that 1 had absented
myself from the memorial services in the
Senate of the late Senator George. That
statement was knowingly false. Later it
stated that had voted twice in the House
and In the Senate in favor of the war
.ariff measure. That was false the
Congressional Record viii show.
Ihe paper continued to mtSrepreSent me
until about July TO- when it published an
article commenting on my having voted in
faVof or the annexation of Hawaii. Il ap-
pl owed the vote. but stated that I voted
that way because Senator Money did. That
was another falsehcod. My position for
more than year on that subject was we'll
known in Mississippi, and for many months
here at the Capitol
Feeling exasperated at the repeated mis-
representation, telegraphed the paper re-
gardng this last editorial of the CONNER
cial-Appeal and asking the name of the
author of the lie about me in the issue of
July 10. Instead of answering the telegram
or calling me to time for branding him
Ear the editor and author of the article in
his issue of the 18th confessed that he was
the author and sought to divert attention
fro m this denunciation by referring to 9TH
er matters, and wound his article up by
stating that Mr.. Conally would prefer not
to express his opinion of me either by tele-
and further that Mr.. Conally conceived
that this matter was one that should be
continued at closer range
Went to Memphis.
Now, my judgment was, that having
characterized his statement a lie, he was
called upon to come to me and seek re-
dress. AS he did not do it, however but
desired a settlement at close range and
as there might be some reason why he
could not come, l went to his city, Mem
phis, on Thursday evening, the 2lst. / reg
istered at the Peabody Hotel, within
block and half of his place of business
number of his friends me register at
the hotel, and Immediately walked out
upon the street and down by his place of
business and remained upon that street in
that immediate vicinity for two or three
hours. ~.
The following day, Friday, 1 continued
to spend the most. Of my time along that
street, III pldln we" Oh the SOHiIneTCial-
Appeal building Friday evening at about
o'clock l addressed him this communica-
ton: 8,
''T am and have been at the Peabody
Hotel since $40 last night. I write this
note to you because 1T was stated in an
editorial in the Commercial-Appeal, pub
lshed on the 18th, instant, written in reply
to a private telegram from me- that you
were the author of the article about me
which was publised In. the same newspaper
on the 10th instant. and which 1 have
branded as a lie in my telegram, and as
the paper said in its closing lines that
Mr.. Conally would prefer not to express
his opinion of me, either by telegram, long
distance telephone or in print: and further,
that Mr.. Conally conceived that this was
matter that should be continued at clos
er range l desire to repeat that I am now
In the city as 4 guest of the Peabody Ho-
tel, where 1 have been since last evening,
publicly registered, and shall remain here
until tomorrow evening at o'clock. My
business which detains me here until to-
morrow evening will make it necessary for
me to be on Main street near the hotel a
good deal
Warned by Chief of Police.
''This note was handed to Mr.. Conally by
my friend, Mr.. Talbert. In about thirty
minutes thereafter the chief of police came
to my room in the hotel and notified me
that l should not have any difficulty, that
should not carry a weapon, that l was
then under the surveillance of the authori-
ties and should be shadowed every step l
went outside of the hotel-that he knew
what was going on. No words had been
spoken by myself or my friends about the
sending of the note.
After that L spent most of my time on
the street at the place indicated in my note.
At 1:30 o'clock am. the 23d / received in
my room by the hand of the bell boy of
the hotel the following note:
"'W. b. Sullivan, City.
he ha M Mr. Wa1t Toll nrt
was delivered to me in front of my Office
about pm. your communication bearing
date July %, in which you announce your
arrival in the city. You also refer to the
editorial written by me in which l publish
ed certain facts concerning a conversation
had with you, and on which, for reasons
stated l refrained from drawing any con-
clusion. Now that our relative geograph-
ical positions are very propitious l desire
to state with emphasis my firm conviction
that there is but one logical Interpretation
of the editorial possible, and that the con-
clusionS SO obviously suggested are my
sentiments NJ. w. CONALLY.'
at will be observed that had simply de-
nounced lie the statement in the edi-
torial of the 10th instant. That statement
had no reference to any conversation but
simply to his statement that l had voted
for annexation because Senator Money did.
After the receipt of the note from Mr..
Conally I remained at close range during
the following day, Saturday, being almost
hotel and the Commercial-Appeal office.
Arrested by Detail of Police.
Shortly after 8 o'clock pm. 1 returned
to my room to prepare for my departure
home, when a detail Of police, seven in
number placed me under arrest Shortly
thereafter / learned that he was also under
arrest and that the vice mayor of the city
had sworn out proceedings to require us to
keep the peace. ltookia carriage and went
with the officer. Reading the proof and
finding nothing in its in my Judgment to
justify binding over. I said nothing, and
l did not think any bond would be required.
Mr.. Conally, however, made a statement to
the effect that he did not approve of q
street fight whichnWoaid endanger the lives
of women and children, and stated that he
did not propose toiputghimself in position
to be assassinated by imported or do
mestic buns There were other things in
that same conneetioni said by him, but
have not at present the statement before
me. They are irnmaterial, however, to the
question. as at that time he and I were
surrounded by some twenty to forty Off
GERS and actually, in court under arrest,
where it was evident to every one that no
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