The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-11-02
DENIES THE STORY.
T. r. Coughlan Denies State.
ment by Hiram Pettis.
Did Not Discharge an Ewploye Por Poll.
ticaI Reasons, But Did Il For
Other Causes.

true. it does him great injustice
and it should be said at the start that
he denies, the most material statements
contained in the article. The article
is as follows:
- On Saturday last T. R. Coughlan,
owner and operator ola quarry here
and prominent Democrat, discovered
that one of his employees, Hiram
Pettis, was electioneering for Mr.. Will
son. Mr. Coughlan asked Mr.. Pettis
if he was supporting Mr.. Wilson, and
Pettis replied that he was. Mr.. Cough
Ian said that he could not understand
how any one could support an insig-
nifcant man like Wilson, when such a
worthy person as Daley was candi-
dste'for the Office. Mr.. Pettis replied
that he had always found Mr.. Wilson
a'gentlena1; that he has had business
transactions with him ana knew what
ne was talking about. After little
furthe- conversation Mr.. Coughlan
toId Pettis to report to the Office and
get his time; Kat if it were true
that he was eiectioneering for Mr.
Wilson he did not want him working
in his quarry. Mr. Coughlan walked
away, but presently came back and
stated to Mr.. Pettis that he did not
want him TO report it around that he
had been discharged because he had
been supporting Mr.. Wilson. Cough
Ian added that Pettis work in the
quarry had not satisfied him; that the
man had not earned his money. Upon
hearing this Pettis called upon the
foreman, Dan Coughlan, brother of
the owner of the quarry, and asked
him if his work had been satisfactory
and..if he had earned his money. Dan
Coughlan replied that his work was
entirely satisfactory and that so far as
he was concerned Pettis could hold his
job as long as he desired. AS Pettis
refused to surrender his manhood and
give up supporting the candidate.of his
own choice he was thrown out of en-
ployment Mr.. Coughlan intimated
to Pettis before paying him off that
if he would cease electioneering for
Wilson he might remain in the quarry.
The Dispatch correspondent inter
viewed Mr.. Pettis in regard to the
matter and he told the story as related
above. He stated that during the two
months he was working in the quarry
he had not taken up minutes time
belonging to his employer in cleo
tioneering for Mr.. Wilson and that
Mr. Coughlan could not complain of
him on that score. Mr.. Pettis is a
poor man, but he will not remain idle.
He has already had two offers of jobs.
He has the reputation of being a hard
working, honest man.
Mr. Coughlan was seen Wednesday
and asked as to the truth of the
statements contained in the above. He
denied emphatically that he had dis
charged Pettis because he was support
ing Mr.. Wilson or any other indivi
dual, and denied with equal emphasis
that he had mentioned Mr.. Wilson s
name to Pettis. The reason that he
discharged Pettis from his employ was
because he was eleetioneering the
other employees of Mr.. Coughlan dur
ing working hours, and did not earn
his wages.
IF had discharged him the week
after election or month ago, nothing
would have been said about it. Why,
Pettis told me himself a week ago
that he feared that he was not earning
his money and asked me to keep him.
If you had man working for you who
you did not consider was earning his
wages wouldn't you discharge him1
l kept Pettis partly because of the
scarcity of men and partly because he
was amusing The workmen called
him Mckinley and he made good
deal of sport for all of US In regard
to my brother, Dan, told him week
ago that 1 thought that 1 would dis
charge Pettis, but he suggested that ow-
ing to the scarcity of men should
keep him even if he did not earn his
wages. After had discharged him 1
asked Dan if l had made mistake
and he said that / had not.
81 never made the remarks about
Mr.. Wilson attributed to me. / have
had regard for Mr.. Wilson and our
relations on the school board have been
pleasant 1 would not influence any of
my men politically. They can vote
or whom they please. T"
Those who know Mr.. Coughlan
would hesitate to believe that the
charges made by his former employe
are true He has the reputation in the
community of being very fair
minded man.
A correspondent in Sterling Center
sends us the following
Editor Free Press: The long looked
for Democratic rally has come and
gone and as some friend was kind
enough to give W. A. Funk speech
a writeup we thought it no more than
complimentary to give their speech
note.
"Our friend said that the audience
lacked enthusiasm and did not applaud
Mr.. Funk. If the Republican
candidates and prominent Re
publicans on the platform with Mr..
Funk had done like the Democratic
candidates and others there would have
been no cause for complaint. When
. the speaker was supposed to make a
point those on the platform began the
applause by clapping their hands, and
it is very poor AUDIENCE that would
not help applaud after it had been
started. -.
The Democratic papers have stated
what large and enthusiastic audiences
have greeted the Democratic candi-