The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-22

the matter, will inform YOU that so long
as am states attorney OF this county, I
propose TO do my duty, as I understand IT,
without being saddled or ridden by any one.
Our correspondence closed with my letter
to him OF January 20, in which told him:
I" / did not think that you intended TO mis-
represent to me, but that you misunder-
stood what could be relied on i'm others
And up to this time am unable to tell whom
YOU "ane Prosecuted' am also aware that
| IL Is easier to find fault with Others and
| particularly with prosecuting officers. than
| 1t is to seem that we are mistaken orr
| selves; but as man Of mature wears vour-
| self, you ought to realize that It wouid be
| an immense. farce to have proceedings in
stituted when the case couldn't stand alone
| OF itself. Must \ 90 at IL blind
folded, and rely solely on witnesses whose
testimony L must guess at2 Unless can
see at least reasonable chance OF con-
| viction, l shall have to change my mind il I
institute proceedings"
Mr.. Mcclure says that he showed that
letter to an able man over in New
Hampshire, and it seems that it did not
| sound right to him. But / appeal to the
taxpayers OF Vermont who have our ex-
| cesslve court expenses to pay, and ask IL
| they desire their states attorneys TO 90
further than that? The next I heard of
Mcclure was during the next March term
oil court. L met Governor Dillingham; in
| the court house, and he informed me that a
| man named Mcclure had complained to
him that was not willing to do nv duty in
a case that he had presented to me- 1t was
| the first l knew that Mr.. Mcclure was in
the state. / was told on inquiry, however,
that he had been in Montpelier some time.
| During the same day did see George w,
| Wing, Esq, and did tell him that was,
and always had been, willing to institute
proceedings provided probable case was
shown. And further, 1 then complained of
the manner in which had been treated in
regard TO the case, by persons other than
| himself. This talk resulted in an arrange
ment that we meet those of the Wetmore &
Morse company who had knowledge of
the case, at his Office, on the following
Saturday. Before that Saturday came, /
was stricken down with a severe sickness,
and am constrained to believe that few
who knew my condition, thought on that
Saturday that would ever live to read Mr..
McClure's letters about me in the news
papers. was not present that time, at the
place appointed. Several days after Mr..
Fay, the partner of Mr.. Wing, appeared at
my bedside with an information which had
been prepared 1 signed it, and the result
was the proceedings which have since been
had in the case.
1t will be remembered by those having
to do with the court, that during last Sep
TENDER term, the civil jury causes were dis
posed of with the grand jury in session.
The grand jury then reported on the cases
in which they had completed their delbera-
tons. My presence was then required in the
!. |
the causes in which indictments had been
found, and j. z. Lamson, Esq, was ap-
pointed special prosecutor to assist the
grand jury. 1t was while he was acting in
that capacity that the grand jury reached
the conspiracy case" The grand Jury
} was not required to race over the county to
find the witnesses. They could open the
door and let willing witnesses in to tell
their stories. If there were any adverse
witnesses, by subpoena they could be re-
| quired to come before them and tell what
r they knew about the case. II there were
any witnesses who had been practicing du-
plicity in the matter, they could be reached
by the same process, although by reason of
the lapse of time, they might claim that
haps let themselves out without being de-
tected
] Mr.. Mcclure says that he was informed of
{" the fact that Mr.. Bisbee and Mr.. Dyer had
} met in consultation" 1t is not fact that
[ | met Mr.. Dyer in consultation. 1t is not
: fact that 1 ever told Mr. Dyer word, or
. gave him any information as to the knowl-
: edge which l received about the case. 1t is
not fact that we ever talked about whether
l l should or should not institute any pro-
: ceedings against the " Union " or any mem.
4 bers of it, Any statement to the contrary
is absolutely false. But it seems to me that
the recital of anything, whether true or
false, would not be unpleasant to Mr..
Mcclure il it would give him notorety.
have not the disposition to take up the con-
tents of his letter in detail, some parts of
which are untrue and others that are mis-
leading. The size of my ears was referred
{ to by him. l leave it to those who know us
h both to say which is the larger, my ears OF
Q Colonel McClures mouth.
t EDWARD W. BIsBEH.
d Barre, April II, 1891