The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1912-07-31
JOHN ". FLOWERS
Charges that the Publication Of
his private Letter to the Pas.
tor OF Presbyterian Church al
Lawrenceburs, Ky. and the
answer Thereto of ]. W.
Mahanis "frame Up."
Columbia, Ky, July rs, 1912.

Adalr County and the Eighth Con-
greSSlonal District, have read i'm the
Interior Journal. a paper published at
stanford, KY. the home of the Hon.
Harvey Helm,a letter written by me to
the pastor of the Presbyterian Church
at LaWrencebvrg, KY, and the reply
thereto of j. w. Mahan, who states
that he is an elder i'm the PRESBYTERIAN
church at that place. My letter was
not intended for anyone but the pas
tor of the church and was strictly of
a private nature, but there being no
pastor of the said church at Lawrence
burg, suppose the letter was handed
to some member of the church proba-
bly, Mr.. Mahan. Instead of Mr.. Mahan re-
turning my letter with the information
/ that the church had no pastor and not
betraying a matter that accidentally
Tell into his hands, he presumed to make
reply himself and had the CORRESPOND
ence placed in the hands of either Mr..
Helm or his campaign managers, all
without my knowledge or consent.
This trick on the part of tile Elder
is plainly to be seen and shows what
lie VIII resort TO in order to carry
political point.
Now as to my motive for writing
this letter to the Presbyterian minis
ter, had received information from
dluerent sources that the whisky men
were opposing Mr.. Sullivan on account
OF ais position in regard to the County
Unit Law, and in order that | might
have absolutely correct information i'm
regard to the matter, | wrote three
private letters addressed to men. who
L thought would be familiar with con-
dltlonS in the whisky Districts and
| who would have no political reasons
for not reporting conditions as they
actually exist. The first heard from
said that he feared that what was sug-
geSted in my letter was true, that the
whisky men were supporting Helm,
and stated that he had been making
careful investigation in regard to the
matter. The second gentleman heard
from said that majority of the
whisky people i'll his county seemed to
be supporting Helm, but no lines had
been drawn between the temperance
and whisky people. However, he said
that it was his opinion that Mr.. Helm
was playing double game, publicly
announcing in favor of temperance
and secretly patting the other fellows
on the back" He further said that
it was his opinion that if the temper
ance people wanted anything done in
Congress, they should send Mr.. Sulli-
van there. The third letter addressed
to the pastor OF the Presbyterian
Church at Lawrenceburg and strictly
a private letter and intended for the
sight Of no one but the pastor. fell in
TO the hands Of Mr.. MahaD. who be-
trayedSame into the hands OF Mr.. Helm
or his friends who, without my know
ledge or consent, permitted same to be
published in the Interior Journal and
same will, no doubt, be published i'm
other papers of the District.
Now as to the gentleman, who took
mail that was not intended for him or
his church. but for the pastor of the
church personally. and betrayed same.
L want to say that ne bearsA striking
resemblance to another churchman
who, for a similar act, gained so much
notoriety many centuries ago. 1t is
also my opinion that the PreSbyteri-
an church at Lawrenceburg needs an
elder more than it needs a pastor.
To show that l was trying to be alb
sOlutely fair to Mr. Helm, upon re-
ceipt of the letter from Mr.. Mahan,
whose opinion L had not requested
and did not want, Isannounced to a
friend, who will witness the truth of
the statement | make, that owing to a
conflict of opinion in regard to the
matter in which | was interested,
that l would keep same quiet, altho |
believed that the elders" reply was
nothing more that a Frame up" as
L, am sure now it was. | did not even
let Mr.. Sullivan know anything about
the investigation | was making. But
as part of the story has been told
without my consent, feel that the
public is entitled to know it all.
: am supporting Mr.. Sullivan be-
cause | believe it is my duty to do so
both as citizen and a Democrat. L
have never mistreated Mr.. Helm and
he had no right to publish my private
correspondence, without my consent,
and give me unsought notoriety, even
if same should be betrayed into his
hands by some person, who wears the
label of churchman but who is evil