Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-17

condition, Gambler himself came,
cringingly and cowardly, and
begged me to let him, as best he
could, make attends for his
wrong to me. He reminded me
that, as a result of the nights
horror, my business would inev-
itably suffer and that $4,000
would not be more than just
compensation. He then made no
denial or excuse for his conduct,
but freely admitted it m the
presence of on eof the ships
inspectors. In an evil hour,
dazed, hopeless and desper te,
on the morning of the OUT lge
took a check for $4,000.
"EXOnerating Letter Fake"
1.-TWO days afterwards, in a
hotel in Paris, the check was
exchanged for notes and a GER
tain sum of money, which en-
abled us to get home, At the
same time, I signed the letter
absolutely false generating
Gambler. There was no pre-
tence by Gambler or anyone else
that the letter was the truth;
he only wanted it in exchange
for the notes and money and
as means of concealing his
conduct on ship.
''It is easy to condemn me;
indeed, 1 ought to be condemned
for taking the check and after
wards making the exchange. But
most of all, L condemn myself,
and ought to be condemned by
others, for signing the letter.
But the circumstances under
which l signed it ought nc, to be
cverl >oked. was indu by a
man I thought my friend (but in
fact a friend of Candler's) 10
visit room IN the hotel, in
which found Gambler and two
other men. All the papers, in
Guiding the letter, were already
prepared, The three men, called
by Gambler gamblers" stood
threateningly around me. I des-
perately needed the money to
get out Of Paris and back home.
1 was alone and had the greatest
fear for the personal safety of
myself and wife If I failed to
sign. I felt that I must sign,
and I signed.
Clearly, in spite Of my des-
perate plight, I ought to have
spurned any settlement with
this young money upstart, and
ought to have taken vengeance.
That would have ended, as to
him, debauchery and betrayal of
friendship. But I did not do
that, but went through the form
Of settling with and generating
him, and for not doing it 1 am
open to the graVest censure and
blame.
"Plain, Ugly Truth"
This is the plain, ugly, naked
truth. If it hurts me, / will take
the hurt, and will bear it as
courageouSly as [ can. I was
born and raised in this county.
My father and mother, honest
folks, were raised here before
me. No wrong has ever been
charged against either of us
until 1 came, in an evil hour,
in contact with Gambler.
"But what about my girl wife?
She is now only twenty-one
years old. She has done no
wrong; she had committed no in
discretion. She had no part or
parcel in the check or note
transaction. She has never ad-
Vised or consented to it; she has
given Gambler no letter Of >,ex-
oneration. She has been assault
ed, Inundated and shamed by
this man. She has been ill ever
since this dastardly outrage; is
now in bed, and will likely re-
main so for days to come. No
matter what about me-is he,
protected by his boosted wealth,
to go unwhipped by Justice?
Times are out of joint, but have
we reached a stage where this
man can adorn society and hold
high financial positions?
His cry of blackmail is rather