Some one suggested to
me Nick Chiles, a negro, who had a printing outfit. I knew but little of
this man. I sent for him to come and see me at my cell. All the money
I had in the world was from the sale of ten cows which was $240. This
negro, Chiles talked very fair and promised to print my paper in a
creditable way. I gave him the $240. I wrote the editorials while in
the jail, and also gave him bundles of letters which I had received and
a great many poems that had been written on Carry Nation and smashing.
This negro finally cheated me out of my money and papers also.
I closed with him after three weeks, he put the papers out, collected for
them and never paid me a cent. I believe he paid Mr. Nation some and
when I would have made him account for his wrong dealings, I found
that the contract between he and I, which was drawn up by Mr. Nation,
made this negro my partner. This, of course, was done to prevent me
from having any legal redress. My paper was called THE SMASHER'S
MAIL. I called it this for it was largely composed of letters which I
had received on the subject of smashing. I had no one to read the proofs
and was at the mercy of this negro, who was not in sympathy with my
cause, but to the reverse. I was often humiliated at the way my articles
were tortured. I afterwards got The Kansas Farmer to publish the paper
and I then bought a press of my own, but found that I could not conduct
a paper and lecture, so after the 13th edition, I closed.
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