Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-06-04
REV. Il. B. BLAKE ANS WERS ST.
OF HULL CASE IN FAIRFAX.

We give below letter, copied from
the st. Albans Messenger, which was
written by Rev. A. 3. Blake of Barton
in reply to an article which appeared
in the Messenger in its issue Of May
23rd, under the head of "Fairfax
Aroused" The article also appeared
and was copied by the Burlington Free
Press the following day. We also give
two other letters which appeared later
III the Free Press, one from B. M. Bal
lard, prominent citizen of Fairfax,
and the other from Hon. Hamilton S.
Peck of Burlington.
This action on the part Of these two
Vermont papers, which have always
had a reputation of being clean, and
reliable papers can not help but injure
them. They will claim that the article
was given as ''News" but this is not
the slightest excuse for the publica-
ton of an article which defames the
character Of highly respected clergy
man, a man who has been member
of the Vermont conference for many
years and who is we'll known through
out the state as an honorable, upright
citizen and man of sterling integrity,
without making inquiry as to the
truth of the assertions made.
That they made no inquiry is very
evident for the article implies that
Mr.. Blake was dismissed from the
Vermont conference because of this
affair and if they had consulted the
official journal of the Vermont confer
ence they would have found that Mr..
Blake was appointed to charge each
year for three years after leaving
Fairfax, and was finally, at his own
Request, placed on the list of super
|numeraries by the last conference,
and is still in good standing in the
conference. The information could
also have been obtained through any
Methodist minister, and the publish
ers of one of the papers, at least, were
well acquainted with the character of
the man whose reputation the sender
of the article was trying to sully.
While the people who have known
Mr.. Blake for many years place no
|credence in the story yet an injury
has been done him which can never
be righted.
The Free Press Immediately copied
Mr.. Blake's letter as given in the Mes
Benger but nothing that can be done
how can fully undo the wrong these
papers committed in their haste for
|news in giving a place in their col
hmns to an article defaming the char
&cter of an innocent man.
The letter is as follows:
SIN a letter dated at Barton, MAY,
d, Rev "A. B. Blake sends the following
Communication and requests The Mes
Henger to print the same in answer to
" recent news story which appeared |
h this paper headed "Fairfax Arous-
Hd."
SIN the first place permit me to say
moved away from Fairfax about the
rst of May, 1897, and neither of the
hses to which your article refers
puld have separated me from my
|ock for neither of them existed at
bat time. I have not visited Fairfax
pr over a year, while the respected
8hysician with whom the article as
Abciates me must have been before
be court very recently. 1t is evident
om this thing that your correspond
bit stretched his Imagination as we'll
the truth great way to drag my
me into the local scandal which
Is aroused Fairfax and divided the
hole town into two factions.
f'The article would make it appear
at was a resident of Fairfax and a
btent factor in the present unpleas-
tness, or that had recently moved
.Fay being separated from my flock
reason of my immoral conduct.
is article is worthy one of the 'Yel-
q Journals but too false and sensa-
Nj Pnal for county paper that purports
deal honestly with individuals and
=e public. Itake this oppo rtun1ty to
frect false statements and desire