The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-31
THE FOwLER-PETERSON MILL
The Populist Ex-Congressman Makes
a Denial That Does't Seem TO Deny.
He Was I'm Bad shape for n Scrap.

Clinton. n. e. August ~
Editor Messenger:
My attention has been called to a re-
port in your paper of a little scrap be-
tween George Peterson and myself in
Clinton on the Goth inst. The report as
given in your paper is untrue.
I regret very much TO be called upon
to rush into print to air any personal
matter that may come up between my
self and some one else. 1 would not DO
so now but I feel that your report is
SO glaringly untrue that II should be
corrected.
Your report says that at the !ndig-
nation meeting held at Clinton on The
18th inst. 1 denounced Peterson for
ordering arms to intimidate populist
voters and that I urged populists 10
boycott Peterson's store and not trade
with him. All OF this Is absolutely I'M
true. I did not ~denounce Peterson and
did not urge populists not to trade
with him.
The facts are these: Hons. Mario7
B%utler and F. r Cooper. a democrat:
lawyer OF Clinton, were the speakers
who were booked for the occasion. AZ
ter they a spoken the crowd called
for me-. 1 spoke about five minutes
and in the course of my remarks
stated that I was away from home for
a few weeks prior to the election and on
my return home on Tuesday before
the election,I was panied to find at War
saw a body Of red shirts and Winches-
ter rifles waiting for the train to bring
them to Clinton. and i was informed
that they We're ordered by a merchant
in the town of Clinton. The crowd
then asked me to name the man and
I called George Peterson's name. This
is the only reference / made to him in
any way. / had no dreams that he was
offended until he hit me on the follow
ing Monday.
L nave been in very feeble health for
the past fifteen months. have for the
past six months rarely been able TO be
out Of bed for a whole day at the time.
I got out of a sick bed that morning
and was on my way to consult my
physician and Just as I started into
the doctors office Peterson approached
and without any warning hit me in the
face. Notwithstanding the fact that II
is well known here that owing TO my
protracted sickness / had scarcely
strength to walk and Peterson Is about
a 100 pound bully, yet as soon as the
crowd OF democrats who were standing
by learned that I was totally unarmed
they insisted that We be given what
they were pleased to call a fair fight.
I don't suppose the public Is inter-
ested in which OF US got the best Of IL.
but I will state for the benefit e those
who may think ! was beaten beyond
recognition. that I was not gotten to
the ground nor was / at all bruised.
You say you have been informed that
I begged the crowd 20 take him of.
Your informant is a liar. I would have
suffered myself killed rather than
have one IL. Respectfully,
JOHN E. FOWLER.
The Messenger publishes Mr.. Fow-
lers a r for what Il IS worth. The
Messenger got its information from
what II deemed a reliable source. and
whatever justice Mr.. Fowlers state
ment gives him he f. welcome to. Ac-
oording to his statement above IL seems
however. that ne did say. recklessly.
upon information" that Mr.. Peter
son ordered arms. Then he was sur
prised that the merchant. whose mama
was thus c~arelessly handled before a
crowd, evidently with the purpose OF
hurting his trade or standing with
populists. would reach out his right
and give him a pop.
1t looks to a man a WAY nm a tree
that he did say that Mr.. Peterson or
dered arms. and IL he did not say 50 in
words. the statement was made TO
prejudice come body against Mr.. Pet
erson, and the inference Is that Il
"oui- surely injure his trade as a
merchant. It would really seem. there
Tore that the only fact disputed is that
Mr.. Fowler begged the crowd TO take
linn Off" That. OF curse. is a matter
between Mr.. Fowler and The Messen-
gers informant.