The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-06-27
Communicated.
HENDERSON,, n. g.,
June %. 1907.

To THE EDITOR: While reading the ma
rangue by Mr. Charles h. Fuller III the
GOLD LEAF last week in denunclatlon OF
DR.. Rowland, | felt that it would be
wrong for me to remain silent knowing
the facts absolutely as | DO. Item No.
3, in which Mr.. Fuller says there was
little evidence OF special fOndness for the
child on the part OF his father L pre-
sumo Mr. Fuller had reference to DR..
Rowland not usually kissing his little
son, as | have heard that discussed as
an evidence of his lack OF proper affection
since this malicious misfortune has oc-
cured. Now | personally know that Mr..
Fuller's dear dead sister" taught her
little son before her death to never kiss
any one and that she would rather any
body would clap him in the face than to
kiss him, which think wise and pru-
dent rule for sanitary reasons. So in
that offence the Doctor was only carry
ing out the training the dead sister
(whose memory Mr.. Fuller has manifest
ed such sacred interest for recently had
first instiled. Mrs Rowland's mother
having died with consumption and DR..
Rowland father having died with the
same and Mrs. Rowland herself having
consumption at the child 8 birth it seems
to me quite necessary to take every pre-
caution possible to prevent the child
falling victim to same. ! also further
know that DIR. Rowland provided Iiber-
ally for the chiid's every need and can
not recall q single instance in which
have seen him with the boy that | did
not see him fondle him on his lap or with
his arms around him or in some way.
Mrs Lew Rowland, che aunt who has
raised him since his mothers death, has
told me that the chil's love for his faith
er had ecipsed any affection she had ever
seen. Now do not believe such love
could engender without an incentive, 1t
would be contrary to nature and espe-
cialy in case where the child only sell
domly saw his father. do not believe
that the Doctor ever spoke an unkind or
harsh word to the child. | have heard
him express very high aspiration for him
and say that he intended to give him ev-
cry educational advantage that wasp pos
sible. AS to the child being a healthy
one, positively know that to be untrue.
He had a cough and while | caunOt say
positively that he had consumption as
| am not a doctor and my opinion is not
sufficient authority on the matter-(not
even to my own positive conviction.)
Nevertheless | have for some time
thought that he was cOnsumptive and
have since last spring Q906) noticed a
continual decline. His aunt with whom
he lived has told me that she was sure
that he had a kidney trouble. Now
with two such maladies, the ones which
have almost above any Others SO cruelty
baffied even the skill o. our modern doc
tors, no undesigning or reasonable per-
son could pronounce him healthy child
or even tolerably so.
Mr.. Fuller's wife told me the afternoon
little Austin was buried, that at the
concert the night before when. he came
on the stage to recite she noticed how
dreadfully he looked and said that child
is not able to go thro with his part"
She burst into tears as she told me this
saying good deal about being sorry for
the child having to take part in the con
cert being so unable to dose as she knew
he must have been. | know that his
aunt has always made some variations
in the work and exercise and manage
ment in different ways of him and her
own little boy who was about the same
age, considering her boy the stronger
and less liable to sickness.
Item 4, That the Doctor did an un-
usual thing in carrying poisonous med
iciaes in his pockets. My husband has
had various attacks Of acute indiges-
ton" and nearly every doctor in Hender-
son has been called to him on different
occasions. Each one without a single
exception has Immediately after examin-
ing his pulse administered the identical
poisons that they say DR.. Rowland ad-
ministered to his little son for acute in
digestion and according to the best OF
my recollection they have each taken it
from fhoir un,l-of., hrt IDu I,,@
may be | fail to see the difference in q
emergency in his pockets or satchel.
SO for one know that the doctors of
Henderson know that that charge is
groundless. AS to Dr. Rowland deceiv-
| ing the child's aunt about the child's in
surance, | am not informed as regard to
it but ii there is anything at all about
it feel sure that it has some better ex-
PLANTATION than he gives.
Mrs. Rowland, the child's aunt referred
to, has been to my house with a written
statement by her own hands of every
thing that had transpired at her house
| concerning the case. | read the paper
and it stayed in my house several days,
there was nothing whatever mentioned
about insurance. | can see no plausible
| reason why he should have deceived the
aunt or anybody else about the insur-
ance, he had a perfect right to insure
his child's lille as thousands OF Others do;
| he surely had right to collect the in
surance as | surely would have done and
everyone else surely would have done.
have yet to know the first one who re-
fused to collect insurance. Mr. Fuller
yells pity, pity, on one hand and with
the other tries to assassnate with every
| stroke but do not think he can deceive
many of the people as to his real motive
The day of DR.. Rowland's arrest he went
from Henderson to Mrs. Lew Bowland's
this sister) telling her that | was very
angry with him, but that had miscon-
strued his motive altogether, that he be-
lieved in DR.. Rowland innocence just as
much as did and for that very reason
he had ordered this investigation to
prove his innocence and clear the suspi-
ciOn which had been circulated Now his
investigation has proven Dr. Rowlands
innocence by every known test and then
he comes forth to vindicate his love for
the Doctor still more and says they have
proven nothing that in spite of the doe
tors and chemist he could have poisoned
! the child and they could not find it out
Surely unto the evil all things are evil
/ teven the highest chemical tests.)
I Now | leave it to the readers and to
the witnesses to decide by his actions
and words whether it is love or hate he
| feels for the Doctor. l am sure not many
OF us would like for our friends to dem
| onstrate their love and interest for us in
| like manner.
MRS X. W. EDWARDS.