Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-07-15

The following article written by Capt Gorham
of the Ship Charles, we copy from the Portland
Advertiser. The article seems to throw a differ
ent aspect upon some matters, than has been re-
presented. The request for a suspension of pub
lie opinion until the proper Investigations are
made, is no more than reasonable. 1t is always
right to hear both sides, before forming an opin-
ion.
To the E1ditors of he Portland .fdDertiser
Whereas the editors of sundry
papers in New York, Boston, and other places,
have seen proper 10 publish certain gross and in
famous libels ofmy character, wantonly assailing
my conduct not only as it regards my acts as
commanding officer of TIE ship Charles, but in
other particulars of my lfe,-accusing me of
gross frauds and high crimes and misdemeanors,
even to the extent OF numbering my children, and
attempting to murder my wife, have hereby to
request the public to suspend their judgment, or
conclude, in common charity, that | am not the
guilty wretch these publications would make me,
till legal investigation shall have established
the truth or falsehood of the charges Thus much
think may claim on the score of common hui
mainly in the mean time ! have to entreat you
TO give publicity to the following statement of
| facts in relation to the various transactions to
! which the publications allude, and which trust
amply to sustain in Court of Justice.
1t is true that went to 0swego, and engaged
in trade as dry goods merchant. My brother
inlaw followed me, and opened store in Chi
ma ware, Glass and iurniture-but there was no
business connection whatever between Each
did business, exclusively on his own account
! it is true that my store aud goods were burned
but nevertheless not, to my knowledge, did sus-
picion attach to me. The insurance did not cover
! over two thirds of the stock, and the insurance
was paid and settled without hesitation, or litiga-
! - f1n rntaa
| of the stove pipe, without resorting to any sns-
picion of crime, and as after all | great To-
| ser by the fire. remained at Oswego till May,
| doing large business, and believe 1 enjoyed the
confidence of the community; and left Oswego,
only because Judged that had an advantageous
offer of doing business in Cleaveland, Ohio; and
where had purchased into establishment of
some magnitude and was only prevented from
establishing myself there, by similar nnfortn-
nate occurrence, before my arrival at Cleaveland,
and no insurance, which blasted my prospects
and hopes This could not be attributed to me,
as was far off at the time it happened.
established myself at Bufulo, as stated, and
bore good character, till, by the Vaccinations
of designing men, was accused of the awful
crime of attempting to murder the wife ofmy bo-
som. | am accused in these publications of actu-
ally numbering my own children! Thank God
my children are living to reiuie so much OF the
vile calumpy My wife was indeed taken sud
denly and dangerously i'll, but she also, by God $
blessing, recovered | was, inoeed, arrested on
the horrible charge Of poisoning my VIE, and, on
a full examination, discharged. Not satisfied,
my enemies cansed me again to be arrested, and
! | demanded TO he bound over, that Grand Jury
might have an opportunity TO investigate The
facts Such Jury did investigate the case, my
wife appearing before them, under the direction
of able counsel and refused to find bill otindlct-
! rnent and | was again discharged.
Il q, has mr.
| had all the circumstances and causes of suspicion
all miseratie pretcnce 10 gQt The nldlceof te'o
twice fully investigated, and both times honora-
bly, discharged, may well appeal to the pubic TO
say if it be not a refinement in cruelty, now to
| make such sweeping acc nsatrnns OF piracy and
murder against one, who has been visited by mis-
fortune, and whose hopes have been blasted by
an Omnipotent hand? Is it thus, frail, errlng
man Judges his brother
Thus much for the accusation Of n,rrjeripg
my children, and attempting to murder my wife,
and this made by the New York Evening Post.
| then returned with my family to Portland,
my native city, and leaving them there with my
friends, went to New York in April, aud obtained
the command of the brig Susan Elizabeth, of
which purchased one half Qn myreturn voy-
age from the River La Plate the hrig,was wreck
ed by the Providence of God, IN Wellss Ray -
The entire cargo was saved and shipped to Bos
ton, and delivered to the respective Consignecs,
with the exception OF ~ OF Oh
which were sold by Mr. Kendall (Agent of the
underwriters on the Beach, the money was CIV
en- me to defray the expense of saving the cargo,
and for that purpose il was applied as far as it
would go The vessel was sold by Mr.. Thomp-
son, gent for the underwriters of New York, on
the Beach, and was in Boston at the time. So
| far from injurng the Insurance Companies OF
| New York, the Triton Office, believe, insure
the brig, and refused TO pay the insurance on the
| plea that she was rotten, and a suit COM
| menced by the owner of the other half, but some
time afterward the Office failed and as far as |
have been able to hear has never paid dollar, at
! least have never received dollar for my half
of thebrig.
The following letters will show how my con-
duct in regard to the cargo Of the Susan Eliza
eth was estimated by the underwriters on her
cargo:
BosroY, 9Th April, 1889.
| Capt. WILLIAM GoRHAM, Jr..
| Dear Sir-Sincerely sympathisng with you
| in your recent misfortune, and being aware that
captain whose vessel is wrecked at this season
ofthe year OF coast inthe neighborhood where his
family resides, is subject to linpntatons and re-
marks unfriendly to his standing as a judicious
| and skilful shpmaster, we having had, as agents
| of the underwriters, the means and opportunity
of observing your conduct in saving the property
from destruction, in the most prompt and efficient
manner and with the utmost economy, beg leave
to bear our testimony in your BEHALF and so far as
our opinions can 90 to remove any Impressions
that may exist unfayorable to you, from what we
could learn on our arrival Mt Wells and from our
own knowledge, we are satisfied that no man
could have acted more with single eye to the
! ;rtaro.+ oco oonoernod and M one could have