The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-10-11
Delends Rey. WATSON.
Editor Of the Telegram:

! Editor OF the Telegram:
| Education and Christianity have
civilized all but few people. Among
the few who have thus far resisted
the good influences Of intelligence and
religion are those known as mischief
makers Prominent In the large fam
| lily OF mischief makers are slandeFefs'
never having had such a thing as q
character and never having learned
the value OF a good reputation, they
have apparently banded themselves
together to spoil all characters ana
ruin good regulations wherever found.
Their weapons are lies aud misrepre.
sensations. An effort having been
made by this class Of pests to injure
the business and social standing Of
one whom l believe to be a christian
gentleman, and finding upon investi'
CATION that there is no foundation IN
fact for any Of the false accusations
concerning him which have been
spread broadcast, l consider it my du'
ty to say word in his defense, where
it would be manifestly improper for
him to do so, no direct charge having
been brought to his notice,
The Rev. James H, Watson has for
number of years past been engaged
in the Christian ministry in this sec.
tion OF the state. AS the many years
of active service in the church began
to tell on him, he very wisely decided
to prepare for the future and secure
a home. AS the first step in this dl.
rection he paid one Charles Scout fifty
dollars for his interest in the Building
and Loan Association, assumed his
Indebtedness and secured little to his
first house. AS time passed, through
thrift and frugality, he managed to
save little money and by making
small payments on each, he soon Sc
cured title to several other lots. En-.
toying the confidence and esteem OF
several prominent business men he
soon found that an almost unlimited
amount Of money was available with
which to build dwelling houses. He
took advantage Of this opportunity
and as result he now owns seventeen
houses which command monthly rem.
tai of from ten to twenty dollars each,
Business men who advanced him the
money are well secured by deeds Of
trust.
Because he did not deem it necessa.
ry to inform the general public where
and how he secured the necessary
money with which to build houses,
these scandal mongers began first to
insinuate, and then TO charge that he
must have used church funds with
which to build these houses, when as
a matter Of fact if they knew anything
at all, they must have known that
such a statement was lie out Of
whole cloth.
Every member of the church Of
which he was pastor, including the
trustees, must know that the fnan.
cial condition OF the church has been
anything but satisfactory for years;
must know that there were long peri.
DDS when the pastor did not receive
his salary; must know furthermore
that the trustees control the finances
of the church. But for some iuexplI-
cable reason there are people whose
very lives seem To be embittered by
tae prpspGity ard Slcce>>'S 81 their
neighbors, envy ueing uueof tue most
strongly developed traitsoftheir mean
natures.
This is as far as it is possible for one
to go, believe, in defining what par
ticular kind Of cussedness it is that
moves such people. It is not to be ex-
pected that the foregoing statement
of facts will have any effect upon
these pests but it is to be hoped that
it will counteract any wrong impress
sions which oft repeated falsehoods
may have had upon those who do not
know Rev. Watson personally. The
truth Of the matter is that nearly all
Of the houses owned by him are self
sustaining, paying for themselves by
commanding good rentals.
FAIR PLAY.