Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-20
Letter From John Benson, Jr.

John Benson, jr., ex-Deputy Secretary Of
State under the Pillsbury government, pub
fishes in the Newport Times 4 sharp letter.
in reply to ex-CouncilIor 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 Dixmont re-
turn, and requested him (Benson) to 60 to
Dixmont and look after the matter. Benson
says:
10 substantiate by additional testimony
the truth of my statement, would at TINS
time submit the following:
First That the hotel register at the Pen
obscot Exchange, Bangor, bears upon its
pages the names Of =. G. Parker and John
Benson, jr, as having both been at said hotel
at the time mentioned in my testimony be.
fore the committee. This fact is 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:
AFFIDAVIT OF THE TOWN CLERK OF DIxMoNr.
/, Perigrine White, resident Of Dixmont, in the
County Of PenObscOt, on oath dep0se and say tnat
some time during the latter part OF OCTOBER Or early
In said County of PenObscOt, called upon me At my
House in Dixmont, and In my capacity Is Clerk O!
have held in said town for nearly fifteen years. re-
quested me to show him the records Of the Sepfem-
Der meeting held in this town. As the reason FOR
desiring to the records. the said John Ben
son, Jr. declared in my presence and hearing. that
he. Benson. had been informed by gentleman high
in authority. and member Of the Cows Council
that the Dixmont return defective and new re-
turn was required. Benson then and there told me
that he did not know what the defect wss but that
he had been informed by said gentleman at Bangor
that absolutely necessary to hare this return
remedied il might injure the prOspecf Of fusion
rictories in other forns in the State unless the mis-
tale Tds rectfed.
the examination the said record by the said BeI
son. that he Benson, told me that was not ut fault
and furthermore would say that have never sign
ed but return as required by law to be sent to
the Secretary Of State but that some time previous
to the time Benson came to see me A. Aforesaid, q
certain person wrote me from Augusta, and desired
that should send him new return Of our Septem.
Der meeting, and also copy Of the record OF said
meeting sent the copy Of the record new return
Witness by my hand at DiXmOut, this second DAY
Of April, A. ID. 1880.
PERIGRlSE WHITE. Town Clerk.
DixmOnt, April 9. 1880
Subscribed and sworn to before me. Don A. H
POWERS, Justice of the Peace.
With regard to the point raised by Mr..
Parker, namely, 'that had told q lie" how
do we stand!
My statement is given to the world under
oath, and is substantiated by circumstantial
evidence and direct testimony.
Mr.. Parker makes bare statement without
foundation either in fact or theory, and il
would seem that the gentleman, when pre-
scented with the choice that counting out
ineritabty brings mp that of taking upon him.
self as a member of Gov. Carcelon's Council,
the mantle of knare on that of a fool, had
very unanimously voted himself the outer
garments of fool.
Mr.. Benson says that Parker recommended
him (Benson) for deputy; intimates that
Parker last summer agreed to support the re-
publican nominee for governor in case il
should not be Davis; denies that he ever was
paid or promised anything for his testimony
says he has been and shall continue to be a
greenbacker; and concludes by denouncing
contingent rs a crime.