The river press., 1882-07-12
PATRICK,s PLEA.
He Defends Himself Against the Charges
Of the Colonists.

p,TsIcIS's RAScH, June 80, lss2.
Editors of the River Press:
On Yesterday | found slip clipped
from the RIVER PRESS, giving some re-
ports Of the Red Clouds passengers,
claiming to be NY colony, anti contain
ino statements wholly false | claim It
nv duty to here STATE. that never bor-
roYed a dollar from one OF them, and
never cave any orders for goods or money
on any merchants III Benton 80 far a.
TRANSFORMATION to Benton is concerned, /
| agreed to assist them every way III my /
power to get work and give them all the /
| information could to find other homes. |
| I am also charged with having purchased |
+, their mules and never having paid for
/ them. | never bought mule While III
!, Missouri from any person. Let the man
! who says to the contrary attempt TO
prove the charge. am ready TO defend
my name and honor, Riggs, Cline, Adj
| kinson. Ault and Conner each of them
had some town property in Salem, Mo-,
which they could not sell for any price
for cash, as they had been trying to Go
for two months before took hold OF 1t.
I told them I could raise money III St
Louis on their property, sufficient to
bring them to Montana and II they
wanted, they could have it back at any
time bv paving back what | had paid
them before the 1st Of March, 1888. All
Of them seemed, pleased 1T the time to
take my offer.
Now. as for the great Bates property.
IT consists of two lots and 4 cheap board
house. He had been trying to sell the
, property for two months before | Vol
unteered to assist him. for 500. | was
told he had offered it for S1o0 Mr..
: Bates and wife appeared we'll satisfied
t when they left me at st. Louis all
+ vanced OH the property S1O3 -, and II !
accepted the property was to pay them
t 5000, which would leave me in ,he1l
q debt 500 81 Now, the property was put
: in nv hands the same az the other, re-
: decmablc at any time. Since arrived
home my attorney at Salem informs me
that judgments haze been filed OH the
q same to the amount OF s42 l6. Now,
J. would be TOO happy to release Mrs Bates
property at any time she wants it. tol
any information in reference to this rea
estate | refer to Mr.. Riggs, as | know
: him 10 be high minded and honorable
gentleman. | refer to him because h
G acted as my agent in this matter.
want the people to know what di'
for that colony. | paid out Of my owl
v pocket. and Of my own money, S2.lS4,
y small part of which only was used 10
II nv expenses while starting these people
| worked up and started for Montana -
+. persons all told The first party went
! Butte bv rail: the second by steamer Re-
\ Cloud to Benton: the third hN rall [
Sioux City, and thence by steamer Gen
!. Terry, and the fourth by rail to Bls
"a marck. and thence on the steamer Gen
Il Meade up the river. paid for tn
20 tickets Of :; large portion OF these peopl
:, and some III part Many Of those who's
passage was paddy me sold their ticket
en- route, and left for parts unknown
i They all know this to be fact.
> The citizens OF Benton will please az
= = ccpt my hearty thanks for the promp
assistance 50 cheerfully given those pee
ple that I have been the cause Of bring
ING to your doors. | sincerely hope you
81 money. so literally given, will be II
y turned a hundred fold. am certain
III will never be the means of bringing
le like colony to you again. If my healt
= had permitted I would have been the1
nc to assist them in every possible way.
1e J. w. PATRICK.