Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-01
WATSON GIVES OUT
CARD ON DUCKW0RTH
Welcomes Opportunity to Meet
Farmers Union Man in For
um He Has Chosen

| Editor Journal: II gives me pleasure
90 meet Mr.. Duckworth in the forum
] which he has chosen. First, let us take
glance at his public conduct. He at
! tended the Dallas convention of the
| Farmers union and made an enthusiasts
| tic speech in favor OF certain resolutions
which were prepared By the Merchant
| Marine League of Cleveland. Ohio. That
he made such a speech, can prove by
! the delegates and by the reporters. 1t
| was jubilantly acclaimed in the Ameri-
can Flag, the ship subsidy magazine
! The sudden and simultaneous appear
ance of articles in favor Of the ship
subsidy steal in such papers as the
| Dallas Texas Farmer. the Co-operator
and the Union News, Duckworth's paper,
excited suspicion.
In the Jeffersonian. the opinion was
} expressed that these three Farmers
! union papers were in the pay of the
Republican ship subsidy league. During
I the investigation which congress re-
Gently made into the methods Of this
| league. Mr.. Penton, it's secretary, testi-
fed that he used money on certain pa
/ pers which published articles favorable
| to ship subsidy. He mentioned the Tex
as Farmer by name. and included the
/ others under the general head and other
papers. Inasmuch as Duckworth pub
/ lished the same data as Bill Shaw, of
| the Texas Farmer, and inasmuch as
| Ducks paper began to yelp at the same
time that Bits did. II was no violent
presumption that the cause of the yelp
was the same in each case. -..
In the same issue OF the Union News
which carried a three-page article In
favor OF ship subsidy, Duckworth- re-
fused to give inches OF space to a me-
mortal tribute in honor of one OF his
dead brothers of the union. a man of
local prominence. OF the highest charac-,
/ ter, and devoted champion OF Duck
worth's organization. While Mr.. Penton
was not asked specifically whether he
had paid Duckworth or the Union News
any money, circumstantial evidence was
so strong that Duckworth was chal-
| lenged by the Jeffersonian 10 produce
an affidavit from the Marine league Of
| flcers that his Union News was not one
OF the other papers that had been paid
| to publish ship subsidy stun. Any pros
ecuting lawyer would think. and any
judge would hold, that 1 have made out
prima facie case or this part of the
indictment. / therefore rest. and await
his production of that affidavit
Secondly. as president Of the union, he es-
/ tahlished and vouched for a union commission
house in Atlanta. On the faith Of his recon-
mendations. the farmers began TO ship. for sale
on commission. various farm products-potatoes,
poultry. butter. eggs. etc. The men who were
selected by Duckworth to run the concern
dishonest. They sold the produce and pocketed
the proceeds. Not only did the Georgia union
lose $1,000 BY this venture, but numbers Of
farmers were robbed by II. The Southern
Ruralist. Of Atlanta. has a file OF original
letters which reveals the whole swindle. Legal
Iy and morally. Duckworth is responsible to
those victims who pinned their faith to his
Endorsement Of the union produce warehouses;
but they will never get cent out Of him. He
will hardly demand the production Of furtner
evidence on this for hundreds OF the union
members would testify to the substantial cor
rsetness of my statement.
| He intrigued himself into the presidency of
a fourIshing mutual life insurance company
grossly mismanaged II, pulled it for Sl,Too
salary. charged up to IL advertisements in bis
paper TO the amount Of nearly 5000, left II
without money in its treasury, with debts hang
/ ing over 1t and with declining membership.
The witnesses to this are DR.. c. F. McRae and
J. J. Brown.
He made a contract with two worthy, in
dustrious young men Of Augusta, Ga, the
Jowett brothers, to publish his paper, The
Union News. They went out to Union City,
established costly printing plant and began
1 to publish his paper in the belief that they
| had n permanent job, out OF which, Of course,
they expected honest, legitimate profits. Duck
worth fell behind in making his payments I'M
til ne had up an account Of $500. This
not only included the labor OF the JOwett
brothers. but Of printers whom they employed.
Il also Included paper ana other materials for
/ the use OF Mr. Duckworth. Finally Duckworth
| jumped his contract anu they had 10 move their
| machinery, st great expense anu inevitable
MANAGE. from Union City. The best they could
] 90 with Duckworth upon a settlement was 10
get Ills promise 70 pay In writing
/ When the notes Iell due he did not pay
! them. He wrote letters pleading for indul-
/ gence; not only did do tails. but his lawyer.
| I. 4. Ladson, did the same thing. Mr. Ladson
went lar as 10 offer to put mp collateral OF
his own IL the Jowetts would give DuckwOrth
further time, but the money did not show up
and the Jowetts entered SUIT In the Fayette
superior court, where Duckworth lives. lie
/ fought the SUIT pleading the men had damaged
/ him 10 the extent Of more than their claim
! BY delaying his paper and by using an inferior
quality OF stock IN bis printing. In other
WORKS. he sought TO go behind mis- own note
| and behind the letters which he and Ladson
had written. When the case was called some
months ago Duckworth and Ladson tried TO
secure more time by moving for eontinu-
/ ance.
! To get trial the Jowetts dropped more than
5000 Of their claim. Having no excuse then
/ for further delay, Duckworth had to toe the
mark The JOwetts produced his promissory
note his contract, his letters and the letters
Of c. T. Lsdson. The showing was so over
wheIming that Duekworth seemed to shrink with
/ in his seat. where he squirmed under the scorn-
full looks Of every honest man that In the
court room. His attorneys made practically no
defense. The jury promptly returned verdict
| for the full amount claimed. This verdict BY
I Duckworth's neighbors tantamount to find
/ ing that he had committed willful and deliber-
ate perjury in his effort to defeat two honest
young men out OF their labor. their material and
4 their money.
when F. d. wimberly asked Duckworth for
| an explanation. the unmtigated liar Informed
Brother wimberly that the lawyers at Fairburn
I were mad with him because he wanted to move
the seat Of Fayette county to Union City, aud
/ that they had packed the jury on him He said
/ 10 Wimberiy that there nothing in .he
case and that he would set aside the verdict
I on motion for new trial.
/ As matter Of fact. he afterwards paid the
JSwetts $500 and gave them his notes for 81 600,
with the understanding that II these notes were
not promptly met. the full Judgment Of $500
should stand rendered by the jury. 1t Is
probable that the motive Of the Jowetts In
letting him off light was that they realized
the impoSsIbiity Of collecting anything out
Of this slippery adventurer. Thus he trimmed
these two young men to the tune -of $5,oOO.
I Does Mr. Duckworth want me 10 produce the
! evidence on thatf There the superior court
records OF his home county. there is the brief
OF testimony which his lawyers had to fight in
making their motion for new trial. There should
be- aud presumably is. his own plea. where be
stepped his soul IN guilt in his effort to escape
l an hon, 81 debt. There Is the Judge who tried
| the case. There the II good and true
who were compelled by their verdict to brand
him with the mark ~ everlasting disgrace.
| II Is because ! realize the bad character Of