The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-11-01

ever engaged IN. IN your card you
say:
at is said that in = speech you
made IN this city on the 9Th day Of
October, 1916. you eulogized the
Kaiser, justified. the sinking Of the
Lusitania, denied the principle Of the
freedom OF the seas by defending
Germany's ruthless submarine policy,
and predicted that at the end Of the
war Germany would be victorious
and that this nation would be greatly
benefited by the transpianting and
impression here Of German ideals"
Relative to the above, Il viii not
content myself with simple denial
Fortunately there were q great num-
Der OF people who heard that address.
Some Of them as substantial and as
worthy citizens as this community
boasts, and the statements OF these
men VIII brand you as cfrculator Of
a malicious falsehood. Here Is an
affidavit, and to this affidavit invite
the consideration Of every patriotic
citizen OF the city Of Wheeling:
State OF West Virginia:
County OF Ohio: IS.
This day personally appeared be-
fore me, the undersigned authority,
Fidelius Riester. Frank a. Thurm,
VIM. G. Ulfert, A. C. Schneider.
All being Of lawful age and by me
first duly sworn, depose and say as
ticIe entitled Congressman Nicely
Calls Schuct to- Account, Etc" pub,
Hshed In the Wheeling Register OF
October 80. 1918, and signed by NJ.
NJ. Nicely. and especially that part re-
lattng to q certain speech made by
Charles J. Schuck on October s, 1916;
that if the statements in said article
refer to speech made on that day
by Mr.. Schuck at the Arion Hail. in
the City OF Wheeling, then the under
signed depose and say that the state
ments set forth In said article with
reference to the alleged speech OF Mr..
Schuck are untrue and false; that
there was no statement OF any kind
in Mr. Schuckss speech juSt6ying the
sinking OF the Lusitania or eulogizing
the Kaiser. That the whole tenor OF
his remarks was plea for fair play
for the American citizen OF German
birth or ancestry In this country and
that the said citizen should be class,
ed as a hyphenate merely on account
Of his birth or ancestry. That the
ideals referred to, were those pos
sessed by so-caued German-Ameri.
cans here and consisted OF thrift,
economy and honesty, which tend to
make them good, loyal substantial
ana patriotic citizens OF their adopted
land and country.
And further deponents saith not.
{Signed FRANK H. THRUM.
(Signed) Rev. VIM G. ULFERT,
(SiSned) FIDELIS RIESTER,
(Signed) A. c. SCHNEIDER
Taken, sworn to and subscribed be-
fore nee In my said County, this 31st
day OF October. 1915
(Signed) W. L. BRADSHAW,
Notary Public at. in and for Ohio
County, West Virginia.
My commission expires May I, 1927.
Concerning the signers OF the above
affidavit, l need only say that they
need no Introduction to the citizens
Of Wheeling. They are men OF Ger
man descent. it Is true. they would,
doubtless, not have been at the meet
ing IL they had not been. At that
time It was certainly no crime for
our worthy German citizenship to
hold their public meetings as they
had been accustomed to do for ha.i
a century. The veracity Of these men
is above question. They heard what
I said on that occasion, and they
pronounce your statement In the
Wheeling Register 10 be an absolute
falsehood. There is, fortunately. a
law In West Virginia, that protects
men from such ISLANDERS. am not
going to engage In campaign Of
vilddcation. You and your men back
Of you win have the opportunity in
court to disproye the AFFIDAVIT OF
these citizens. Ny attorneys VIII
today bring suit against you and the
wheeling Register for $25,000.oo IN
each case. and regardless OF this cleo
ton on next Tuesday. we viii deter
mine for all whether or not this
vicious and absolutely groundless
libel can with IMMUNITY. be circu-
lated as You have circulated It.
Now. Mr.. Nicely. as far as the CUES
ton OF patriotic service is concerned
let me invite your atteation ond the
attention Of the voters OF the First
Congressional District to the report
on your case made by. the National
Security League That league Is