The Forrest City times., 1908-03-20
STATEMENT OF MRS. WILDER
Refutes the Charges oi Dedication
 Against Her Deceased Husband.
To all whom it may concern.

Whereas: It has been charged in a public speech made by MT Eugene Williams on the 7th day of March at Colt, Arkansas, that my beloved hus- band, Henry Wilder. at the time of his death, was defaulter to the city. of Forrest City: and,
 Whereas: Said statement is with. out foundation in fact, and is ahso- lutely untrue and false, and in justice to his two living children, and to my self as his widow, and out of respect for his memory, make the following statement, that the public may know the facts
 For more than month prior 10 my husbands death, he was confined to his room and bed the greater portion of the time, and was unable To attend to any character of business. The fines charged against kim by the re- corder Of the city for January, 1907, amounted to Sll4.00, and the fines. etc, charged to him for February, l901, amounted 10 Sl04 oo. MT. Wilder was unable to attend the meeting of the council on the first Tuesday in February, if such meeting was held. and died on the 9th day of February, l901. At the time of his death he had in his possession city scrip amounting to sl4300, and the city was due him 5000, and there was outstanding fines due him from merchants in Forrest City who had assumed the payment Of fines, more than sufficient to cover the balance of 5000. At the time of his death was totally ignorant of how his account stood with the city. and got Mr s. II. Mann. attorney. to make the settlement for me, and he saw to the collection of the outstand- ing lines, and the scrip on hand was turned over to him, and he made the settlement with the city and on May 2l, 1907 paid to the city treasurer S2lS,00, and took the treasurer's re. ceipt, No. l02, in full settlement. No one was called on to pay any sum for Mir. Wilder, and did not pay any for him except such funds as he had on hand belonging to the city, and what was due him on fines for which he was charged, and any delay that oc- cured in the settlement was because l wished correct statement and the settlement made in the proper manner, and also time in which to collect the fines
 All of this is true, and l can sub- stantiate it. Being a woman it would i'll become me 10 enter into q quarrel with any person, especially d man. and l shrink from this conspicuous ness and publicity. But l cannot be content to allow this infamous slan- der to go unchallenged, and the name of my dead husband and the fat her of my children, to be besmirched and dragged in the mire for the sake of dirty politics, and l know my friends will not blame me, but on the con trary will agree with me that too | much cannot be said of Mir Williams for such a cowardly act. Well he | knows he would not have made such | accusations had Mir. Wilder been liv- ing. MT. Williams motive in making this accusation was to throw a shadow | or stain through MT. Stevens relation ship to MT. Wilder, upon MT. Stevens, | who is running in opposition to his father for sheriff, but when the truth | is known, think the darkest shadow will fall on Mr. Eugene ViHions him 1 SeJ, for using dead mans name to | carry out his political point, and in | doing so cast shadow of shame upon | the entire family of Mir. Wilder, who, | he thinks, have no one to look to for | protection in such matters But 1 | want to say to Mr. Williams that I | am amply able to protect myself and children for the sake of his memory, and will do so, and I demand cor rection of this accusation he has made, and an apology to myself and and hat publicly, as he made | the false charges publicly. If he has anything against MT. Stevens let him say 1t either to or about him, but he must let my dead rest, or tell the truth and the whole truth.
 Respectfully submitted,
 MRS. MARY WILDER.
 Insofar as the above statement re- lataS Tn n1attarc that bo1 otton1od