The Alaska citizen., 1917-01-29
Phone 262 Phone
NEW STORY FOR BEACH.

III lIt 4fAFlA al ydtl A'it otAN4S' ." yagrancy charge. The fact that she was in jail was sufficient grounds for newspaper story, but the chief point of interest in that particular article was the fact that the woman claimed that. at one time during the early days of Rampant, she had lived as the wife of Rex Beach. the now world famous novelist
 This story was duly printed and was reprinted by other Alaskan pa pers and by papers on the Outside. The result was that it eventually reached Mr. Beach, and on last nights mail from the Outside The Citizen received the following letter of com ment from the novelist:
 New York,
 January. 5. 1917 The Editor.
 ''The Alaska Citizen
 Fairbanks, Alaska
 Dear Sir:
 T am in receipt of a copy of your newspaper. dated September 18th, 1916, containing a story, headed; REX BEACH's FORMER WIFE
 IN JAIL HERE
 Alaskan Wife of Famous Writer
 Is Serving Term for Vagrancy."
 There follows a unique and highly imaginative account of drunken sQuaw, who poses for Kodak-bearing tourists at four-bits d pose, on the strength of the statement that she lived as my wife in the early days of Rampant City.
 T am lost in admiration of The Alaska Citizens enterprise, its ac- curacy and it's nose for news; it represents journalism in its highest form. And l congratulate The Citizen upon it's staff of fiction writers. Un- doubtedly there is something in the Alaskan climate which stimulates the imagination
 Your story gains in interest and impressiveness, if that is possible, by reason of it's grave, almost mel ancholy assumption of truth, and in it's amazing positiyeness. When you assert "+ The former wife of Rex Beach is therefore practically certain that she will not want this winter 4" and there is but little doubt that the woman's story that she lived with Rex Beach is true * *" I note that you do not make use of the customary It is alleged, She states We are informed, and the like Doubtless you con, slider such qualifying phrases to be mere rhetorical refinements or lit erary airs without meaning or pur' pose and totally lacking in jour, nalistic vigor.
 My dear Alaska Citizen, allow me to assure you in all gravity and in earnestness equalling yours, that the matrimonial claims of your injured sQuaw are purely imaginary and that her past, so far as I am concerned is blameless. AS to your assertion that I taught her to drink" and that her association with me is re sponsible for all of her troubles = I must likewise deny the soft i'm peachment. Crimes of arious sorts you may attribute to me. and per haps with reason, but l have nc sQuaws upon my conscience.
 Nor do l drink. In view of your rugged virility. I make the latter confession with trepidation, if not with shame. for doubtless by so do ing I fall even lower in your esti nation. And yet in my endeavoI to be strictly truthful to you. al whatever cost to my own feelings, shall confess more. Now that am in mood to confess, I shal bare my darkest and most secret past to your accusing eye, even al the risk of reputation, honor, every thing! Yes-even at the risk oI being misquoted in your inaccurate but entertaining columns.
 Here then is the horrible truth I did know a squaw named Annie perhaps she was Lyon then. as now certainly somebody is. Please take no offense, dear Citizen. Her nams