The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1910-04-06
ASKS "KNOCKER"
FOR ITS PROOFS
WANTS FACTS AND NAMES
RATHER THAN VAGUE AssER-
TIoN.-cAMPAIGN or NEWS TO
COMPEL ADVERTISERS TO USE
ITS SPACE NOT PROGRESSING
RAPIDLY IN THIS CASE.

For amazing mendacity and down
right falsehood. the recent frenzied at
tacks made upon me daily by The
News is without parallel in the his.
tory OF yellow Journalism. Without
the least semblance Of fairness it
persists In making statements, the alb
solute proof of the falslty of which is
easily obtainable. In Tuesdays arti-
Gle 1t solemnly announces however,
that from this time" 1t will investi-
gate the truth Of Its statements be-
fore publishing them. 1t is indeed
high time.
During its whole wordy TRADE The
News has not even claimed that my
treatment is not successful in restor-
ing the sick to health, but mas devoted
much space to an undignified dis
cussion of private affairs. For in
stance, in today's article the writer
asserts that he was told by a local
physician, who was told by someone
else, that was once engaged with
two negroes In a. negro minstrel per-
formance. Now 1T indicates both the
character OF the writer and the alb
sence of any just complaint when he
will stoop to publish such irresponsi-
BILE gossip. The accusation is abso-
lutely and entirely false. never had
anything to do with any sucn upder-
taking in anyway whatever.
In making charges of this kind The
News should give the names of the
parties responsible: the fact that it
does not, forces me to the conclusion
that it's origin is to be found only in
the fertile imagination Of the writer
In regard to my trial in Minneapo-
lis the statements made by The News
are entirely false and misleading. The
charges were not brought by any pa
tient of mine at all, but by other par
ties. The case was tried before a jury
and my innocence was established by
my immediate acQuittal. The state.
ment that was compelled to refund
any money is untrue. Now these
things are a matter OF record and it
is not difficult to classify a public
journal which will pervert the facts in
this manner.
The fact that Mr.. Mead, an attorney
Of Minneapolis, brought suit against me
is true. He has right to do so If he
wishes to- claim that settlement was
made in full by the payment to him of
$452. He thinks otherwise and the facts
will be laid before the court and a de-
cision asked as to who is right. Few
merchants of Fargo but have had, at
some time, similar disagreements. The
management Of a newspaper that is
engaged in an attempt TO beat it's
bondsmen out Of $1,000 each, should be
rather chary in digging up financial
disputes.
When the statement is made
and reiterated that woman
claims I hypnotized her child, it
would seem that The News claims
for me exceptional ability. which abil-
ity modesty forbids me TO accept. Later,
however, the admission is made that
the mother was not in the room and
never saw the treatment at all.
This, then, is merely a clumsy eff
fort to prejudice the public with the
bogy hypnotism and inject the feature
of sensationalism so commonly employ
ed in yellow Journalism.
In The Forum of April 4th showed
clearly the real animus of The News,
which 1t admits aounts to a charge of
attempted blackmail. Why does iG not
refute this instead of resorting to pail
try personalities? Why does it not
bring suit against me for this most
serious charge? Is it because it knows
that have the proof and that by so
doing it will get itself in deeper?
If seem to be harsh or extreme
in these remarks, il is because the
case demands 1t. II The News has any
real facts against me, impeaching my
fitness as a doctor, or my standing as
gentleman, I will cheerfully admit
them. 1 challenge it to do so and not
attempt to hide behind such phrases
as 'It is said," or 1--WE have been told
Let us have done with the methods
of the CRATER. MELVIN L. GATES.