Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1899 — Editor Healey’s Charges Refuted. [ARTICLE]

Editor Healey’s Charges Refuted.

Kull Text of His Attack on His Old Home Town. “Rensselaer and Crown Point foot ball teams played at Rensselaer last Saturday, the score being 6 to 0 in favor of Rensselaer. The game ended in a row, a very common occurrence, it, would seem for Rensselaer, and while they always complain that they are justified in the position they assume, it is peculiar that they cannot play a close game without having trouble. A few years ago in a base ball game with Remington, a free for all fight was inaugurated; two years ago at this place when Battle Ground and Rensselaer were playing foot ball, a fight was precipitated by Rensselaer rooters; one year ago the Attica foot ball team played at Rensselaer and owing to a wrangle were refused a financial settlement; and now Crown Point has had trouble and claims unfair treatment. Rensselaer papers endeavored to justify the position assumed by the home team on each occasion, claiming that fair grounds were always occupied by them, and that fair treatment was all that was asked. In one of these four cases, at least, we know Rensselaer to have been unpardonably at fault, and that was in the row stirred up here. Another thing we know, and that is that among Rensselaer’s sporting element are a number of smartalecks, whose actions are not approved by the majority of the crowd in which they go, and yel the crowd feels compelled in maintenance of its pride, to protect these bullies when they have started a riot. As a result of the Remington trouble, friendly gamee of any kind are now’ impossible between the towns, as result of the trouble here, Brookston people consider the entire population of Rensselaer composed of a rowdy and carousing lot of bluffers, as the result of the Attica trouble, the people of the latter place doubt the honesty of Rensselaer citizens, and refuse further negotiations for games, and now the Crown Point row will doubtless end what has previously been friendly contests on the gridiron. Rensselaer has had troubles in sport also with Monticello, Delphi, and Sheldon, Illinois, and it begins to look like it was impossible to game with Rensselaer without trouble, in which Rensselaer optimistic-like, claims “justification.” We republish the above from the Brookston Gazette, not so much to let the people in Rensselaer know just how Bro. Healey is recompensing them for their unfailing kindness and friendship for him; but in order that its specific statements may be more clearly answered, the Crown Point papers having been left with no other ammunition to use against Rensselaer than this article, above reprinted. Our answer will be brief but we will try to make it to the point. The statement in regard to Remington is wholly untrue, except that there was a trifling trouble there years ago, at a game of baseball. There have been numerous friendly games between the two towns since that occurence, and the best of feeling has always prevailed; and in 1898, the last year we had a baseball club, our club was specially selected as one of the two to play at Remington fair for a purse of $100; and our boys won the Field Day pennant at Remington, last spring. There was never any trouble with Monticello, at all. There never was any trouble with Delphi, at all. There never was any trouble with Sheldon, at all; and only this year they came over and tried us a game of foot ball; and they say they want another when they get a team that is in our class. There was a little trouble with Attica, and at which Attica was at fault, and knows that it was, and has asked for more games between the towns.

That Bro. Healey does not believe his own statement as to what Brookston thinks of Rensselaer, on account of the little trouble there two years ago, is shown by the fact that he got his foot ball team together last year and came here for a game. And no team was ever treated better nor beaten easier than Brookston’s was on that occasion. V ' In addition to the above Rensselaer has also had games with Goodland, Raub, Lowell, Valparaiso, Sheridan, and is on the best of relations with all of them. We have also had games with four or five Chicago organizations, and every last one of them wants to have more games here. There is not a town in the state, with Rensselaer’s sporting prominence, that has a better record for fair and sportsmanlike conduct. In fact we never had any serious trouble in that line at all except with the Crown Point Disreputables, and no team which is not willing to be robbed and maltreated without protest can play with those fellows without trouble.