The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-08-04
A REPLY
Of Zela to DIR. Stokes "VindicatiOn.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:

y uly Il, cOmpeiS me, out OF respect to myself
and the cause of truth and right, to reply.
That article was entitled "vindication."
Evidently the object of the writer was not so
much 'vindication'' as ventilation, and after
throwing wide open the valve and letting
escape such vast accumulation of falsehood,
along with other gaseous substances, he no
doubt breathes easier and feels relieved.
When first began reading the article, sus-
pected that it was some patent medicine
advertisement, it was so poetical and fanciful,
but L soon found that it was a sort of pre-
scription or dose for the public. 1t abounded
with poetical expressions; sort of glycerine
to take the sharp taste off; and then it had
few portions Of scriptures sort of quinine in
capsules, to be taken in separate doses. The
rest was pure, unadultered falsehood-a sort
of stimulant to excite the public against the
object of his hate.
Now why did not the writer, II he meant to
vindicate himself, proceed at once to vindi-
cate instead of contenting himself with bald
and untruthful assertions.
What have said and all that have said in
the paper is contained in our items from
Rushsylvania in the REPUBLICAN OF June "a
and July IA. In answer to these charges
refer the community and the public to those
items as the best and most complete refuta-
tion of those charges.
1t is astonishing that the writer would so
boldly charge me with "wilfully misrepre-
Senting the testimony Of the witnesses and
the dignity of the court" Does he suppose
that the people of this community are SO
infatuated with him, that they are blind to
the facts, as stated In those items. Every
body who heard the testimony Of those wit
nesses knows that they swore to those things.
AS to my statements in the article of June
q. as to fair and impartial trial, that was
written, not because Il knew that he (the
dOctor) had the confidence and good wishes of
the good people of this community but
because at that time there seemed to be an
effort to keep the case from coming to a trial,
by the Council refusing to hire an attorney.
Subsequent developments fully confirmed me
| in that belief
AS to the charge that 'indulged in in
| nuendO and imprecations Invoking evil OF
| curses upon him and the physicians of the
village" because the trial did not result as
hoped; the charge is false in the extreme
No one, engaged in the prosecution so far as
| know, desired anything but a fair and i'm
partial trial and decision according to the
evidence.
| If the reputation Of the physicians of the
village suffer as little from the writer's words
| and conduct as they do from mine they will
| not suffer much. Who was it that collected
the prescriptions Of one Of the physicians Of
the village, who happened to be Unidentified
| with the prosecution and circulated the same
in the community? Why was that donei
Was that respecting the physicians of the
village?
The writer says, "Why not be honest and
fair, instead of trucking in infamy2"
| On the evening of the day before the article
| "vindication" appeared, 1 received an anony.
nous letter through our postOffice which
brands the writer as moral coward and mos,
| infamous Scoundrel. 1t was principally In
| defense Of DIR. Stokes 1t abounded with Will.
| ficattOns, gross vituperations, blackmailine
threats in case 1 did not change my course OF
get out Of the community. The letter shows
| the writer to be close friend of DR.. Stokes,
hater of myself and of a deacon in the Pres.
1 byterian church; that he was especially
| indignant because of my statements in the
| items as to the late trial; that he was indig.
| nant because preached a sermon last winter
during the time the Stetson Company was il
| the village, in which 1 spoke against the evi
influence of theatrical shows.
He refers to me ga moral educator ani
villifies me for not going in and talking to the
doctor about his ''sole's" salvation, instead OF
going down in my pocket and raising money
| to prosecute him. These are some Of the
| marks Of "the beast" Now L do not known
| who wrote that letter. But 1 do know that
| he would steal, rob, lie, defraud, swear to a
| lie murder or do anything, If he could con-
| ceal it from the public. He has violated the
postal laws and would be in the penitentiary
| if civil justice could find him. This wolf in
| sleeps clothing lives among us, moves in
| society and poses, perhaps, as one worthy OF
honor and trust.
This illustrates the methods of those who
would like to close my mouth in regard tc
| these things, This is a clear case of truck
| ling in infamy." But let it be known that
am still in the community and while shall
| harbor no malice toward any and seek the
good Of the community as 1 have ever done,
| shall speak against evil and no such cowardly
threats of blackmailing can terrorize me.
ZELA.