按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
altogether disprove them。
CONRAD WIEGAND。
Gold Hill； January 15； 1870。
I then read what I had written and handed it to Mr。 Lynch； whereupon Mr。
Winters said：
〃That's not satisfactory； and it won't do；〃 and then addressing himself
to Mr。 Lynch； he further said： 〃How does it strike you？〃
〃Well； I confess I don't see that it retracts anything。〃
〃Nor do I；〃 said Winters； 〃in fact； I regard it as adding insult to
injury。 Mr。 Wiegand you've got to do better than that。 You are not the
man who can pull wool over my eyes。〃
〃That； sir； is the only retraction I can write。〃
〃No it isn't； sir； and if you so much as say so again you do it at your
peril； for I'll thrash you to within an inch of your life； and； by；
sir； I don't pledge myself to spare you even that inch either。 I want
you to understand I have asked you for a very different paper； and that
paper you've got to sign。〃
〃Mr。 Winters； I assure you that I do not wish to irritate you； but； at
the same time； it is utterly impossible for me to write any other paper
than that which I have written。 If you are resolved to compel me to sign
something； Philip Lynch's hand must write at your dictation； and if； when
written； I can sign it I will do so； but such a document as you say you
must have from me； I never can sign。 I mean what I say。〃
〃Well； sir； what's to be done must be done quickly； for I've been here
long enough already。 I'll put the thing in another shape （and then
pointing to the paper）； don't you know those charges to be false？〃
〃I do not。〃
〃Do you know them to be true？〃
〃Of my own personal knowledge I do not。〃
〃Why then did you print them？〃
〃Because rightly considered in their connection they are not charges； but
pertinent and useful suggestions in answer to the queries of a
correspondent who stated facts which are inexplicable。〃
〃Don't you know that I know they are false？〃
〃If you do； the proper course is simply to deny them and court an
investigation。〃
〃And do YOU claim the right to make ME come out and deny anything you may
choose to write and print？〃
To that question I think I made no reply； and he then further said：
〃Come； now； we've talked about the matter long enough。 I want your final
answerdid you write that article or not？〃
〃I cannot in honor tell you who wrote it。〃
〃Did you not see it before it was printed？〃
〃Most certainly； sir。〃
〃And did you deem it a fit thing to publish？〃
〃Most assuredly； sir； or I would never have consented to its appearance。
Of its authorship I can say nothing whatever； but for its publication I
assume full； sole and personal responsibility。〃
〃And do you then retract it or not？〃
〃Mr。 Winters； if my refusal to sign such a paper as you have demanded
must entail upon me all that your language in this room fairly implies；
then I ask a few minutes for prayer。〃
〃Prayer！…you； this is not your hour for prayeryour time to pray was
when you were writing thoselying charges。 Will you sign or not？〃
〃You already have my answer。〃
〃What！ do you still refuse？〃
〃I do； sir。〃
〃Take that； then；〃 and to my amazement and inexpressible relief he drew
only a rawhide instead of what I expecteda bludgeon or pistol。 With
it； as he spoke； he struck at my left ear downwards； as if to tear it
off； and afterwards on the side of the head。 As he moved away to get a
better chance for a more effective shot； for the first time I gained a
chance under peril to rise； and I did so pitying him from the very bottom
of my soul； to think that one so naturally capable of true dignity； power
and nobility could； by the temptations of this State； and by unfortunate
associations and aspirations； be so deeply debased as to find in such
brutality anything which he could call satisfactionbut the great hope
for us all is in progress and growth； and John B。 Winters； I trust； will
yet be able to comprehend my feelings。
He continued to beat me with all his great force； until absolutely weary；
exhausted and panting for breath。 I still adhered to my purpose of non…
aggressive defence； and made no other use of my arms than to defend my
head and face from further disfigurement。 The mere pain arising from the
blows he inflicted upon my person was of course transient； and my
clothing to some extent deadened its severity； as it now hides all
remaining traces。
When I supposed he was through； taking the butt end of his weapon and
shaking it in my face； he warned me； if I correctly understood him； of
more yet to come； and furthermore said； if ever I again dared introduce
his name to print； in either my own or any other public journal； he would
cut off my left ear （and I do not think he was jesting） and send me home
to my family a visibly mutilated man； to be a standing warning to all
low…lived puppies who seek to blackmail gentlemen and to injure their
good names。 And when he did so operate； he informed me that his
implement would not be a whip but a knife。
When he had said this； unaccompanied by Mr。 Lynch； as I remember it； he
left the room； for I sat down by Mr。 Lynch； exclaiming： 〃The man is mad
he is utterly madthis step is his ruinit is a mistakeit would be
ungenerous in me； despite of all the ill usage I have here received； to
expose him； at least until he has had an opportunity to reflect upon the
matter。 I shall be in no haste。〃
〃Winters is very mad just now；〃 replied Mr。 Lynch； 〃but when he is
himself he is one of the finest men I ever met。 In fact； he told me the
reason he did not meet you upstairs was to spare you the humiliation of a
beating in the sight of others。〃
I submit that that unguarded remark of Philip Lynch convicts him of
having been privy in advance to Mr。 Winters' intentions whatever they may
have been； or at least to his meaning to make an assault upon me； but I
leave to others to determine how much censure an editor deserves for
inveigling a weak； non…combatant man； also a publisher； to a pen of his
own to be horsewhipped； if no worse； for the simple printing of what is
verbally in the mouth of nine out of ten men； and women too； upon the
street。
While writing this account two theories have occurred to me as possibly
true respecting this most remarkable assault：
FirstThe aim may have been simply to extort from me such admissions as
in the hands of money and influence would have sent me to the
Penitentiary for libel。 This； however； seems unlikely； because any
statements elicited by fear or force could not be evidence in law or
could be so explained as to have no force。 The statements wanted so
badly must have been desired for some other purpose。
SecondThe other theory has so dark and wilfully murderous a look that I
shrink from writing it； yet as in all probability my death at the
earliest practicable moment has already been decreed； I feel I should do
all I can before my hour arrives； at least to show others how to break up
that aristocratic rule and combination which has robbed all Nevada of
true freedom； if not of manhood itself。 Although I do not prefer this
hypothesis as a 〃charge；〃 I feel that as an American citizen I st