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Show , mi. PAESONSV .REPLT.y '7"" : " j -DENOUNCES THE TRIBUNE CHARGES' A MASS OF SLANDER. t V" Absolutively Without Foundation. in Fact or Iieeeiit in Fiction The Saine Old Persecution by His JJncmies Awaiting Action of Law. j The arraignment of Marshal Parsons and : the severe indictments hurled at hiia through the columns of the Ti-llmiv. this morning has been a fertile source of com. ' incut in places of all caste and character throughout the day. The reading public by long years of experience and observation have been taught that no attack upon a man's oflicial record is the occasion for surprise; at the same Mine it has been taught with equal force that honorable men in debate or in battle draw the line j at the enemy's threshold. The ! wife's heart, the smiling, uptUiiied face of childhood, have never been desecrated, never despoiled by the hand of civilized warrior. That cruel task has been lelt to the heartless hand of the barbarian. ! A nd so, when the public read the attack, speculation as to what the. issue would be-bceame be-bceame wild and rife. Some said it would be of a tragic cast. Others said that a mau of the United States marshal's age did not yield to such impulses. Others urged that it was due in the common com-mon and well recognized rules of vindica liod to resort to violence. An intimate friend of the marshal it was Who spiritedly remarked: "Were it me somebody would give bonds for their appearance on a charge of criminal libel before the clock struck 12 or I would ive bonds for my appearance on a more serious charge. It's damnable, damnable." All the while the United Sta'cs mar-fchal mar-fchal eat reflectively in his ort'ee. Men, ftroug men, came and transacting their business went. The marsh il was not crestfallen, he felt outraged. A reporter visited him. 'What have I to say in reply," said the marshal, repeating the interrogatory. "That as a mass the charges are without foundation; founda-tion; that they are absolutely as groundless sis any slander ever uttered by man or in-fctrument. in-fctrument. I don't feel like dignifying them with a reply. It is the old fight, more embittered by failure and subsequent desperation, des-peration, that the Trilmiit and some people who should have been my friends have waged. "Replying to the most serious charge that Annie Prindle is said to have made 1 don't see that these enemies could have indicted me upon anything more heinous than n-n indiscretion but I am not so morally depraved as to be called on to account ac-count for having spoken to a woman. If 1 was indiscreet in having spoken to Annie Prindle it was in an. 8' t of huniauity rot in any pursuit such as the Trihni-.r ascribes to me. '1 he day that Annie Prindle was sentenced Judge Powers called upon nie. He stated in belialf of his client- that she was mure sinned against than sinning,' and Unit it would tie an act of humanity if I could assign her to some place that iTouId relieve her of the btu-dens and mo-lotony mo-lotony of prison life. That it would be a personal favor to him. This was w by I sent lev to Mr. (iiespy's house. SubM.Tjiientl'y she sent forme to call upon ;icr ill the eil where she Vfls sick. went. The worm:n looked bad and i asked what was wanted. he replied Ih.-i. she wanted to speak to nie quietly. Dr. -nt!'i, the surgeon at the penitentiary, v, us present and when she expressed a desire 'o .-perk to nie he stepped to the door but ! was present, overlooking the entire con- j w rs-tion. She requested that her running mate be permitted to visit her. 1 said if she could find any satisfaction in it I would do m. She then asked that Saui Mitsterson, the mini whose life she tried to take and for which she was now paying the wages, couid visit her. I answered that lie could if he. desired. That was -the extent of the indiscretion, if it be an indiscretion. in-discretion. At Mr. Geisey's Lovse 1 saw her only once, when we wese not in the presence Of witnesses. On that occasion 1 had driven to the house for my wife, and passed through the kitchen in which sin; was standing. "That," continued Marshal Parsons," is ths extent of my otl'et)se which the Tf'.hvue bnrges." 'vVill vou proceed with an action for libel?" li-bel?" "I shall take no step unfit th? grand iury has of its own volition passed upo.i the matter. mat-ter. Were I to proceed on a criminal crim-inal action the enemy would cu't a. id -ay that 1 had done ii to prejudice, pre-judice, the jury. There are authorities to lake LOgni.ance of and prefer charge in offenses of this nature, i shad no1 block I them or anticipate them." j "Will you institute civil proceedings for damages?" s "I am disposed to consult my attoruevs in those matters." |