New-York tribune., 1901-02-20
oOmSTOCK As A LETTER WRITER.
EXTRACTS FROM THOSE SENT CAPTAIN
GODDARD AND THERON g. STRONG
SOME OPPOSITION To HIS METHODS.
EXHIBITOR AND EXHIBITED.

SOME OPPOSITION To HIS METHODS.
some opposition to the methods Of Anthony
Comstock as secretary Of the New-York Society
for the Suppression Of Vice has developed
among the members of the Executive Commit
tee - that society
Mr.. Comstock on January 81 wrote 70 F.
Norton Goddard regarding an attack" on him
bv a letter sent TO the various newspapers OF
this city some Of the vigorous sentences in Mr..
Comstock's letter We're as follows:
This attack was altogether uuwarranted, uu-
justinahle and ma.iglons desire TO MORN You
that a special "ceiinE az me board "i NanaEers
which you are most cordially invited 10 ne pres
faSts Won may have 20 Justify your assault upon
me n the public papers You and your paii af-
toru,y have irenUat,d that ! was an abs ~ The
police. men. Now. sir vii you have the manhood
ard ceesney 10 prove it assure you thtI l.H ana
prove anything vog can to ry discr"dit- a fail
uIr on YOU YOU - par ~ ,iii ~ ,e,,.,ei w -rf ~
our inability 20 sIast utate the same and sce'p,
~ evidesss-o@ she maleiousncss - your assault
upon me.
Mr. Goddard sent this ietter 20 John y Reach.
~ Tent. Weller & Co. No. 33S Broadway. a
member ~ the Executive Committee 81 the So
cioty. SO that he might see the kind of letter
Mr. Comstock thought proper 10 write 20 Mr..
Goddard.
Mr. Beach was seen 10y a Tribune reporter yes
terday and said that h. had been practically
out Of the society for three years that Mr.. Com
stock had done a l3t ~ good. hut that some OF
his methods were iII-advised.
Mr.. Comstock also wrote a violent letter re-
Gently Co Theron -. Strong. \ few extracts fol
low.
Your reo-at attack upon me- in the newspapers Is
wholly uuHarrlufatle. uulUstinahle and malicious
have learned To my very great surprise that YOU
"a %
say that from. your conduct toward me. your base
ju'erenteFI had ao suspicion tnat YOU professed
anything religious. aud much less that you are
member ~ a church Your recent attack upon
me- WAS great -IrpriSe. first. because without
pr"F'Zal'-n On my par. sseond. you are doins
win being powerful ally of the policy men
Now. ! ask You as o nrofessaut Christian 20
com" neiS'" or Ike. .ulte '"inm'i"'. VII" viii
meet at This Office next week. Tuesday. February
Tneats. arI either make good your base insinua-
u"ns and charges or else confess that an you had
io.-d Ly you ana Nr Goddard DO not
propose 20 allow your charges pass unnoticed.
m. facts viii he published ion next report and
viii DE- seu, 10 members OF your church Your
cl,eut 20 thus libel You must either retract
church Y0u savc UlliuIly misstated fact and your
appear and prove your charges VIII be- considered
as confession that they are false and your attack
urv1rrautet
member Of the Executive Committee When
seen at his ofice No. I Broadway. yesterday
hy Tribune reporter. Mr Sinclair said he did
not 20 mix up in the matter. and preferred
10 say nothing for publication.
KIiaen Van Rensselaer, treasurer OF the
ciety. AT his Office, No. 56 wall-st., said:
Mr.. Strong.s attack on Mr. Comstock in the pub
lie prints perfectly outrageous and unwar-
was out OF reason. IT "A gambler should rush into
nv Office. place a policy slip on my desk ana run
out, and a policeman should come IN and ind the
policy slip could be arrested under Goddard and
StrOng's 1iii although the motives Of the gambler
were unknown 70 me. or II rented house 10
tenant who subet a parlcr TO a gambler. who
m. | would be liable To arrest.
/ have paid Mr.. COmstock his salary every month
for the last twentv-tWO years. and have seen him
attacked by gamblers and immoral people. and |
m surprised that Goddard and Strong should side
preserve the rnoral5 OF the community and the
Youth OF the land What l have said has been said
with perfect caimness and without any animus.
dard I have not had the pleasure meeting Mr.
Comstocks letters were perfectly justified every
way
William F Dodge. vice president If the so
ciety said he had very great confidence in Mr.
Comstock whose work was Of a most salf-deny-
ing and dlsagreeable character. and whom he
had known as a young man. Eis life had been
threatened. and large sums OF money had been
offered him not n testify in certain cases Mr.
Dodge maintained that a man could not 20
against an abuse without making enemies He
would as soon think of himself being in an aIli-
with gamblers as Mr. Comstcck He
thought Mr.. Goddard and Mr. Strong had been
a little too hard on Mr.. Comstock and there
was simply a difference between them as 10
methods. That all.