Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-23
A CONsCIENTIOUs KENTUCkIAN.
How the Mayor Of . Southern City Paid
Debt Incurred II Years Ago.

Some months ago Adjutant- General Geo.
L. Beal received letter from William H.
Harton, Mayor of Newport, KY. asking for
information as to the whereabouts of a GER
trim Captain r. S. Aver of the old Fourth
Maine. The writer stated that in 1868 he
was soldier at Washington, and while there,
getting in rather Strengthened circumstances,
borrowed ten dollars of Captain Aver. He
was unable to discharge this obligation before
he left Washington, and afterwards lost trace
of his benefactor. He made repeated at
tempts to discover his whereabouts. but they
were futile. General Beal delved in the ar
ckives of the State, wrote several letters.
and finally discovered that Aver was in Mont
ville He communicated the result of his in
vestigation to Mayor Harton. Tuesday there
came package by express to the Adjutant
Generals office. 1t contained a box of the
choicest Kentucky cigars, a check for S20.sO
for Captain Aver, and a letter of thanks to
General Beal for his exertions. The letter
to Captain Aver is as follows:
CRY OF NEWPORT.
MAYoR's OFFICE, Nov. 18th, 1881.
Carr. X. s. AVER,
nv Dear Friend and Comrade; Eighteen
wears have come and gone since saw you
last At that time l left you soldier,
returning to my home to pursue the life OF
citizen. Time came and went. have travel
ed from north to south, from east to west. but
never entered the State of Maine. During
the years gone by tried to find you. and had
almost given up in despair and decided to give
your ten dollars to some charity (for it was not
mine when, in relating the circumstances to
friend and comrade he suggested that l
again write the Adjufant Generals office,
Maine. did. and found q gentleman in the
Office one to whom we owe many thanks,
and should give all the credit for finding you
had written to Washington, Maine. and
other States, thinking that might be mistaken
in the State YOU hailed from. My answers
would be: Don't know the man, Give
his regiment" "was he q private!
was he an officer?" and all such
questions But, to his credit be it said, Ten.
Beal tried to find you, and trying did sue
coed. 1t is a pleasure to deal with such men,
and in testimony of my regard and respect
for the General. I send him fifty good Ken
lucky cigars. l hope he uses the weed IN
this shape.
Well, old friend, I set that $40 to work
it has had some advcrsities, but with all that
it has doubled itself. l send you check for
the following:
Principal, Sio'n
Interest IS years at 6 per cent, 1850
$1,000
By the way. Captain, married glr, oy
the name of Ayers, and every time look ~
my wife to this day. think OF you. You.
signature is just the same As when you las,
wrote me pass to 90 to Washington. and
this makes me sure you are the man nave
looked for 90 long. The reason send you
acheek is that I want your signature. IL
you will let me know what the bank charges
for collection are. I will remit BY return
mail. Hoping this will prove satisfactory;
and that we may some time meet, am ""
comrade, Respectfully yours
WILLIAM H. HARToN.
Although the circumstance may seen trissi'
YET it 10 refreshing in these days OF pecu'a-
ton and bank failures to find that the race Oh
gentleman of the incest integrity and most
'crupulous honesty is not extinct. II Mayor
harton is = specimen Kentucky eeutieme"'
the blue grass region produces noble men -
well ~ blooded horses.