Morning journal and courier., 1884-11-25
aQfm aEaren alailg laegorning gonrlal aad Gonrier

orocor m Fast Main street, bridgeport, died
 Saturday night, after s- illness or some ! months, .,, 1r. T. Barn,-6 has been severely i'll l ,.ta1v and is sts6 in poor health.
 Co1oro1 1c1. Watson, the broker, has the
 fraTne -p for his new residence at Black
 Ro =.-zaz,
 A Word of Defense From His Daugh.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
 In last weeks Sentinel I find an account given of my fathers death and of circum- stances relating to it which was as unjust as it was uncharitable and with your per mission I wish to correct it. I cannot conceive how men who expect to be treated as gentlemen, and whom by virtue of their position we would naturally suppose to be such, can so misrepresent by the grossest falsehood, even going so far as to give an in correct statement of MT. Balantine's testi- mony given at the investigation. Mir. Bal antine did not and would not swear that my father was intoxicated and when questioned closely said 'sthat he thought he could tell if he were and that he did not even smell drink off his breath, :" and yet according to Mir. Smiths and MT Bal antine's testimony he stood closely face to face with the latter and they were men of about the same height The report says: ftIt was in drunken squabble with Lodge tbat he father) fell over the fence, and when the others missed him they went back only to find him dead" Yes, they went back, if going back means going directly home and deserting an old, gray haired, inoffensive man whose soul had already gone before it's God But this statement, as well as the re- mainder of it, concerning the conference be- tween Dr. Jewett and MT. Ryan's family and relatives, D which consists of his daughter only, it is false as the heart that was capable of inventing it.
 Regarding the conference with Dr. Jewett, I wish to state that I went to see him not 'fin perturbed state'' to make out case against Smith of foul play, nor did l go Ffprepared to tell of certain family squab- bles between the Ryans, Lodges and Smiths, as no quarrels or even harsh words have ever passed between them to my knowledge, nor do even know the man Smith personally. I went to see Dr. Jewett about the statement in Thursday evenings Register of last week stating that Dr. Jewett said MT. Ryan twas probably drunk and fell over the fence" God alone knows how hard it was for me to bear the shock of my poor old fathers sudden and violent death without being reluctantly forced to submit to this rude, ungentlemanly and heartless insult. But, alasl men can be found cruel and even inhuman enough to torture fellow creature whose heart is al ready wrung with grief On entering the doctors office I asked him to tell me upon what authority he based his assertion ''that my father was drunk He replied, on the evidence of Balantine and Smith. I then said, E'You must think we are easily satisfied to be willing to take the evidence of two men upon whom grave suspicion rests" The dead cannot speak. MT. Smith and Mir Balantine therefore need fear no contradic- ton. That those men should try to cover their tracks by charging the dead with the crime of drunkenness is falsehood too base to be noticed whereas his sobriety at the time has been established by the testimony of men above suspicion and reproach. Dr. Jewett solemnly declared with uplifted hand that he never gave to any reporter the words port published in the Register, and yet an other man, whose character and veracity are fully equal to his, as firmly declared that he did. This was the substance of my eonver- sation with the doctor, and when he attempts to color or make such statements as find in the Sentinel leave it to all honorable and pure-minded men to decide between us.
 To the many kind friends and neighbors who in their charity and kindness have ex tended their sympathy, return my most heartfelt thanks and I pray that they may never be called upon to bear the bitter pain and heartache that feel tonight.
 Ansonia, Nov. A. J. c. RYAN.