The Portland daily press., 1872-07-31
Another Of Kllpatrick's SANDERS Refuted.
(From the Portland Advertiser.)

We reported yesterday general Kilpatrick's
account of the sale of President Grants house
in Washington to General Sherman. General
Fitzpatrick has reported wherever he has spoken
in this State that the President elect sold his
house to Mayer Bowen for $40, 600, but on
learning that General Sherman's friends were
intending to present suitable residence to that
officer, disowned the transaction with Bowen,
compelling him to give up the contract already
executed, and then resod TIM property to Sher-
mans friends for $4,000, thus clearing 1926, 900
by the operation and cheating Mrs. Sherman,
to whom the balance of the subscription of
100000 was turned over, out of precisely that
sum. A letter from exMayor Bowen to one
q. L. Watkins, of Scipio, New York, follows
General Fitzpatrick in his travels, appearing in
the Democratic papers just after his departure
from the points illuminated by his oratory. 1t
was printed in the ATyus this morning. and
states-not that the President defrauded Mrs
Sherman of 5000, but that he cheated Bowen
out of that pretty sum; not that Bowen was
compelled to give up the contract, but that he
stills holds that instrument, and after waiting
four years has convinced himself that he ought to
be angry, and has made arrangements to COM
mence suit against Grant at the next term of
the Washington courts" The arrangements
winch 1t has taken four years to perfect must
be painfully elaborate.
The stories of Fitzpatrick and Bowen do not
quite tally but nobody expects Kilpatrick's
stories to tally perfectly with anybodys else,
and Bowen is original authority upon this mat
ter. Bowen's version of the transaction if
any, deserves serious attention, and upon this
version we are fortunately in position to make
a few comments, .-.
MIR. j. f. Olmstead junior partner Of the
firm of Kilbourn & Latta real estate brokers in
Washington, was this morning at the Fal-
mouth hotel, and after short visit to Mt De-
sert intends to return there. Mr. Olms1ead
says he was conversant with all the details of
this transaction. After his election to the Pres
laency IN November, 1868, General Grant in
structed Messrs. Kilbourn & Latta to sell the
house which he had occupied as General of the
Army-the house alone for $40 600; the house
and most OF the furniture, excluding the Ipiano
and few other articles, for $50, 900; or the
honse and all the furniture for $65, 900. Messrs
kllbourn u Latta concluded trade with Mr.
Bowen, then Mayor of Washington, for the
house alone for $4,000, and executed contract
acknowledging the receipt of $1,000 FIN advance
payment, which was accepted by Bowen and
approved by Grant Afterwards, General But
terfield, who represented General Shermon's
friends, called to enquire about the house, re-
marking that he understood from General
Grant that it had not been sold. On being in
formed of the state of the case, he expressed
his regret, saying that General Sherman's
friends were very anxious to establish the
headquarters of Grants successor as General of
the Army in the house which Grant had occu-
pied in that capacity. Mayor Bowen was there
upon consulted by Mr.. Latta, and at once vol
unteered to give up his bargain, but at the same
time took pains to have the contract recorded
so as to perfect his title. The house and all
the furniture was then conveyed to General
sherman for $65OOO the same price originally |
asked OF Mr. Bowen The Mayor delayed the
execution of formal release for some time, but !
Delng hnaily asked to say squarely whether he |
essary papers.
80 far, we simply give Mr. Olmstead's state
ment substantially in his own language: and it
may be well TO add that he is Democrat, and