The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-09-07
ard from Hon. Jonathan Lane.

afa he Public
M view Of til, fact chat Mr.. w. r..
lsIifidge is charSad. by complaint, with un-
sa&fuily killing Captain William Dunovant,
ond ir connection Herewith many err0ne-
ta6 and false statements concerning the
faIshess associations and dealings OF Mr.
fAIridge with Captain Dunovant during bis
Aiife Bre being vigorously. and. IN many in
siontes maliciously. circulated. to the dctri-
Ineid OF Mr.. Eldridge, aud that IN some IN
Sf4nres from reports received some people
1r4 Undertaking to prcdure the Impression
that have In connection with this most
nI.lcrturate affair. doue things which l
Shoold not. feel II to be my duty to Mr..
iiAtidge. my friend and client and myself
10 8enrant the public with the truth rcla-
tirc A. some OF the matters most spoken OF,
f.lhave been Informed that it IS being
chaAyed. in cffcc,, that W. Eldridge was
onc,an mere tramp, or dependent, and that
cnnfz in Dunovant became his benefaetor
an1 d ok him into his business, became his
f6sf Il giepd, ETC. thus placing Mr. Eldridge
Id lhe light Of being under great obligations
Is ca ptain Dunovant Concerning these
sh8fRei ] wish to say that l have known
hir. hi bridge for many years, aud have
net nli my good people who have known
lin frd m his boyhood days. Among them
liz nun ,bered Colonel S. w. r. Lanham
ne pre- sent democratic nominee Tor gov
frof; ION. c. X. Bell attorney general
n Tex IS; ex state Treasurer W. b..
nofthhu !, General Felix Robertson Of
Waco. H on. n. 81. Tracy of Rockdale and
nany ctt ers | am sure from what these
ieoI;ln In ave sald to ne concerning Mr.
k;ifilee II viii be news to them that he
h0uid IA so presented and represented.
Nv infori nation is that Mr.. Eldridge was
)0fn Id v fashington county. Texas, in 1862.
Il most ~ spectacle, worthy and prominent
.srenftges that OF the beginning Of TIE
Arfi Mar his father enlisted and died IL
SEA while he was being brought home on
rrionch, ! eaying a good estate; that after
ila MIXERS death his mother married again
nd that IFS stepfather lost all of their
ortune. r the time Mr.. Eldrldge was Il
ears OF &c, on account of his belief
gI,ether we Il founded or not, that his step
afher west treating him badly, he left home
lid pnderts lok to earn his own living. per
orsnins VIII ateger honorable work he could
nd To do 1 O that end. He came to EAGLE
Fori thcrte' on his own account, engaging In
navy nnd iFaried occupations. entirely dis
hsocin7ed alnd disconnected with and un-
ssiHte1 by Captain Dunovant in any way;
bat thus he had accumulated, about six
ents pgo, 81 property. real and personal
bout S1400 exclusive Of his homestead
I'D hotel; u at at this time he desired to
urchase n tract OF land which he now
WINS. ara vi hlch Is known as his Bonus
Hartetlon.' Believing that Captain Dun
want was a, man of wealth, as. was then
se general Impression, he applied to him
biz ban OF anoney to make the trade for
be land. Capt. ain Dunoyant thereupon pro
oscd TO form a co-partnershtp with Mr..
Jdridge and that they should buy the farm
pgether; that Mr.. Eldrdge should place
= tho BUSINESS certain properties then
wned by him, which they valued M s1S..
%. captain raHpoyqnt wasito pay into the
usiness In dzz Ny equal amount They
ere 81 operate Ehe farm, mercantile
nsfnease, gin and other businesses. Mr.
ldEtdge was to be in charge and to man
g the affairs OF the firm. This propo-
tidnwas accepted by Mr.. Eidrtdge and he
agan operations Hereunder and continued
scondpct Its AFFAIRS until the firm was by
utnn1 consent dissolved. on June 2s. A.
a, 1901. Captain Dunovant placed only a
mall amount Of money in the business, and
lis he soon withdrew. Mr. Eldridge's cap
nj remained in all the time. The business
the firm wasconducted and the land was
ought and improved largely on credit and
orrowed capital. The aggregate Invest.
iepk. Including land. improvements, ma
Ainery, live stock, merchandise, etc, was
bout 100000. In the early part Of 1901
10 feelings of the PARTIES toward each
thcr bad Become so strained that Mr.
Ndridge declined longer tosremain in part.
ership with Captain Dunovant and so in
srmed him. Captain Dunovant insisted
lat the partnership should continue and
hat Eldridge should continue to manage
he airairs; this Mr.. EIdridge firmly refused
do, as Captain Dunovant was constantly
bds3ng and threatening him. The firm
sas fhen In debt near $4,000. Captain
! ,unogant persistently refused to dissolve
\ be Partnership. whereupon Mr.. Eldridge
4 eterinined to Ale suit for dissolution and
\ ajustrnent, and to place the property in