The State Rights Democrat

FROM L. L. WILLIAMS,

VIRGINIA CITY, M. T.,

August 1, 1879.

Editor Democrat:

I have just received (from your paper) an editorial article headed "A case of crim. con." and as I am made the subject of gossip thereby I deem it my duty to reply to the same.

I was a candidate before the last Republican State Convention for Secretary of State, but did not come anywhere near beating Earhart.

I have been Clerk of Douglas county, several times, but was never an influential leader, nor any kind of a leader of the Republican party.

I have been about Umatilla, Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Dayton considerable of the time during the last year.

The article in question goes on to state, on the authority of one Mr. Daniels, that I have "eloped" with his wife and child. What an absurdity! Nothing in the world could be further from the truth than that. I have not "eloped" with any one, and never saw a man's wife I wished to "elope" with, nor one who wished to "elope" with me. I have no desire for another man's wife that he can't get along with himself.

Mrs. Daniels was born and raised in Douglas county, and afterwards removed to Linn, and I have been on good terms of friendship with her and her father's family ever since her earliest babyhood. During the past year she has been living with her husband, at her father's, near Waitsburg. I left there on the 29th of June last for the buffalo country, on the Yellowstone river, leaving Mrs. Daniels and her husband and parents all there together as usual, and have made my way thus far a distance of over 700 miles on horseback, and was never quite so much astonished as I was upon reading the article referred to.

I infer that Mr. Daniels and his wife have separated, but have no idea what his object can be in so strangely misrepresenting this matter to you as a public journalist. If Mrs. Daniels has run away with anybody it is somebody else besides me.

Mrs. Daniels is called "an erring woman," which will cause her and her large circle of friends to feel sad indeed, for as to her reputation I never heard a word against her before.

For her sake, as well as that of her friends, and for my sake, as well as that of my friends, I respectfully ask that this communication be published in the Democrat, and that the people where each of us are known, and particularly in Linn and Douglas counties, be not too hasty in forming or expressing opinions injurious to others, upon the mere statement of Mr. Daniels, whom it appears is laboring under a very great mistake, or is actuated by sinister motives.

L. L. WILLIAMS