Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-01-17

Gel +. ". Rector II Hf4l oHEIA=7s
through the News If that city, has
addressed 70 The people # Afkaasa=
the following in response 10 the com
munIcation If prof Cook in q recent
=sseu of the Sentinel Record. OF Hot
Springs
Hot Springs Ark Jan. Ais a29=
To the People OF Arkansas
In the issue Of the Sentinel Record
If this date appears an open Letter OF
Geo b Cook. signed officially adj
dressed to the people af Arkansas
which deem it essential to ansWes
at once
The letter. as every man OF ordi-
nary intelligence who reads II. will
know. was inspired by malice AMI
written for the soc purpose Of in5af-
ing me IN my race for governor. n
is best phase. il Is ike the stab of
an assassin. who has been lEing n
wait fal=two years. to tnlliet the
would be fatal Blow-aHd in its aas
ifenf points. it is the result setther OF
a misunderstanding on the part OF
Mr. Cook df what said or It =ts=a
aase aad 9landeeoas peFEefston of the
truth.
made statement Of the facf5
concerning the unfortunate difficulty
between myself and him two wears
ago en- the day the encounter 9#s9E
red and so lid Mr. Cook. Thase ststz=
ments published IN the Daily News
were as follovs, to=Vit.
Statements at Tire q trouble.
Colonel Rector WIS reluctant =
make statement fer publication
concerning the difficulty because BE-
sad the incident occurred IN .he #feas
Of passion. Although did not ai#l7z@
he said without pr asz4Ea42s i15' -
GREETED If very much Colonel f1eetaf
said the difficulty grew el1t ef Whaf
he termed the persecution af bis chit
dren. IN his opinion IN example had
been made ef his=6av. Harry. and ne
Informed pref ok Of eha fact. He
called on Prof Cox On Monday even
ing afteI. learning 80 Harry VAS d.
6cient on some subjects and conze
auently could not sfa ate. The sIt-
perintendent stated ID explanation
that the monthly report cad showed
plainly the standing of the boy. Col
onel Rector said that when he Went
home he asked about the report, h1st
none hat been received there This
aneered the colonel, who upon meet
ing Prof Cook spoke hastily IN terms
that would imply that misstatement
had been made by the professor Re
garding the monthly reports. Colonel
Rector said that Professor Cook had
a loaded can in his hand and thinking
that he saw a motion to strike, he
stepped back and pulled his pistol
Professor Cook then stated that he
was unarmed and on unequal terms
and the colonel replaced the pistol in
his pocket, stating that Professor
Cook could arm himself and then
they would be on equal terms. He
also said that he believed his children
had been prosecuted by Professor
Cook and that if it continued he
would make him regret the day he
came to Arkansas
The following version of the trou-
sle was given by Professor Cook:
Colonel Rector and I had been
friends, but recently our friendship
has been strained on account of tho
colonel trying to use it towards his
sons advancement in the schools.
Colonel Rector was angered when
informed that his son, Harry, would
not be graduated with his class this
year explained the reason on
Monday night We went over the rec
ords and his standing was not high
enough TO pass. Col. Rector seemed
to think it a disgrace and that l was
responsible hut | told him the rating
was made by the teachers whom |
considered efficient