The Portland daily press., 1880-12-06
A POOR INNOCENT.
He Says He Has Been Shamefully Lii
belled.

|
On complaint Of Alfred G. p. Speyer, Mr.
G. Pelham Clinton, alias Sir Hugh Courtenay
alias A. Cunningham Dennison, alias Lore
Maurice Lapierce Breresford was held for ex
| animation Saturday afternoon at Jefferson
Market Police Court, New York. in default o
$1,000 bail. Mr.. Speyer charges that on tn,
Both of January, 1880, Clinton made false rep
resentation to him, on the strength of which h
loaned him 500. When called on to answe,
| his formal examination the accused wanted t.
have IL postponed, and expressed wish to se
the British consul or ambassador. He wa
told he would have ample time to see any ont
he wished. He then gave his name as G. Pei
ham Clinton, saying he was stopping at polio,
headquarters, was clerk by occupation, anc
was not guilty. He was locked up. In an in
terview he denied most emphatica'ly the trutl
of all the stories that had been written abou
| him.
The following letter was received at the JET
ferson Market Court Saturday morning:
NEWPORT r. l., Dec. 2, 1880.
To the CHEZ Of Police at Jefferson Market Court:
SIR:-From the description of the man calling
| himself Pelham Clinton in the newspapers he il
doubtless the same 'cuss who about this time las
| year, was in Richmond. Va under the name Of
rous aliases, such Charles CT ,ude Montague Ber
tie under which name you may get his photograph
In the uniform Of the 4th Dragon Guards from the
CHIEF of Police Galveston Texas. He
has been under the name of Denison Courtenay and
some score of others. Find gentleman in New
Telephone Company in Richmond; he can, if it {
the man think, at once recognize and identify
Arundel and c. G. NJ Bertie I believe he is wanted
nIrat in
C.E. AsHBuRSER
The following was Mr.. j. Pierrepont Meals
testimony:
Justice Smith called Mr. Neal and asked:
"Do you know this man?'
Eyes sir, | do" Mr.. Neal answered.
''Where did you meet hifn?"
II was introduced to him in Portland Me-,
in 1875. A man named Park was with him.
Have you ever seen him dressed in the uni
form of the royal navy or British army?"
II do not know that 1 have. I met the pris-
oner, who was introduced to me as Lieut.. Den
nison, R. NJ at fair given in the Portland
City Hall. The fair was intended TO raise
money to help the city's display at Philadel-
phia the next year. / met some one in uni
form that night, but can't say it was the pris-
oner."
"Do YOU recognize this picture?'. and Jus.
tice Smith drew from his pocket the photo
graph he had shown DR.. White the day be-
fore
Mr.. Neal identified it as photograph of the
prisoner, but could not swear to the uniform.
II think he'll remember me" Mr.. Neal added.
What difference does it make to any one
what name | travel under if pay my bills?"
spoke up Clinton.
"Do you remembera certain night in your
room?" began Mr.. Neal, but Justice Smith in
terrupted him with: .'The prisoner shall not
be interrogated against his will as ANYTHING he
may say can be used against him. He is re-
nanded until tomorrow. If you Ito the pris-
oner) are found to be what you say you are
I'll discharge you. l am trying to find out
who you are and where you came from, and if
ter the law''
The prisoner was taken back to police head
quarters.
Mr.. Neal said afterwards that he had met
Lieut.. Dennison' twenty times at least, in
Portland, where the latter lived from June un-
til September, 1875. He told very many large
stories, one OF which was that he had come to
America on a former occasion, in the ship
Monarch, which brought the body of Peabody,
the philanthropist. Several people in Port
land, anxious to claim previous acquaintance
with SO celebrated a person, "remem bered
having seen him on board the Monarch"
Lieut.. DenniSon'' seemed to have plenty of
money, aud was very lavish with it. On one
occasion he gave $40 bill for pair of gloves
and refused the change, remarking with dis
tinctness that the English nobility never car
ried silver" He talked frequently of trip he
had projected to the plains aud OF the buffalo
he expected to kill, and said that he would
meet there "Sir Henry Vane," and his
'brother Reginald 'Dennisop,, MI Neal
said, had improved immensely since 1875 He
was then perfect boor, and hardly able to
write his name. Mr.. Neal had seen three sorts
OF visiting cards in "Dennisop's" possession.
One read Arthur Conyngham Dennison," an
other arthur Conyngham-C m-Conyngham," and
third "Convngham Dennison.' One of
them had "R. N" affixed to the name. Park
Clinton's companion was nearly six feet tall
was of slight build, had dark hair, closely
cropped, and dark eyes He had good hands
and feet" a small moustache, and was other
wise an accomplished person. Mr.. Neal thinks
he quarreled with "Dennison' and left him.
"Dennison" went to Boston tie next winter
and was introduced into q number of good
houses. Mr.. Neal wrote to England and Scot.
land for information about him, and was in
formed from several sources that he was an
imposter, and the son of the lodge-keeper of
the Earl of Devon. He told this to friend of
his in Boston, with whom "Dennison" had
b en- intimate, but it was too late-"Denni-
SON. had borrowed 5000 of the friend. MIR.
Neal has heard that Clinton passed in Havana
as Lord Hay"