The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-09-16

: sI had already started the inquiry by having Mr..
s.. M Coman, formerly editor of the Netrs Reuieao
interview the reporters of a0hom got has informa-
tom direct from Wakefield, the other from lady
so0y aOho present and heard the address these
practically consented to make 0fidaVt to the facts
IN the case:-I the editor of the Journal and OBJ
tanned all the facts in his possession; feU days
aoou1d haze had all the facts and poud haze trans
n6tted them you have made it personal matter
for fear of prejudice but your letter changes the aspect
of the inquiry and takes it out of my hands, conse-
quently I shall drop it.
wishing you success, etc.,
- John N. TAYLoRn
Now consider:
CD The reporter had no earthly motive to
misrepresent Wakefield, and it was impossi-
BILE for him to have misunderstood. The Ell
sic Sigel case could not have been COMPOUNDED
with any other Such statements as, 1--WE mis-
sionaries have long known, and eve were
not at all surprised at Elsies tragic fateo are
of such a nature that it is simply unbelieva-
bic that opposite statements qcere. made and
misunderstood.
The reporter either wrote truthful report,
or he manufactured huge, outrageous lie,
for no reason whatsoever.
(2) Wakefield is almost conclusively pre-
sllmed to have had human vanity enough to
want to see what the newspapers had to say
about his lecture: yet he never made any COM
plant OF the report, until after he saw how
he had hurt 'sthe cause"
(3) The audience that heard the lecture
must have seen the report next morning; and
yet nobody "kicked" on it.
az The statement as to what eve mission
: aries have long known" is corrOborated by the
unretracted assertions of the lady mission
aries, Miss Helen F. Clark and Mrs. Florence
Todd: also, by the unrepudiated interviews
of Rev. d. Asa Blackburn and Rev. T. M.
Haldeman of New York. Another most con-
Nincing confederation is found in the fact,
reported in all the New York papers, that
after Elsie Slgel2s death the missionaries be-
gam to close up the Chinese mission stations,
and to declare that "aadiUizuaz instruction.
qo0uzd be a6andoned
1T is most regrettable that [ was so awk-
ward In handling the case that DR.. Taylor
did not proceed, and put the evidence in legal
shape, but, after all, this is not courthouse
affair where technical rules appl Y.
This is trial at the bar of Public Opinion,
and when Dr. Taylor declares, in effect, that
the reporter says he 'got his information di-
rect from Wakefield; and that a lady mis-
slonary who heard the lecture had practically
consented to make affidavit sustaining the
newspaper report; and that nothing but my
letter to the editor kept DR.. Taylor from
transmitting the evidence to me in few
days,-why, the moral effect is the same as ii
the Doctor had done so.
Dr. Taylor declares that he found the
proofs to establish the fact that Wakefield
did say what was reported, and you know
that he tells the truth. The effect on your
mind is ust the same as though you had read
the statements of the reporter and the lady
missionary.
p. S-Haven't heard a word from my
brother-edito yet. Maybe he got nettled be-
cause | wrote to DR.. Taylor.
q 81 q