Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-03

The BOWEN SLANDER.-One Sayles J. Bowen
| of Washington has appeared in a letter, charg-
| ing the president with cheating him in the pur-
| chase of a house in Washington. The following
| letter from William A. Cook of Washington not
| only explodes the charges, but shows that
Bowen himself vindicated the president when
| the charge was first made by another:
TO THE PUBLIC.
S. J. Bowen, in a letter published in the
World Of Saturday last states that in a bust
| ness transaction General Grant cheated him
| out of $4,000 with the GOODNESS and deliberation
| that would do credit to any backlog. Familiar
with the TRANSACTION" referred to by Mr.. Bowen,
truth and justice require me TO meet his vitu-
perative statement by brief narration Of facts
| /. General Grant" was the owner of a house
| in this city, on | street, which Mr. Bowen agreed
with Messrs. Kibouru & Latta, real estate
| agents, TO purchase, and paid to them $1,000 on
account of the purchase money.
| 2. Shortly afterward the property was desired
| by friends of General Sherman, for the purpose
| of presenting 1t to- him. The president accord
| ingly addressed brief note to Mr. Bowen, who,
after some delay, consented to "give up" his
claim to it. This he did deliberately without
any consideration Except q return of the $1,000
advanced by Mr.. Bowen), and without any
artifce or fraud on the part Of the president,
and the property was then purchased for Gen
eral Sherman.
8. When Mr.. Bowen consented to the sugges-
ton of the president, prepared a release of the
property from Mr.. Bowen to General Sherman,
so as to make the title perfect, and took it to the
president and then to General Sherman. Mr..
| Bowen accompanied me, and when we left the
war department we rode together on the street
cars to the office of the recorder of deeds, where
| Mr.. Bowen paid for recording the release
1 4. The World sometime afterward contained
an article severely rejecting on the president in
| connection with the transaction" alluded to
| in Mr.. Bowen's letter. He promptly drew up a
reply vindcating the president from the CEN
| sure of the World, with the intention of pub
| listing it. The publication was incidentally
| delayed until it was deemed unnecessary to
| publish it. It was in my possession till a few
months ago, when he requested me to send it to
| him, and in company with Mr.. William
| L. Mott left it at his residence. A copy of it
| may hereafter be found among my papers.
5. might add other facts tending to show
that Mr.. Bowen's accusation against the presi-
dent is entirely untrue, but the pressure of
various engagements on my time will not now
permit me to do so. A letter from Mr. Mott
accompanies this statement
WIN. A. Cook.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 20, 1872.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 90, 1872.
Col I'm. A. Cook;
Dear Sir-l remember very distinctly the vim
dication of President Grant by Mr. Bowen from
the old charge of the World respecting the pur-
chase by Mr.. Bowen Of General Grants resi-
dence on | street, and his subsequent relin-
quishment of the same when the friends of GEN
eral Sherman wished to purchase it for that
gentleman. It was in your office, in pencil, in
Mr.. Bowen's handwriting. 1t was written, as
understand both from you and him, for publ
cation, aud was with you some months ago
when, at Mr.. Bowen's request, you left it at his
residence on K street.
Very respectfully, WIN. E. NoTT.