Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-19
AN EYE TO POST OFFICE
MAY EMMONS' QUESTIONABLE METHOD
Finds Card Printed at Reporter Office
Believes il Obscene When There is not
Single Word of That Character on it.
Mirror and Mind

Mirror and Mind
The Cooley and EmmOnS COmbina-
tlon spring what they are pleased to
term great sensation" in the last
| issue of their paper in which they
charge us with printing an obscene
card and sending it through the
mails" This sensation" (?) was
sprung in the Milwaukee Sentinel on
Saturday. the 7th day of March. The
| substance Of that sensation origin
ated with Miss May Emmons, the
Grand Rapids correspondent to the
Milwaukee Sentinel and applicant for
the appointment Of Post Mistress in
this city. On Thursday, March 5. r.
W. McAfee, .. S. Inspector, of
Chicago, was here to learn whether
the WOOD COUNTY REPORTER print
ing office had printed a business card
for Andrew Zurfiuh, of Nekoosa,
about two years ago. We admitted
that the card was printed IN our office
and called his attention to the fact
that there was not an obscene word
upon the card, and the printing on
the reverse side of the card was
immoral only to those who were well
verSed in immortality and read 1T so.
In that interview we asked Mr..
McAfee if we were charged in any
way with mailing said card, or receiv-
ing it in the mails in the Grand
Rapids post office. He replied that
we were simply charged with printing
it. While here he interviewed l. E.
Cooley, who was foreman Of our office
and printed the card in question and
is now the foreman Of the Stalwarts
Cooley & Emmons combination; also
Mrs. Will Collier and Miss Maud
Sharkey, who were employed in our
Office at that time. The same day the
inspector was here, Miss May Emmons
received knowledge of his presence
here through said [. E. Cooley. She
notified the Milwaukee Sentinel of
the Inspectors visit here from which
the Milwaukee Sentinel in it's Satur-
days issue published the following
item which we hereto append in full:
SPECIAL DISPATCH To THE SENTINEL
GRAND RAPIDS, Wis, March s.
The sending of certain matter printed
in the newspaper and printing Office
of A. l.. FOntaine, postmaster at Grand
Rapids, and also editor of the Wood
County Reporter, through the United
States mails. is said to be the subject
of an investigation now in progress
here by United States postal inSpec-
tor.
The government inspector came
here about two days ago, and has Sc
cured atfidavits from three men for
merly employed in the Office of the
Wood County Reporter to the effect
that certain cards were printed in
that Office.
1t is said that the result of the ip-
veStigatiCn will be the signal for fur
ther action in tssC postOt1iCe depart
ment at Washington.
The cards were printed year and ii
half ago for saloon keeper at NekOOSa
near here. On the reverse side of the
cards, it is Salleged, was printed matter
of such a character as to preclude it
the privilege of the mails.
Mr. FOntaine is one OF the best
known men in the county. Heis now
being held over as postmaster, his
term having expired some time ago.
He was named for the Office about five
years ago by Congressman Minor.
Mr. FOntaine, when asked about the
presence of the government inspector,
said he knew the inspector was in the
city, but that he had not the remotest
luCd WIZ y HIS mlSSlOIl Was.
When asked if the cards were printed
in his office the postmaster said he
remembered the order, and also that
they were for saloon keeper at Ne
kOOsa.
Asked if the cards were of unfit
character, Mr.. Fontaine said they
were not. The postmaster reiterated
that he knew only that the inspector
was in the city, but was not informed
as to the officials mission.
Postmaster FOntaine has taken
prominent part in public questions
here for years and is recognized as one
of the political powers Of northern
Wisconsin.
All we care to say in regard to the
above is, that it emanates and
originates with our opponent in busi-
ness who is also applicant for the
post office now held by US. We don't
deny having printed the cards, but we
do deny having mailed them or
received them through the Grand
Rapids post Office for mailing. We
further deny that any of them have
ever been mailed or received by any
one at the Grand Rapids post office to
our knowledge. 1t is plainly to be
seen that the motive at this time is
in the hope of delaying, if not to
accomplish the defeat of our reap
pOintment as Postmaster in this city.
There is no sensation" about it.
We are not even guilty Of printing an
obscene card, and there is not an
obscene word upon the card we admit
having printed. The great sense
tion' exists simply in the mind and
office where if, OriOInatp6