The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-11
BENsoN's ARREST.
A Search for Important Documents OF
Garcelon and Council.

A despatch to the PRESS yesterday announc-
ed the arrest of John Benson, Jr, OF Ply
m nth, charged with larceny of the original
tabulations of the election returns made by
Gov. Garcelon and Council.
1t appears that some time last week, while
tina state authorities were seeking to OBTAIN
possession of lot of papers and documents al
fording evidence of the counting out conspira-
cy Benson, who was appointed on Joe Smiths
"staff" and chosen bogus deputy Secretary OF
State, induced the noted Capt Black and
Secretary" Sawyer, to fitch the papers from
the party who had them. The papers are said
to have included the original CALCULATIONS oil
the returns with the changes that were
made, showing the CO implicitly Of Garcelon and
others in the frauds, and various other docu-
ments of a eliminating character. The papers
are said to have been first sent 10 Fairfield,
where they were examined by ex-CouncIlior
Brown and Claiming, of Smiths ''staf." but
in view of the stringent law recently passed
imposing heavy penalties for the abstraction,
concea lment or destruction Of any such public
papers or evidence, those worthless are suppos-
ed to have feared to keep them and SO sent
them to Plymouth, where Benson concealed
them.
On Thursday last Benson was in Augusta
where he was informed that his connection
with the missing papers was known and that q
warrant had been issued for his arrest He
promised to restore the papers and went home
ostensibly for them, being given until the ar
rival of the late train at Augusta FRIDAY
night to redeem his pledge. AS he failed to
arrive, Major Frank E. Nye, of Gen. Cham
berlain's staff, and also sworn as special
deputy sheriff of Kennebec, took passage on
the Pullman train at a. IN. Saturday with a
warrant for Benson's arrest.
Arriving at Newport he found that Benson
was not there, but at the hotel met Capt.
Black and Charming, of Smiths staff, also
looking for Benson with warrant for his ar.
rest on charge OF carrying on some Two or
three hundred dollars of fusion funds. Major
Nye at once took a team and drove to a house
freouented by Benson and there learned that
he was in Bangor. Driving to Bangor
with Deputy Sheriff Dow of Newport, Benson
was found at the Penobscot Exchange where
he had feen in consultation with Tom Plalsted,
and his arrest was made by officer Dow. Rep
resentative Plalsted advised Benson, for
whom he knew a warrant had been issued, TO
elude the authorities of the state by escaping
to St. John.
After his arrest Benson was taken to the
Bangor House in Charge of Messrs Nye and
Dow, but stubb rally refused to surrender the
papers or tell where they were secreted, al
though he did freely admit that they had been
in his possession and that he knew where they
were. On Saturday evening it was decided to
take Benson TO Newport to afford him every
opportunity to restore the papers.
He persisted i'll his refusal and the result
was that he was taken to Augusta and arraign-
ed in the police court, under the law enacted
AT tire present. session in regard to pubic re-
cords aud documents, etc., which provides III
Sec ion g. that whoever shall knowingly and
wilfully remove. seerete or destroy or having
ia his possession ar under his c,nIrol shall re-
use OF neglect to return or deliver up any
book OF accounts, voucher, record, returned
copies Of list of votes Tor any public officer.
-eertitied copy Of any record or other document
or instrument, ''shall re punished by impr'son-
neni not less ,l,an one or more than three
wears aud by fine not exceeding five thous-
and dol iarS .