It Was Ann Arbor Graduate Took Ann Arbor's Coal

IT WAS ANN ARBOR GRADUATE TOOK ANN ARBOR'S COAL

The Ohio mayor who stole Ann Arbor's coal last week turns out to be an Ann Arbor graduate, a dental student, H. F. Billmeyer by name, who graduated here in 1881. He evidently appreciates Ann Arbor need of coal from personal experience that year, and apparently did not know it was Ann Arbor's coal. He stands by his guns, however. His letter to Mr. Hall, received Saturday, is as follows:

Bellevue, Ohio, Jan. 16, 1903.

Eugene B. Hall, Esq., Ann Arbor, Mich.

My Dear Sir - Your favor of yesterday just received. Replying will say I very much regret that the coal appropriated here belonged to you, and owe you an apology. For any man who spent the winter of '81 - '82 in Ann Arbor knows that coal is a necessity there at times. Our condition was simply this: Three out of five families in this city without fuel, and no coal in dealers' possession - not a single pound. You ask "By what right we appropriated your coal?" My answer is, by the God given right of "self preservation being the first law of nature." Please send your bill to me which, if found correct, will be paid at once.

Sincerely yours,

H. F. BILLMEYER, D. D. S.

(Ann Arbor '81.)