Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-02-18
NUMBER 5.


memory OF an early friend and schooimate
and one with whom have associated on
terms of intimacy for many years. In al
luding to his sickness, treatment, aud
death. great care was taken by me not to
say anything that could in any manner
injure the feelings of his wife or family.
or to reflect blame upon any one for the
manner Of his treatment, except upon his
spiritualist doctors, whom |, as well as
the community generally. believe to be
imposters and cheats. told the story as
believed it, and as il is generally belicv.
ed in this community as believe it
now.
Many of the most intelligent citizens Of
this town, and whose opportunities of
Judging Of the truth or falsity OF the state
ments made, have spoken very approv-
ingly Of tito me. as being II very candid
and impartial, though brief exposition Of
the matter. think it will take many such
letters as the one you published last week
to convince the readers oil the Demo
crat that have Intentionally stated that
which is not true. am happy TO learn
from Mrs. Cushman's own lips that the
article pleased her and met her approba-
ton. endeavored TO write so rs not 10
provoke rejoinder-for know the dis
cussion of this matter through the papers
would be very unpleasant to the relatives
and friends Of the deceased.
But found soon after tho appearance
of your issue Of that week, that there
was great commotion in the spritualst
hive, and from seeing several of them in
council. | expected II reply would be
forth coming. Certainly after so severe
and protracted labor, expected they
would bring forth more respectable
bantling than the article in your last issue
signed rs. c. Davis" This article, tho
signed by one Of them, is generally un-
derstood to be the result OF the combined
wisdom Of all that sect in town.
The author (for shall be obliged to
treat him in the singular numbcr) contents
himself. in the main. in using the black
guards argument of giving the lie direct
or using words. equivalent thereto. But
firstly, ho takes me to DO, and calls me
ungentemanly which makes me feel very
badly. coming rs it does from such un-
questionable authority, for writing an ar
tice without my signature. | have been
in the habit Of writing local articles for
the Democrat for more than twenty years
somelimesusins one nom de plume, some
times another and often none ut all and
never using my own, and have never
heard the practice called ungentlemanly
before. Now, Mr. Editor, what set of
ungen;lemanly Doors YOU have for cor
respondents, for in the same paper which
contained my humble contribution, you
had reports from nine individuals, none
of whom wrote over their real name. In
the paper which contained Stephens
piece there are several articles which
appear To the reader rs anonymous.
But he SAYS, II think writing scandal
ous articles through the public press with
no signature, is ungenllemanIy." Stephen
don't mean to BE called unsentlcmanIy,
but one is to infer HAT he signs his real
name because his article is scandalous.
IL is at ut least fair deduction.
He then proceeds to give his own opin-
ion AS to what Mr.. Cushman's disease was
not. DIR. d. W. Davis, of Locks Mills,
who has had large practice for more
than twenty years and who was first call
ed to see him, says his brain was disease
ed DR.. Webber. of Paris, who attended
upon him several days pronounced sls
disease that of the brain. DR.. Tewksbury
of Portland. most emphatically corrobo-
rated the statements of the two.-liere
we have the concurrent testimony OF three
physicians, one ofthem at least, one of the
first practitioners in the State, on one SIDE,
and 10 of. set il, the testimony OF thls
modern Escuapius on the other. The
public must judge between them. Every
educated physician knows that hundreds
of persons die OF brain disease, where
post mortem examinations and pathology
cal investigation have proved II 10 Dc
such where the senses have not been I'M
| paired'i in the least.
Your correspondent says "de retained
his senses To the last" Now | will not say
this is false" for the expression savor'
very much Of oarscneos-though nave
the example of him who claims to instruct
in what is "gentlcmanly, but l Will
simply beg leave to dissent from that
on;niop.-I do not think he ever had the
free possesson Of his faculties, from the
day he fell down in the streets OF our VIII
lage, to the day OF his death. He never
had them when | saw him, and can bring
n score of witnesses, if necessary, whose
testimony will corroboratethis statement.
II would be sufficient evidence TO me OF
his denentia, if there were no other, that
he allowed himself and family to be SO
cheated and cajoled by their spiritualist
imposters during the last months OF his
life. George Cushman, as | have known
him in the vigor and strength of his man
hood, would never have allowed it,
have the authority of Mrs. Cushman' Tor
saying that during the earlier part OF the
Summer. when he began to fail, she sug-