Probate Court was then in session, and that he could not be absent for the period of time necessarily required in a task of this sort without material injury to business transactions and the duties of his office. To this unqualified refusal Shoemake sat for a moment in a silent pause. If the Sheriff himself could not accompany him, he had no desire to have any of the deputies with him. Appearing very much disappointed in this object to decoy off the Sheriff, and feeling satisfied that all further attempts in this direction would prove abortive, he all at once exhibited a different phase of countenance, and in a jocular manner slapped the Sheriff on the knee, remarking at the same time, “How or where did you get my name associated with the Copeland Clan?” The Sheriff answered, “Why, my dear sir, do you acknowledge the name as recorded in Copeland’s confessions as belonging to you?” Shoemake made no direct reply, but observed that the people about where he lived were endeavoring to saddle the reflections on him, and that the same was having a very deleterious effect against him. This being so, he requested of the Sheriff, as an act of favor or kindness, to have his name erased, or disposed of in some other way, such as would remove the odium attached, and that he believed the Sheriff to have the power to do all this with propriety. The Sheriff was a little startled as well as excited at such an absurd proposition, and quickly replied to the following effect: “Your requested favor cannot be performed. The matter has altogether passed out of my hands, and it is utterly beyond my control to make any changes. I have only given publicity to the confessions of Copeland, and if he has wrongfully implicated any one the remedy is by an action of law, or better still, by a counter statement supported by the testimony of those whose veracity cannot be doubted.” Shoemake, discomfitted in his own case on this point, then referred to a correspondence betwixt himself, George A. Cleaveland and others, all of whom were implicated in the pamphlet complained of, and said, from all the information he could gather, unless something was done to relieve the complainants the Sheriff would be sure to have more or less trouble from that quarter. The reply made was pretty much to the same effect as in his own individual case—no hope of success as far as the Sheriff was concerned. The next question brought forward was an inquiry about a communication from some one at DeKalb, Miss., concerning himself. He was answered in the affirmative to the effect that such a communication had been received. “Very well,” said he, “will you be so kind as to let me see it?”