Charles C. Comstock’s son, Tileston, was married to Aaron B. Turner’s daughter, Ellen Turner.

November 4th 1884

3 O-C P.M. [3:00 pm]

To A.B. Turner

Your conduct during this campaign has created a chasm between your family and mine, that will never be bridged over. You have outraged every sense of honor and attempted to destroy my good name, which by a life time of toil has been so honestly earned, a better legacy for my children than anything else I have to give them.

When defamatory falsehoods were published in the Eagle and pointed out to you, you refused to correct them and heaped other insults upon slanders and lies such as ought to drive any living creature out of humanity’s reach. It matters little to me which way the election turns, but your lies will burn in my brain till my pulse ceases to beat although you may have been dead and in your grave a score of years.

My family are more indignant, if possible, than myself. If my blood is mixed in posterity with yours, they will feel the effects of your conduct, if I should be fortunate enough to leave anything as a birthright to my children.

C.C. Comstock

From the Comstock Biography & Portrait file, Grand Rapids Public Library