Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-22
Letter from John Benson, Jr.

John Benson, Jr., ex-Deputy Secretary of
State under the Pillsbury government, pub
fishes in the Newport Times a sharp letter.
in reply to ex-Councillor Parker's denial of
the truth of the formers testimony before the
Hale committee, TO the effect that early in
November, Parker met him at Bangor and
informed him of an error in the biXmoni
return. and requested him tBenson) To go To
Dixmont and loook after the matter. Ben
sou SAYS:
TO subs,antiate BY additional testimony
the truth of my statement, would at this
time submit the following:
First; That the hotel register at the
Penobscot Exchange, Bangor. bears upon
its pages the names Of +. G.. Parker and
John Benson. Jr.. as having both been at
said hotel al the time mentioned in nv ties
timony before the committee. This fact Is a
matter Of public record, and any person by
inspection of the said register will observe
the truth Of this statement.
Second. ! will submit the following
ATTtp,yIT uF IHE TOWN cIIRK or pINNoSr.
1. Pcrigrfne Witt a Resident 81 DiNmont. In the
County Of Pcuo-ast. ga oath dclSo-.' and -, that
tina during the latter part Of October early
In November fSss. John Bcil-.,n. Jr. II Plymouth.
In said ounty Of Pcnol-cpt. called upon me At my
hsNc held IN said town for nearly Nft-rn yvnr-.
qae-ts~i me a. show hin the reufti. of the >etIB
lar mccting held Ia this town. A. the mason
for desiring O. the r,o.'ris the .ai John
Hen.on Jr-. leclarc- In prsserire and h.artug.
that he. Benson. hat l.-rn Informed by gentiulsn
high Ia authority AMI member Of the tsoF
Gil that the piNmont rs-turn tiefcrtiye and a
nrw rs-tnFn uN4uirc,t Henson then anil thcrr
TOLD thai he did NOT know what the defect Wa-.
but iAai BE- had l-.n informed "a. saii gentleman
at Bangor that Il obsa}ufsiF EssssarB 70 hars
ihs rftr renitof, 4 ssighf isiifrc IA prospect
cf faEt7s rrf0ss a. ster fl-s 90 ~ >fGis, HHiess
fAs uaisfair rsrfis,d.
Wuuii further stste that upon the conclusion II
the examination 81 the aid rCvrl hes the -ill in-
-nn, that he, itcn-an tnd mc that VA not at
fault AMI furthermore wuuh >ay that | have
never -tgnei but one rvturu rcquir~i by Law tn
- sent L. the Secretary uf state but inst some
time PRIV isu- tn the time Benson came "a me a,
aforc~st, = certain person wr'sie me from Augu-
n. ami dc-ir~i that -houlh -.nl him rsturn
81 our September meeting. and ai-o copy Of the
rcc"rl. new ryiuTn have never sent
Witness 10y my hand At DNmont. this scoond
PERIoRi~E mn. Town Clcrk-
i,tNmunt April =. i.S8.
Subscribed and sworn to lcfnrc me Dos. A u
PuNLHs. Jusiicr Of the reAce-
With regard to the point raised by Mr..
Parker namely, ";ha; had told lie" how
do We stand
Nv statement is given TO the world under
oath. and i subs,antaicd by circum,;antial
evidence and direct testimony.
Mr. Parker makes bare statement with
on, foundation either in fac; or theory. and
it would seem tina; the gentleman. when pre-
scented with the choice that counting out"
inerifGhly brings ny that Of takin. upon
himself a. a member Of Gov. Garcclon's
Council. flC aaGHfis # kgGr, Of that ~ u
faoi. had very unanimously voted himself the
outer garments II fool
Mr. Benson SAYS that Parker recommended
HIM Benson FOR a deputy; intimates that
Parker last summer agreed TO support the
republican nominee for governor IN case il
should no; h. Davis; denies that be ever
was paid or promised ANYTHING for hi ,cs-
,Imon, SAYS he has been and shall continue
To be grecnbackcr; and concludes D., de-
nouncins counting out as n crime.
Cope, of the Newport Tim>s giving Ben
sons letter in full can he obtained q, the
Book store Of Roh; Cole