The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-12-12

installment in the now famous Nettles
case, so far as the Rev. A. ]. Cauthen
is concerned, was given out from the
office of Mr. Cauthen this morning.
The disclosure of the letter from a
prominent Spartanburg banker which
| Mr.. Nettles, in his comment on the
case, is alleged to have only extracted
certain parts, was secured by Mr..
Cauthen's friends, to be published in
full in order that an alleged mlsap-
prehension might be corrected.
1t is charged that from this letter
Mr.. Nettles in his reply used only
the paragraph as follows:
This man referring to the banker(
wrote him referring to Mr.. Cauthen)
in reply that he didn't like MIR. Net
ties personally, but that in all his
business dealings with Mr.. Nettles he
had found him to be man of his
word and that he had always paid
what he owed. When Mr.. Cauthen'S
friends, who had stood true to him
when the charges were being brought
against Mr. Nettles, heard that this
letter referred to had something else
in it in reference to the accused eG-
cept that which was quoted in Nj.
Nettles' article, they at once took up
the matter Of securing the full text
of the letter, which is as follows:
The Letter.
Spartanburg, S. c., Aug. 80, 1913.
Rev. A. J. Cauthen,
Spartanburg, S. c.
Dear Mr. Cauthen:-
have carefully read your letter
OF the 9th, and cannot promise you
that l will be able to attend the next
annual conference to testify in the
matter mentioned therein.
In the first place in all my dealings
with Nettles in business matters |
have never known him to be dishon-
est. or to fail to do what he has prom
ised US. All your paragraph which
was in quotations has been for some
years here a very common report
among all circles, except the last
word, dishonest. We do not recall
that this has been specifically charged
against him. In my relations with
him and in his relations here IN the
bank he has been overbearing, oo-
noxious, dictatorial, thus rendering
transactions with him especially un-
pleasant, and when it is known that
he is a minister of the Gospel, his
general conduct reflects only discredit
upon the church. I would not allow
our church paper to come in my home
so long as a man who would support
the dispensary system was its editor.
AS the editorial leader Of the thous-
ands of Methodists of South Caro-
lima, he is living source Of reproaca.
Of this much I would testify before
a committee here or send in the form
of a separate paper, or you are at
liberty to use this. AS l have only
heard the charges you enumerate, save
the dishonest" charge, and do not
know the facts first hand, my testi-
mony would be worth nothing. / can
only testify to the general opinion OF
the man that prevails here in church
circles, and it is as have stated.
AS a church we can not afford to
face the world any longer endorsing
man of this type as one of our
trusted leaders. He may not be evil
in life or in acts, at the same time
the opinion current of him is one that
would cancel any good that he might
endeavor to accomplish. AS min
lister his wings have been clipped.
These are my candid opinions Civ
en- for the good of our church.
Augustus NJ Chreitzberg.