St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-09

was: "They will bind you up any way"
"Why?" said 1. because they will
anyway, whether you testify or not"
1 asked his reason for saying so, and he
replied: because they are bound to
do that" l said, IMr. Shaw, am here
to tell all know about my affairs, and
to have everything shown up on both
sides in all my business, whether it is
for OF against me, and shall go straight
along and do it.n He then told me he
was summoned to bring letter l wrote
him about the Green matter, and they
were going to trip me up on it, and if |
was determined to testify, he would get
the letter so | could testify as the letter
read. told him did not want the
letter, and would not read it, for was
going to testify from recollection and
not from any letter. He continued to
urge me, and called Mr.. Smith to us
and told him what Shaw said, and that
| should testify, but | was feeling very
uuwell and wanted to go and rest and
get cup of tea first, and did so. Wheth-
er Mr.. Shaw's prophecy that they would
trip me in my testimony was verified
or not, | leave to those who heard me
to judge. One thing did know-my
wife had promised to spend the time l
was up there, alone in our cell, praying
for me, and felt strengthened by it,
and tried to tell the exact truth in the
fear of God-and, as am willing to
meet it at Christ's judgment bar.
Now, leave it for others to judge
whether Mr.. S. has, in any particular,
done as he promised. regret, as one
of the great mistakes of my life, my
going away, and only did so by his
earnest persuasiOns and almost com
pulsion. He knew / did not approve
of it, and he did know l was ready and
anxious to return soon as l heard OF
trouble. and he repeatedly sent me
word not to, and came to COlebroOk
with the auo,0ed purpose of getting me
into Canada, and told me and wrote me
to stay.
Now | am here, ready for an investi-
CATION of all my affairs, and to have the
whole truth known, on both sides, eth
er for or against me, and any one in
terested can have all the information
can give to get at the facts-and then
am willing to abide the judgment-be
cleared, if possible of the charge OF
which am not guilty, and wherein
have done wrong, suffer the consequences
have written thus much with no in
tention to misrepresent or injure any
one. So far as Mr.. Shaw is concerned
| have written much more charitably
than testimony would prove it. Hi
unkind and exciting talk and treatmen
of my children, is the most trying t.
my feelings of any part, in connection
with his hard expression of Mrs. H.
as told by them to me. | have no wis
to iniure any one-but | do most sol
; emnIy affirm that when Mr.. Shaw urge,
me to 90 away, he did profess to know
land no doubt did) all about the otfic
? affairs, better than | did myself, an
: yet he unequivocally promised to kee
everything along with the companie
= and that there should be no trouble
e | would do as he said. Relying on hi
t promise l did as he urged. Wherei
, has he kept single promise Z? Where
in has he lifted finger or spoken
e word to the companies or to the public
t only to blacken my name and blast m
e family ? Ask aH,-ask special agents.
S ask the companies,-ask the whole com
1 munity,-and the one reply is-Ml
Shaw says "Hopkins is guilty of "A
t that is chargedn-and they affirm "Sha'
g is Hopkins greatest enemy" So let
e he. You have in these statements
+ part of the tactS-enough to show, til;
: however | may be, Mr.. Shaw is guilty
d falsehood, treachery and fraud-guilt
+. of exulting over the downfall and IL
t, hoped for ruin of another-guilty of e,
n ulting and boasting of his skill in frau
:. and lying, in stripping poor wOma
y of all her property, and telling he
''now go to work for your living"
II am glad there is God in heaven.
+. E. D. HOPKINS.
e st. Johnsbury, VT, Feb. Is, II.