Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-04-28
AN OPEN LETTER.

AN OPEN LETTER.
To John D. orear:
Sir-lt has come to my ears that
you have charged In public speeches
that | gave false testimony Ia the case
of State VS.. Barnes, and that | was
brlbed to do 70.
When l first heard 1t l was loath TO
believe that you would do such a
thing. But the proof is indisputable,
you have made the charge at Beagles,
Rush Hill and Laddonia. II you
spoke the truth / am unfit to enjoy
my liberty. II your words are false,
then, sir, you are a common, malicious
and wanton slanderer.
/ desire to make the issue between
us clear-cut, well defined and sharp,
and hence l say, when you chare that
l committed perjury in giving my
testimony in that case, and when you
say i was bribed in that case, you
utter q compound falsehood, wholly
void Of truth or the semblance OF
truth.
You must have known your state
ments were false when you made
them. You knew l testified three
times Ia the Barnes case-the first
time before the first grand jury, the
second time before the second grand
jury OF Audrain county, and the third
time at the final trial In Troy. You
were acting as a "witness herder" for
the prosecution, and you and the
active counsel for the State knew
what my testimony would be for more
than a year before l gave 1t at Troy,
and you did not put n single wit
ness on the stand to contradict me, or
to prove l made a contrary statement,
either on oath Of otherwise. This you
know is verified by the record Of the
case which is preserved.
II my testimony was false it was
then before you for attack. l was
there, subject to exposure and con-
tradiction. You failed then to con-
tradict my testimony In the smallest
particular. You didn't do it, you
didn't attempt TO do it, and you knew
you couldn't do 1t then and you know
you can't do 1t now. II you and all
your associates were sIsent then, when
/ was where | could look you In the
face and answer u accusations, COM
mon decency and proper sense of self
respect should suggest to you to hold
your tongue and desist from SANDER
ing me before the public, behind my
back, when | have no opportunity for
reply. All that / have said herein
you know to be the truth. And with
this knowledge you made the I'M
warranted charge against me. And,
sir, you did not stop there. You said
l was brlbed. You said | vas paid
money, and with the money | bought
a piano. | cannot conceive how you
could utter such o foul and slanderous
statement. l have a piano. | am a
poor man and suppose | should not
indulge In such luxuries, but | am the
father OF arsick and crippled boy. The
only enjoyment he is able to get out
OF a world that is very dreary to him
Is from music.
Let me state how | obtained the pi-
ano: l had an organ; | sold 1t for $50
to John Callahan OF Benton City;
borrowed $40 from Mason Creasey OF
Mexico; | saved $40 from my earnings
l bought the piano from the Kimball
company, through J. M. Burhop,agent
at Mexico, l paid $50 down on 1t,
1.-THE sum of the above items) secured
the remainder by q chattel mortgage,
and have been saving from my earn
ings and paying IS per month on 1t,
and 1t Is not paid for yet. The mort
gage is on file in the Office Of the Re
corder Of Deeds for Audrain county
and the monthly payments have beer
made by me at the Savings Bank al
Mexico, and at the North Missouri
| Trust Co., in Mexico, and every dollar
paid was honestly earned by my hard
labor wei the butchers block. The
note showing the credits and the I'M
paid balance Is in the possession OF the
North Missouri Trust Co., subject e
/ public inspection
The above are the undisputed fact
and l appeal to all persons to investi
| gate and see for themselves.
Sir, l never harmed you by word O.
deed In my life. You always pretend
ed to be my friend. / was paying nj
attention to your race for public office
1 am a Democrat, but take no part II
politics or political campaigns l hav'
all / can do TO attend to my own bus
mess and earn an honest living.
have lived In Mexico for % years.
never had any trouble with any man
was never sued, nor didI yer u any
one, and have always paid my homes
debts. ! am a laboring man and earl
my living by the sweat OF my brow.
did not know | had an enemy in Au
drain county. l know l am a poo
man, my clothes are not Of the lates
cut, aud my hands are rough and bea
the marks OF honest toll, but | ar
what l am, and my character Is m
capital and as dear to me and mine a
to any man.
You, sir, l know wear clothes o
the latest cut, part your hair In tn
middle, except when running for o.
flee, live in idleness, scorn to stoop I
either mental or physical labor, pla
the coxcomb In such 'sassiety" as ca
endure you, and care nothing for sue
men as me, except to use or ahus
them; and IL you had confined you
ISLANDERS Of me to Mexico, where 20
Lare known and where | am know
they would have been harmless, bu
when you have gone into remote par
OF thecounty and attacked me 20
have purposely done me a great II
jury.
Now, sir, i have laid the facts befoI
you and ask you to right the wror
you have done me.
And | ask the people OF Audral
county TO come to Mexico and invest