, 1886-05-27
Thc St'rel;ll. A4,ts,
Collector Eeecher and That $500.
IADoMk. ". I. NEVIS.

money transaction between himself
and Mr.. keplnr, in which lie seeks to
smirch me and cover hi- own dis
honesty. | desire to give emphatic
denial to his lying allegations.
1t appears that IIr. kepier. resi-
dent of Orcas Island. some time since
gave BeechcT. then on the steamer
Evangel. running the island route.
$500, with which to procure him Ger
tain money orders: that Eeecher,
having appropriated thiS trust 10 his
own use. endeayorCd to shield himself
by 4 fabrication, claiming that hp
gave me the money Il being at that
time postal clerk on the stcamcrj
with instructions to procure the or
ders; that | told him later they had
been forwarded. but after my remoy-
al from that line be learned that the
orders had not been sent.
Capt. Beecher never gave me $500
nor any sum whatever, whcrewith to
purchase money orders for himself OF
anyone else, and never made any such
request of me-
The atfidaYits he Is claimed TO have
made, that he delivered the money to
me and instructed me to forward the
money orders in accordance with Mr.
hepler's instructions. Is utterly false.
In fact, the atfidavits | understand he
has made can be proven untrue, are
to bolster his chances for cOutirma-
ton as collector of customs at Port
EF'='6end and owe himself an hon
orabl6'man," ana are fatty contra
,lRfnl hN- flA -Lg4As.4,t,s.r :
those who know and are parties in
the circumstances, aud who are re.
spected and hOnOred citizens.
l have never been ''transfeTred OF
removed by the postal authorities on
complaint of Beecher. on account of
immoral conduct" or otherwise. net
withstanding Hon. Collector Herbert
Foote Beecher has said it. On the
contrary, have been in the postal
service continuously, either perma-
nentlyor acting" and am at the pre-
sent time IN the service on the Port
Townsend and Tacoma route. For a
time, at Hiy OiCn reQseSt, [ was trans
ferred to the Wallula aud Portland
route, because on the Evangel the
personal relations between the anna
bic and efficient commander thereof
and myself were not the most pleas
ant.
During this transfer Beccher Ger
tainly knew where l was, or could
have found out in moments time
at the Port Townsend postotfice, where
he frequently went; he being tie sub
contractor on the mail route between
{hnt ,Nlpan and SA.N,I1 oh E., I
attending to duty all the while
. and it needed no one TO hunt
for me.
l believe that Alr Kepler has made
affidavit in addition to other particu-
lars that Beecher did not pay him for
searching for me, and it IS probable
no search was made.
Mr.. Kepler telegraphed me con
cerning the explanation and accusa-
tion Beecher made when pressed. l
promptly responded. denying 1t, and
[ understand that Mr.. Kepler con
fronted him with my telegram in the
presence of witnesses.
As matter of fact, Beecher had
nothing whatever TO do with my trans
fer to Portland, as can be and has
been proved by the proper postal
authorities, and why should he 50
testify?
As to my standing in society and
general conduct l respectfully refer
TO all with whom [ have had dealings
and to the people of the communi-
ties where [ am known. Affidayits
have been, and many more can be
procured from prominent persons OF
Seattle, Port Townsend and else
where, as to my good character Why
has not Beecher charged me- directly i?
/ am and have been ''within easy
distance" and as long as am on my
present route, l am in Port Town
send each trip.
No charges of theft of any kind
have ever been made against HE by
Capt. Beecher, except Indirectly, nor
by any one else. Any such charges
/ am ever ready and willing to meet.
This is:a despicabIe attempt to es
cape the dlshonor of dishonesty by
trying to blacken the reputation OF
another and entirely innocent per
son.
There are many more things that I
could say, and prove, that would not
help to confirm Capt. Beecher, and
If necessary everything will be
brought ont and made public.
II. o. TEMPLE.
The ARGUS has refrained rs far as
possible from discussing this trouble,
believing that a newspaper contest in
which both sides took active part
would descend into q personal ex-
change of abuse and epithets-and Il
newspaper discussion esc parte wouId
be manifestly unfair, unless one side
did not desire to be heard We have
thought the case should have full
hearing before the senate committee
TO whom the nomination was referred,
and have at all times been anxious
at Capt. Beeeher should vindicate
himse!ftif he could do so. Recently,
however, The Beechers in New YclL
began trying the case in the newspa-
pers, and that called ont the Temple
statement which appeared in the
ARGUS last week-in substance part
OF the foregoing. Inaamuch as we
have published both statements, we
hereby tender 10 Collector Beecher
the use OF our columns for any state
ment he may desire to make.
Recent dispatches from New York
would Indicate that Governor Hill IS