Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-14
The Togus Affair.

we publish In another column a defense
of General Stephenson, from the pen of Rev
Philip S. Thacher, which places the Govern
or in far different light and shows that he
was not responsible for the shabby and dis.
courteous treatment accorded members of
the press. The circumstances attending the
recall of the General from the room where
the reporters were seated by the Sergeant
Major, were such as to give them every rea-
son to believe that the General had been in
formed of their presence and was the author
ity for their exclusion.
A moment before the General came into
room where the reporters sat, the Sergeant
Major was Informed that they represented
the Portland Press and the Kennebec Jour
nal When the General again entered the
room, after holding his inaudible conversa-
ton with the Major, he was addressed by the
Press reporter, with whom he is acquainted,
but FASTENED through the room without max
ing any reply
From the explanation which has been given
us by a personal friend of the Generals, we
are forced to believe that he did not notice
in his haste, that the Press reporter had
spoken to him. We are informed that Cen
eral Stephenson is little hard of hearing,
and he may very likely have failed to catch
the remark We should be loath to believe
that General Stephenson would Intentionally
be discourteous towards representatives of
the press or any one else. The
it," with which the Sergeant Major
closed the door in the reporters faces, would
seem to indicate that he, at least, is not
burdened with any scruples in this respect
As the Journal stated in yesterdays issue,
it has no unfriendly feelings towards General
Stephenson, and would regret exceedingly
to believe that there is anything in his record
at the Home which would throw discredit
upon his established reputation as IA soldier
and an honorable gentleman
If General Stephenson has been misrepre-
sented by the grave charges preferred against
him, he should court the fullest and freest
investigation into his official conduct, and
should see that representatives of the press
are given every advantage to furnish their
readers with full and fair reports of the tes-
timony.
That there are matters in connection with
the Home which call for change, there can
be little doubt, but it does not follow, and
the Journal has never charged that it is with
in the power of the Governor to change
them, or that he has ever acted otherwise
can be little doubt but what many of the SOL
diers who failed to gain admission to the
Home last winter, and who were forced to
find lodging in our police station and at the
county Jail, did undergo much suffering.
We have the material at hand to furnish
many columns of the personal experiences
of veterans in this line, to say nothing of the
records of our municipal court and the coun-
ty Jail, which are themselves eloquent upon
the same subject. The journal has never
charged, however, that General Stephenson
deed, in its report of yesterday it did him the
justice to express doubt upon this very
point in the following language
at may be urged, and perhaps not un-
reasonably, that General Stephenson has no
power to keep soldiers who are not properly
admitted to the Home-this being a matter
outside of his jurisdiction.
We have since been informed, upon good
authority, that in refusing men admission to
the Home last winter, when they had no le-
gal claim to membership there, General
Stephenson was only acting upon the most
positive orders; that the Home was at that
time overcrowded and that firm rules had to be
laid down.
We only desire in this matter to give the
plain facts without fear and without favor.
For this reason we hope that whatever may
be the future developments in the case the
newspapers will be given facilities to get al
all the facts on both sides.