Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-06-01
COL. THOMPSON AGAIN.

He Corrects Number OF Missta temer,
About Himself and Mis- Trouble, an,
Makes Out Good Case.
UNITED STATES JAIL,
wAsHIsareH. D. O.. May "a, 1883.
To Tn Enron OF rHE T1xrs:-
The WEEKLY TINES of the 10th o.
this month has been sent me in which
find an article headed "Colonel R
NJ. Thompson-Full particulars o.
the circumstances leading to his ares,
How he was traced by the detect
ives of the secret service-The proc,
against him said to be overwhelming. >
1t this article was true or had the
semblance of truth about it l would
remsin silent. Mr.. J. S. Clarke, YOU,
informant, is either totally ignorant Of
facts OF which he is writing about, o,
is willful!y incorporating me to the
public. lie says there are three in.
dictments against me in Tennessee
for defrauding a number of ex-Union
soldiers of their pensions while I
acted as claim agent a few years
ago in Washington, D. e. Now, Mr..
Editor, this is wholly untrue; not one
word of truth is contained in this
statement. There never was and is
not now any such indictment pending
against me as a claim agent for an
ex Union soldier or anybody else, and
I appeal to the records of any and
all the courts in the State of Tennes-
see which will prove my statements
true in this particular, because no
such indictments can be found upon
the records of any court IN the State
OF Tennessee or elsewhere against
me. There was an indictment found
against me in the United States Dis
trict Court at Jackson, Tennessee, in
May, 1885, in which l was charged
with withholding pension money
rom the minor heirs of Thomas J.
deceased ex-Union soldier.
when in fact had not collected nor
lad one cent of these children's pen.
ion money in my hands since Sep
ember, 1887, as the records on file
u the Pension Office will show, and
have a certified copy under seal of
he Department Of the Interior prov
ng this statement to be true in every
particular.
tie says a couple of years ago l
ourished in St. Louis, where l man
ged to swindle several prominent
itizens out Of various amounts; that
mong my victims was United States
enator Vest for $4,000. Now, this
one of the most unmitigated false
GODS think ever read in my life.
do not know Senator Vest, never
poke to him in my life, would not
now him if | was to see him. Now,
any gentleman doubts my state
tent let him write Senator Vest and
arm whether or not am telling the
nth, the whole truth. and nothing
ut the truth. l never bad a bust
ess transaction with citizen Of St.
ouis in my life. l never was there
1t twice in my life and that was
mply as a traveller passing through
le city; the first time l think about
e year 1865, and the second time
as in March last when l came by
'ere to see Thomas r. Temple, who
ou know we'll.
Now, the insinuation that I ran
way from Jackson, Tennessee, when
fact left there with the knowl.
lge and consent of the prosecuting
ficer, was In company with a num-
sr of gentlemen who know my
atement to be trle-csn prove this
be true by halfa. dozen, if not
ore, who were with me and will
year to this Fact whenever called on
do so. learn, however, that this
licer says that l skipped my bail
I'd ran away. Well, l know what l
I'VE stated above is true and that
N prove it to be so by as good men
live in the country. left in open
lylight. l remember we'll the
nited States Marshal rode to the
pot with me. Now, if | had not