St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-09
Statement of E. D. Hopkins.
To the Editor of the Caledonian

IL Hc EuttOf " M6 CutouOHtuH.
Sometime after was taken sick in
Sept. 1876, Geo. S. Shaw called at our
house and came in to see me. He spoke
of my financial affairs, (both in the in
surance business and of my unsettled
business outside of the Office,) and said
my hard work and care was killing me,
and he was going to put stop to it.
Told how he, Bowman and Walter, had
been talking and planning. Said Bow
man wanted to get me out from having
any part in the office, and that he bow
man) said there was some one all ready
to pay me back what | paid in, and
take my share in the Office. Said he
told Bowman he should not allow it
that l had paid him the money in good
faith and that | should remain-but he
(Shaw) was going to arrange so | could
have better chance-gOing to put in
Walter, and he would be behind it all.
He said to my wife 1.-THE fact is, Mrs.
Hopkins, your husband has done two
thirds of the work in the Office since he
bought, besides all the care and anxiety,
and | am going to look after things
nOw.n Told us he had fixed on plan
it was, soon as could ride, she should
get team and 90 away with me, no
matter where, only away from all bust
ness for month-and then, if l got
better, come back and take a month to
fix up my affairs, and he would take
care of all the business of the insurance
companies so it should not trouble me
any way-that he had the means and
the influence and could and would do
it at once. That after l came back |
should have time to settle up my out
side affairs, and if / was not able to pay
over ten cents on the dollar, have it
ended, and he would preserve the in
terest in the office for me. Then have
me go to work outside insuring, and
Bowman do the same, and Walter do
the office work, with such part as |
might do portion of the time-that he
would be back of it all, and could and
would bring in large additional business
specifying some he should secure.
l suggested it was impracticable for
me to go away till could get out and
have some ten days to arrange some OF
my financial affairs with the companies
and at the banks, as paper was coming
| 10 ,an1iaI EGVnn can't do if
will only make you worse. Your bank
business can lay, and the insurance
companies l will take care of for yOu.'
This he urged and promised over and
over again, and l objected, not think
ing it right for me to go. In a day oil
two he came in again-mOre urgent
than before, and repeated his promises
The third time he came in he said he
had seen some of the companies, ol
their agents, and it would be all right
and he would see to the rest at once
: and | must go off and leave it for hin
to manage, and not worry at all abou
it. l did not make any promise, bu
, enquired where l had best go, and h'
replied, "Any where that you will b'
away from business a month";" tolt
? him l could not think of being away ;
month, but perhaps l would a week o
two. My wife and Arson advised M
to take up with Mr.. Shaw's offer, ant
talked over where best to gO-into New
t Hampshire.
e The Monday after this talk, Mr.. Bow
S man came in to see me, and | enquiries
4 "Where is Mr.. Shaw ?" He replied
e thought he was gone to New York o
: Philadelphia. l mentioned to Bowma
t that Shaw had told my wife he woul
g meet us at GrOvetOn, but l had nc
y been well enough to start so soon, an
: then asked him to take some paper
IS and letters laying on my secretary be
y longing to the office and take care {
r. them. He took them. | will here sa
d Mr.. Bowman and Mr.. Shaw both wei
o in the habit of sending up the otfic
a mail, unopened, to me while | was sick
o and this fact accounts for some OffiC
e mail being in my private drawer at til
IT office in this way. Wanting SON
'e papers therein, gave AnsOn the Ike.
Y and he went to the Office for them. II
= brought the drawer up, saying Bowma
J. told him he had better do it. Befol
he went back took what Office lette
s. and papers could find, and laid the
b in the drawer and told him to carr
y them to the office. He did not tai
II them out, but put all in the safe.
III gave Anson the key and told him
A. keep it so if anything was wanted
he could get it. Hence, when they saw
he to break open my private drawer
lg force, they found few Office papers al
ne had it published in the papers-whe
e. at the same time Anson had the key
IN and, L think, they knew it. There W
IL no secretng of any letters or pape
[r. any time. 1t was fact that both Boz
,ir man any myself received and examin
of letters and papers and put them on f
u without passing them back and fort
[r. unless for some reason deemed nece
in sary.
IT. Tuesday being warm morning, L
in wife thought had better start, and
Ir. able, go away for short time. S
as went and got a team and we start
re about nine o'clock and rode round
Gle the Plain, stopping and talking wi