Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-03-03
All a 1iStake.

MIR. EDITOR kindly allow me a
little space in order that | may reply
to Rip" and also set myself in the
proper light before the reading public
In the first place allow me to say that
my article in the Letterman case was
written at the request and earnest So
licitation of several of the most promi-
nent citizens of Cameron county. At
first | hesitated, but after much
thought on the subject l finally decid-
ed, out of charity and for the sake of
argument, to take the side of Letter
men.
In doing thisI based my article on two
or three facts which seemed to me to
strengthen, to some degree, the side
of the defendent. These facts came
from what l regarded reliable source
and took for granted that these facts
could be substantiated and in a kind,
gentle way, proceeded. The facts to
which l have Just referred were as fol-
lows:
F1rSt-That Mr.. Lettermen was I'M
der the impression that his former wife
had, during his absence from State
College, succeeded in having their
former marriage contract annulled.
Second-That Mr.. Lettermen was
honest in his intentions, truthful in
his statements, and urged upon Miss
Fulton to write to different persons,
whose names she possessed, and satisfy
her mind beyond any doubt that he
was telling her the truth
Lastly that after the duplicity was
discovered Miss Fulton begged of her
friends to ''fix up the matter and bring
about reconciliation with all parties
concerned" Now, l ask our many
readers, in all candor, whether the
above facts are not worthy of some
consideration. l love the entire Fulton
family, as far as I know them, and
would almost as soon lose an arm as to
say word that would bring pang to
the already smitten hearts. Neither
do crave notority. | simply took the
side 1 did because thought some one
at least ought to have little mercy on
the accused. But my effort is perhaps
all in vain. l have learned in the last
twenty-four hours that Grip" is the
nearest to the truth, so | will have to
retract what 1 said last week. have
not one word to say in Mr.. Letter
mems favor. If he has done all that
"Rip' claims-laid that deep, dark
plot-and by lying and a cunning
strategy and blight the prospects of an
innocent girl forever, then he is a
william most vile, or consummate
fool. l am inclined to cling to the
latter. Surely no sane man would do
as he has done, with everything
against him. No, | cannot undertake
to defend Mr.. Lettermen, at this time,
any more than | could defend Judas
Iscariot or old lascivious Felix We
will leave the accused in the hands of
the Court and his God. But be-
fore | close l have few words for you
Mr. Rip or Hercules. This is not the
first time you have leveled your shafts
at me. You have rushed at me like
mad bull and your impetuosity leads
me to believe that you desired to tear
out my heart and dig up my fathers
grave. No, Mr.. Rip there is no skele-
ton in our closet. / wonder if you
are not measuring me with your own
yard stick. Neither has society cast
me off. If it has then it is news to me.
OF late years we have entertained
many prominent people, and some of
the elite of Cameron county have sat
at our table and enjoyed our hospi-
tality. And l fully believe dear Rip
that [ have as many friends in this
county as you have. | have enemies
too, but it is good thing to have
enemies-enmity is sometimes better
than friendship. | think you too are
an enemy of mine. l remember the
last time | shook you hand, it felt
good deal like the paw of a polar bear.
And now Mr.. Rip were you ever at
my home? You ought to come down
and see how we live. | have the
sweetest wife and the most charming
daughters on earth And we are so
happy and enjoy each others unbound
ed confidence, and we swim, as it were
in river of domestic felicity. We
have no family fears, no cloudy skies,
nothing but joyous sunshine. Come
down sometime, when convenient, and
drop in and try our rambos. Plenty
of them in our cheaply constructed
cave. Make yourself at home. Have
another rambo? If yon desire few
more hints in this case I refer you to
the Independent.
NOSE CARPENTER.