Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-12-13
PAINE INDICATED,
EngersotI's Reply to tf.e COB
servers" last Article.

-\UN Z. ICII.
To Editor Of the ". Y. Observer:
Ion ought to have honesty enough to
admit that YOU did. in your paper of July
18th. offer to prove that TIE absurd story
that Thomas Paine died in terror and
agony on account of the religious opinions
hs had expressed. was true. iou ought
to have fairness enough to admit that you
called upon me TO deposit one thousand
dollars with an honest nan. that you
might. by proving that Thomas Paine did
die in terror. obtain tie money.
You ought to have honor enough to ad-
nit that you challenged me and that you
commenced the controversy concerning
Thomas Paine.
You ought to have goodness enough to
admit that you were mistaken in the charg-
es you made.
You ought to have manhood enough to
do what you falsely asserted that Thomas
Paine did:-you ought to recant. You
ought to admit publicly that you slandered
the dead; that you tals;tied history; that
you detained the defenseless; that you de-
liberately denied what you had published
in your own paper. There is an old saying
to the effect that open confession is good
for the soul. TO you is presented splell-
did opportunity of testing the truth OF this
saying.
Nothing has asthonished me more than
your lack OF common honesty exhibited
in this controversy In your last. you
quote fi'1;n DIR. J. " Francis. WHY did
yo'j I've out tjl.,t portion in which DE-,
Francis says Mat Chc.tAam ,ciM ssf-t.3
nialignity ,crots the liz # Paine? "hy
did you leave out thai part in which Dr.
Francis says that Chseliam in the same
way slanGered Alexander Hamilton and
Dewitt Clinton? Is it your business to
suppress the truth: Why did you moi
publish the entire letter OF Bishop Fen
wick? Was it because it proved beyond
all cavil that Thomas Paine did not recant:
Was it because in tile lipht Of that letter
Mary Roscoe. Mary Hinsdale and Grant
Thorburn appeared unworthy of belief
DR.. j. w. Francis says in the same article
from which you quoted: paine clung to
his Infidelity until the last moment of his
life" Why did you not publish that? II
was the first line Immediately above what
YOU did quote. You must have seen it,
Why did you suppress it? A lawyer, do
ing thing of this character. is denoninated
shyster. l do not know the appropriate
word to designate theologian guilty OF
such an act.
You brought forward three witnesses,
pretending to have personal knowledge
about the life and death of Thomas Paine
Grant Thorburn. Mary Roscoe and Mary
Hinsdale. In my reply took the ground
that Mary Roscoe and Mary Hinsdale must
have been the same person. l thought il
impossible that Paine should have had d
conversation with Mary Roscoe. and then
one precisely like it with Mary Hinsdale
Acting upon this conviction, proceeded
to show that the conversation never could
have happened, that it was absurdly false
to say that Paine asked the opinion of Il
girl as to his works who had read but little
of them. then showed by the testimony
of William Cobbett, that he visited Mary
Hinsdale in 1919, taking with him state
ment concerning the lecant;ition OF Paine
given him by Mr.. Collins, and that upon
being shown this statement she said that
lit was so long ago that she could not
speak positive to any part OF the matter
that she would not say any part OF the p;i'
per was true AT that time size knew no
thing and remembered nothing. l also
showed that she was kind of standing
witness 10 prove that Others recanted. Viii
let Hicks denounced her as unworthy e1
belief.
To-day the following from the New
York World was receiveal, showing that l
was right in my conjecture:
TOM PAINE'S DEATH-BED.
To Editor Of the World: Nm
SIR: see by your paper that Bob lnger-