Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-06-05
PETE FORD'S VILLAINY
Sung to the Quick, He
RusheS Into Print.
ATTEMPTS TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF

TIFY HIS nHIEVING INSTINCTS A
FLAT FAILURE.
The maxim that Fools Rush IN
Where Angels Fear to Tread" was
never better illustrated than when
"Pete" Ford rushed into print with a
communication at dollars a column to
explain how he tried-but failed to steal
a newspaper.
Pete Ford always had the reputation
of having the courage of his convictions,
but nobody supposed that he would add
the antics of a clown to the practices of
a knave.
We had not intended to further inhict
our readers with the stop Thief!w ar
ticle, wherein we exposed pete" Ford's
duplicity, treachery, thievlng instincts
and propensity to rob. We have better
ammunition for him. But pete" has
shied his castor into the arena in a futile
attempt to justify his villainy. instead Of
crawling into his hole and pulling the
hole in after him. and I'm order to give
"Peto" all the publicity Of his denial"
Cthe denial" only corroborates our
charges) which we gave to the charges
against him, we feel constrained 10 again
publish the charges with his denial. al
though without order from Pete" (And
In this connection Il wouldn't be out of
the way for "Pete" to send his check to
us in payment for advertising his de
nial" at the same rate he pays the other
papers)
pete" begins his explanation" by an
apology for explaining. and doubts the
publlc's interest in the affair Right you
are, Peter so far as we are concerned,
but the public is very much interested
in you. You are a candidate for COVER
nor and the public have a right to know
your true character-and they will know
It. We will see to it that they do know
it.
Next in Ford's explanation" comes
his reference to the original replevin bond
on which he went as security. While
Ford handles the matter without any re-
gard whatever to truth, in order to save
space we will admit his proposition. The
milk in the cocoanut is that Ford did go
on the replevin bond and we place that
to his credit to partially Offset the many
charges against his account for past IA
vors he received, both financial and
moral, from us. But Ford must not be
permitted to brush aside the fact that he
has not had to pay one cent for us on
any account. Ford makes point Of the
fact that "sworn" jury gave a verdict
of $1,000 against us. AN we have TO say
| Is that he has not been called upon to
pay 1t, and so far as his Sworn" jury is
concerned, 1t is a sad commentary on a
4 jury system which gathers up a lot OF
political rounders and Court House loaf
ers and works them In on the jury at 5.
per diem. 1t is known that a member OF
that Sworn" jury. during the progress
OF the trial had business in certain
Republican lawyers office and wher
asked what case ne was then on said
'Oh, we are on that printing press case
! and we propose to soak that s-- o
b-s." The public may be sure that we
will be on deck in the next Legislature ir
an effort to reform the jury system anC
take 1t out of politics.
Pete" Ford would have the publ,
think that ne received a lien or some
thing of the kind ON an Atlantic Cit!
hotel property. This is a lie out Of tn,
whole cloth. The collaterals he receive,
speak for themselves. and Ford deliber
ately lies. Ford mentions another bon,
securing an alleged $1,000 equity" etc
He lies again. What he did receive wa
an assignment of a mortgage for 81, 500 OF
a printing office in this city and II H.
has not collected that mortgage ne ma.
be liable for his negligence. Ford say
''the other securities given me were no
: worth one cent a pound" etc. Well, al
we have to- say is that Ford must b
prejudiced against them for the opinion
Of other people, who are as capable as h
is Of judging, is that they are good an
on them they have advanced us the cas-
to settle with Shyloek Ford. Besides
Ford had every opportunity to invest
gate them, and they were good enoug
for him only few weeks ago. and the
were good enough for several nationi
banks who have loaned, from time t
time. so cents on the dollar on those sam
securities. Being a director in the Wi
, mington and New Castle Railway Com
pany he mas a better opportunity (
know the value of its stock than we ihay
r and 1t ill becomes him as a director /
depreciate the stock of the compan.
+ though, as he held his dictatorship untls
this same stock possibly 1t may be ne'
y essary for him to buy other stock or 81
out Of fhe board when this block
transfer red from his name. In that cars
e he is thrifty enough to bear down tn
: market il he can and get the stoc
I needed cheap.
T Ford winds up this portion Of his lette
by ss.ying: Il was therefore then in tn
position Of being responsible for the deb
a of $4,000, interest and costs, with no 81
L curity which was worth a moments nc
: 'tice." This is another lie, and Ford kne'
2 1t when he wrote it, for that debt Q
e $4,000 carried with 1t exactly the sam
e security that Ford now has on the appel
y bond on which ne went, and on which Q
says himself he is secure.
= The next Tie we want to nail is Ford
n statement "uhat the entire plant of II
v journal Printing Company was subje'
o Ito a $500 claim held by the Union n;
s tional Bank. which held as security
: chattel mortgage for $4,000. covering n
a entire plant OF the journal Printin
- Company" Had that been the trut
= Ford would not have needed AS
In.