The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-15
An open Letter TO the HON. A. r.
ChIldH.

DEAR SIR In addressing you at this
time you will kindly notice that the pre-
fix to your name, which you so gaudily
assume and so strenuously assert, is
given due prominence. l would not
Willingly deprive you of any pleasure de-
rivable from the title, and if as Jim
sweaTs in open court, you dub yourself
Honorable and pay at the rate of ten cents
line to be SO CLASSIFIED in the columns of
the RetOrmer, far be it from me to rob
you of this thin and meretricious device
| to gild your name with a little delusive
glitter.
Hon. A. p. Childs, from nearly seven
| years ago when the falsity of your state
ments regarding certain insurance mat
tiers was publicly certified to by several
of Bennington's most eminent and
worthy citizens, down to the present
time, you have striven to injure and de-
| fame me. Not content with assertions
to which your name has been affixed, you
have distilled the venom of your malice
| through the Livingston alembic, and
used this miserable creature in his edi-
tOrial capacity to do your dirty work.
Lacking manhood to continue contest
in open warfare, you sneak under Jim's
protection and hire this redoubtable
warrior to fire from ambuscade his edi-
torial wads at ten cents a wad. My
course towards you and the Insurance
Company you represent, Hon. A. p.
Childs, has been entirely different.
Every publication coming from me di-
rectly or indirectly has been over my
own signature, with no attempt to CON
ceal or evade my personal responsibility
| therefor.
Recently you have bought the mort
gage which covers this Detdmer, accord
ing to town records. and in the future,
| printers ink will doubtless be very cheap
for you. Would it not be wise to re-
christen this interesting sheet The Hon.
| Childish Detdmer? You can descant at
merely nominal rates upon the accept
ance of my resignation from The Equibo-
Beers Combination, yclept. The Life
| Underwriters Association of Vermont
an association devised ostensibly to pre-
vent rebates and the circulation of an
onymous, deceptive documents against
rival companies, and wherein its mem
bers come forth from its meetings and
proceed to do bOth-especially you, Hon.
| A. p. Childs
And am allowed to resign without
the formality of q trial ~ Trial for
what! Under whose jurisdiction! I'M
agine any man being tried by dozen or
| WV ttSOulo, ICCOlNlHP
| from Beers. The idea is so comcal that
you must have smiled, lion. A. p. Childs,
when you drew up this resolution. You
can animadvert at very low figure upon
| the Gleason case and all that pertains
thereto, or upon the recent libel suit
| wherein you furnished the numerous
counsel, or fling to the breeze in floating
headlines large number of anonymous
advertisements with intent to deceive.
| All this you can do at small cost, but
recollect, Hon. A. p Childs you are the
supercargO of this piratical craft and
must be responsible for the freight,
whether jim is at the helm or not.
Do not let your craving for personal
! itics carry you too far in that direction.
Remember, Hon. A. P. Childs, the old
adage of glass houses and throwing
stones, or perchance l may be tempted
to try my ability in the same foolish way
and open up some little episodes in your
career that might mantle even your
brassy cheek with the blush of shame.
You are now engaged in the laudable
occupation of holding down your New
York Life policies. The over $4,000
which have lapsed in this village since
June to my certain knowledge, you do
not wish To see grow to still larger pro
portions.
But you must bear in mind, Hon. \.
p. Childs, the people are fast learning
that Company which reports such an
enormous shrinkage of surplus from
| December 3lSt, 1890, to June 30th, 1891,
| (S2, 26:i, 5Ij.S6) is a poor company to go
into, and Il good one to get out of.
Its policy holders are its most impla-
| cable critics, and its insurance is lapsing
| by the tens of millions. You are also
occupied in writing applications for poll
cics which YOU know will meyer be paid
for when issued, for the purpose of
swelling the statement of business in
| Vermont nlS0l.
All this is in accord with New
| York Life tactics, Hon. A. L. Childs, sand
! your zeal therein is truly commendable.
But you are troubled with a watery fluX
of words and slight constipation of
ideas, Hon. A. p. Childs Would 1t not
| be wise to administer an opiate to your
wagging tongue and an active cathartic
to your troubled brain, for the fact is you
do talk too much and say too little IT, be
| specially interesting, Hon. A. p. Childs.
| | commend this bit of disinterested adj
vice to your kind consideration, Hon. A.
| p. Childs, and subscribe myself
Yours soothingly,
L. p. NORTON.
Bennington, Vt, January 18th, 1892.
North Bennington.