The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-12-27
Mr.. Davis replies to Mr. Hap
good.

OF Dec, 9th, what purports to be an an.
swer from NJ. J. Hapgood to my propo.
sition to him In your issue of the Sth OF
Nov. MIR. Hapgood says that he will ac,
cept of my challenge If will pick the
men, aud at the same time allow the ques-
lions that he has proposed to be decided.
AS l have made charges against Mr.. Hap.
good it would be unfair for me to pick
the men to act as referees. | will allow
the questions that he has proposed to
come before them for descsion. But as
they are of n personal nature, and as ev-
cry man has a right to vindicate his own
character, win answer them now.
LIST In regard to the post,ofllce. gave
to the public last spring a fair, square
and truthful statement in regard to this
matter, and proved that NJ. j. Hapgood
was the only man that had tried to injure
Dea. Simonds. That he promised A. w.
j. wilkins to get the post-ofiice for him
If he would buy his stock of goods. 1t
was this same Hapgood who walked into
|
Dea. Simonds' house, few ears ago at
the time of the Hapgood and Rockwell
controversy, and abused the Dea. most
shamefully. 1t was this same Hapgood
that sued Dea. Simonds' daughter(one of
the most estimabe women that was ever
raised in Peru, but unfortunately a sol,
dier's widow with two children), for a
debt of a few dollars. I'd. In regard to
those split tickets. There were Repub-
licans that wanted tickets with my name
inserted. Mr.. Lakin had some printed,
when they came it was found that the
printer had made a mistake and they
could not be used 1t appears that some
of the Republicans erased the name of A.
j. Pike and put my name in the place of
it. In regard to democrats stealing tick
cts, it is lie and Mr.. Hapgood KIN VS. it.
Sd. In regard to the Democra sell
ling Off their votes for representative
The Democrats of Peru never sold their
votes! A Democrat has been elected
twice in the last ten years to represent the
town; of course Republicans helped elect
them, as the Republican majority is about
five to one; in turn Democrats have help
ed elect Republicans. This year when
certain Democrats saw fit to vote for Mr..
Lyon he was elected. If they had not,
Mr.. Stiles would have been elected. Why
this? Defeated two years ago by Dem
ocrat and elected this year by the help of
Democrats! This was not Mr.. Lyons
fault, who is a gentleman and an honest
| citizen. 1t was because his canvas was
] conducted by this unpopular Hapgood.
4th. In regard to an article in the Ben
nington County Reformer: have never
written one single word for SAID paper /;
neither have ever had anything to do,
either directly or indirectly, with any
thing that was ever published in said Re-
former.
9th in regard to my spending fifteen
minutes in vile personal abuse at the dem
ocratic rally the evening before election.
l spoke that night two hours and never
alluded to the county ticket. After had
closed Mr. Hapgood undertook to bring
me out in lie. | then arose and told
the people the truth about the matter,
just as told it in the Manchester Jour-
nal, and the people present, l have rea-
son to believe, believed what | said; and
/ can prove by as good men as live in
Peru that Hapgood played in that game
the part OF traitor.
9th in regard to my being chronic
candidate for office &C. IN reply l will
! say that have held every office within
the gift of the people of the town, and |
defy Mr.. Hapgood to find one single man
in Peru that will say tibet ever betrayed
my trust. 1t is lie for him to say that
! ever went around the hall and election
cered for myself on the contrary have
many time asked to be excused after
being elected. II is true that many times
my name has been on the county ticket,
and and l have had the honor of always
running ahead of my party vote, and 1T
the last election ran ahead in almost eve
ny town in the county. OF course have
never had any idea of being elected. as
live in county where the Republican
party have majority of about 1900.
Now for momeut let us see what the
political record of this Hapgood Is. Up
to 1880 he hadn't any, simply becau the
people of Peru haunt confidence enough
IN him to give him one. In 1880 John G.
Walker was talked of among his friends
1ol representative. Walker had been de-
feated in 1878 by Democrat and, of
course, the Democrats were determined
to defeat him again by joining with his
enemies in the Republican party. Now
comes the time for Hapgood to make a
stri e. He goes to the enemies of Walk
er in the Republican ranks and received
some encouragement; he then labored
with j. Z. Lakin and other Democrats,
including the writer, who finally agreed
That at the proper time they would sup
port him, al hough think that every one
endorsed what Harvey Stone said ..That
it was the bitterest pill that he ever swal-
lowed. = Then Hapgood goes to work
and issues his famous manifesto, inviting
the voters to support him. The writer
was the Democratic candidate. The first
ballot found Walker away ahead and the
Democratic candidate with twenty-six
votes. 1t was evident that something
m ust be done or Walker would be elected
arose and asked the Democrats to vote
for Hapgood, and they did and he was
elected. Now l publicly declare that
this is the only political act that | ever
did that l am ashamed of, but have.
and l have reason to believe that ev-
eey Democrat in Peru has, repented lin
sackcloth and ashes" The next move
was in S2 when he again issued mani
festo telling the people that by his expe-