The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-05
FORD TELLS
1 HIS SIDE.
A Concise Statement Given
= Concerning the Contro-
! versy Surrounding
the Journal.

WumluRtouJ iIoi'i Juho u w.
To the Public:
X II can scarcely be necessary In this com.
immunity for me- to take any very great
mains to protect my reputation against the
attack OF person whose reputation Is
40 we'll known and understood az that
Ecf Charles William Edwards. Nor can
the public generally BIO very much inter
iested In the personal or business relations
between myself and Mr. Edwards. The
attack upon me iu the Evening Journal
toxtra Of June Q Ia, however, SO scandal0us
and virulent, and SO wholly unmerited.
lthet 1t may be advisable for me to so far
notice II as TO lay before the public COR
rect view Of SOME Of the matters men,
iItioned Ly Mr.. Edwards.
X Many months ago Mr.. Edwards came to
me In great distress, stating that 1t was
lglecesiafy for him to obtain security upon
b Rsplevin Bond, in order to prevent the
entire collapse of his bushes, and the sup-
lbressiop Of his newspaper: that the sheriff
had certain process against the Evening
journal Company and was then in POI
lssssiop, and that unless came to his re-
lief at opos he would be ruined. My per-
|sonal acquaintance with Mr.. Edwards up
10 that time had not put me on my guard
against him, and in a lamentably weak
moment CONSENTED to obligats myself by
becoming his surety for claim which he
represented to be So, 100. Mr.. Edwards at
the time stated that his defense to the ac-
tion was perfect and that the suretyship
Upon the trial Of the cause. about year
Ilatsr, l was startled TO find that the claim
instead Of being s2, &c., had been assessed
by a sworn jury of this county at the sum
OF "a ,000. and that / was personally ro1pon-
sibie upon my bond for that amount.
Upon originally becoming surety for the
Journal Printing Company, Mr.. Edwards
profsssed to amply secure mo for any pos.
sible risk, giving me among other things
. bond which apparently might be made
to cover supposed equity OF $4,000 In the
San Marcos hotel in Atlantic City an
other bond supposedly securing an alleged
1900 equity OIL the Greater Wilmington
Printing Company's property; certain
other supposed securities and n certificate
Of hundred share; of the Wilmington
& New Castle Railway, After the fixing
of my liability by the verdict of the jury
aud Investigations of the securities held by
me 1t appeared that the equities In the
San Marc hotel and the Greater Will
1hington Printing Company had vanished
into thin air; that the other securities
given me were not worth one cent a pound
with the exception of the one hundred
shares of the Wilmington & New Castle
Railway Company which also had no
Market value which could be realized. l
was therefore then In the position OF being
responsible for the debt of $4,000, interest
and costs. with no security which was
worth q momeut's notice,
(, Uuder hesebrcumstanoes innsmuch as
council for Mr. Edwards had advised him
10 take a Writ Of Error to the Supreme
COURT, was requested by Mr.. Edwards 10
become surety upon the appeal bond of the
Journal Printing Company. Upon In
Yestigaion as TO what security could be
H1ven NO. was advised that the entire
plant of the Journal Printing Company
was subject to $500 claim held by the
Onion National Bank. which held as sec
inrity ohattel mortage for Sl5 600, cover
ing The entire plant of the Journal Print
ing Company. The only security, there
fore, which NJ. Edwards lad 10 offer me
was second lien upon such plant, sub
jeot to this 81, 500 Considering that 1t
gould bs better for me to control the first
Hen on the premises, l proposed to Mr..
Edward, to take up the Union National
Banks claim.
| This was done with Mr.. Edwards con-
sent, although l might have purchased
The samv direct from the Union National
Bank without consulting him il had
chosen. Upon paying off the Union Bank
and securing q first lien upon the premises
for IS, 900, for my indemnity for becoming
socurity upon the appeal bond. and cer-
tain other papers Of nominal value, be-
game security for the journal Printing
Companys appeal. In the whole trans
action, however, my only object was to
secure myself SO far as possible from the
liability which had been forced upon me
through attempting to do kindness to
Mr.. Edwards AT no time did l ever agree
with him to become his associate in bust
ness, or to put myself under further obli-
gAtions and made absolutely no promise
to Mr. Edwards as to what disposition l
would make. or how long would hold the
first lien, which was given in considera-
tion Of my advancing a, sou to pay off the
Union National Bank.
After placing myself in the above posi-
tion, certain things were called to my at
tention BY friends In and out of the city
which convinced me beyond argument
shat could not afford, as a man of pre-
suInably fair reputation. to keep myself in
the hands OF Mr. Edwards.
Mr.. Edwards real character was so
proven to me, and my jeopardy was made
80 plain to me, that I resolved to free my.
self 80 far as possible from any entangle-
hent with him. l was under no agree
ment whatsoever, either expressed or i'm
piled, not to take any action which seem.
Cd best to secure myself. / did what any
other prudent business man would have
done, by entering up the bond for n, 800
land making n levy upon the plant of
tho Journal Printing Company.
For my own safety considering Mr.
Edwards reputation for honesty and fair
dealing, did not dare to notify him Of
my proposed act l presume few business
men In this city who know Mr. Edwards
would have acted any different than I did
hinder these circumstances. The sheriff
took charge of the company's assets.
Then proposed to Mr.. Edwards hat if he
GOULD in All way secure me for my liabi.
tiles on his account, would Immediately
withdraw and turn over any security
which held to anybody who would step
into my shoes. Mr.. Edwards pr)fessed
Upon such professions of Mr.. Edwards,
my counsel permitted tho further publca-
fion Of tho paper under such conditions rs
In his Judgment would pro oct Inc to the
fullest possible extelt did not at this
tuncture push Mr.. Edwards to the wall to
Any extent whatsoever, bnt epleavored
as far as possible under the circumstances
to save for him every possible value which
no had IN the journal Printing Company
and to give him chance to get on his
fDet and relieve me.
After II few days Mr.. Edwards proposed
Mr.. Robert G.. Hartman as a person who
would stand for him In this business and
relieve me, my only conditions belrg that
] should have the first lien upon the pre-
lnises Of tie journal Printing Company
TO indemnify me for the 81, 800 interests
mid costs for which had become liable by
becoming surety. Nc. Hartman called at
the Office OF my counsel, who Showed him
every security, good, bad and indifferent,
which held. Both myself and my coun-
sol encouraged Mr.. Hartman so far hs We
could under these conditions to u. sl5t Mr..
Edwards. When Mr.. Edwards states that
we imposed improper conditions upon Mr..
Iarman simply do not know what he
means. Mr.. Hartman left my Counsel's
office. saying hat be would SEQ Mr.. Ed
wards, and that was the last ever saw Of
Mr.. Hartman in this matter,
On Friday, the end Of June, Mr. Ed
wards produced cash to take up the a.
800 obligation, aud most gladly satisfied
All OF the records securities which held
for the same and turned over " him every
sspurlty OF every nat9ye which I held,
whether nomipal or substantial in val ue
except the lien upon the pl8nt Of the
Journal Printing Company to idemnity
unvarnished account Of obr ebtirebuslness
relations, and the present condition of af-
fairs.
Z In the whole matter ! desire to assure
the public that have not in the smallest
ffttlcular violated any expressed or good
faith with Charles WILLIAM Edwards; that
4 never had any desire whatsoeve to own
the Evening Journal II could avoid it. l
have plenty of other things to do besides
cumming q newspaper. My whole sin in