The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-24
Replies to His Traducers by
q Recital of His Career.
MANLY STRUGGLE FOR SUCCESS.
Orphaned and Poverty-Stricken He
Fought Against Heavy Odds.
When Prosperity Rewarded His Honest
and Earnest Efforts He Paid His
Debts With Interest-Plain Facts Re.
fute His Enemies Lies.

To the Edn0r:
was born in Barker plantation. Penob-
scot county, Me-. on October 4, 1850. When
/ was about 81. years old my father was
accidentally drowned in the Mattawam-
keag river, leaving my mother in poverty
with three children; a brother four years
Older than myself and & younger sister.
MY mother remained single until l was
about 8 years old, when she remarked. l
lived at home unit! | was IN my l4th year.
when. because of a disagreement with my
stepfather. and with my mothers consent,
| left home and went to work on the farm
of Eliphalet Morse, about two miles from
the place where my mother lived. | had
been there but short time when Joshua
Russell, one of the neigh boring farmers,
enlisted in the army. AT the request of
his wife l went to reside with her. and
during her husbands absence worked for
my board and clothing on the farm. at
tending the country school during the
school season. which was brief one.
After Mr.. Russeli's return from the war
I went to work for Francis Butterfeld,
then and now residing at Danforth. Me.
At that time Mr.. Butterfield kept gen.
eral merchandise store, and part of my
taking care of his stable and garden. For
this service he paid Ine SIS per month.
During the school season worked for my
board and attended the village school. l
never had a dollar from Mr.. Butterfield
for which l did not render him faithful
and honest service. remained with him
until was in my seventeenth year, when,
in the spring of 1867, engaged in farm
work for Elisha Gilpatrick, whose farm
was near Danforth. While with Mr..
Gilpatrick. Mr.. J. B. Foss, whose eldest
son, Fred Foss, now resides in Snoho-
mish county. this state, recommended
me to the firm OF Stewart & Wood
cock, as being competent to take
charge of their general merchandise
store at South Weston, in Aroostook
county. l remained with that firm about
three and one-half years. During the
time of my service with them my brother,
in company with l.. 0. Dudley, under the
firm name of l.. o. Dudley Il Co., engaged
in the merchandise business at Danforth
and became active competitors for the
trade of Stewart & Woodcock. But not
withstanding this fact / remained with
Stewart & Woodcock for more than one
and one-half years aftes the firm of L. O.
Dudley d Co. began business, and until I
voluntarily resigned my position to take
an interest with my brother, who in the
meantime had purchased the interest of
his partner in the business conducted by
them.
My brother and myself did business
under the firm name of McGraw Bros.
and for some years we were prosperous:
but during the financial panic and hard
times beginning in 1873 and continuing
through 1876 We became EN- barrassed and
lost all We had. After We became embar-
rassed spent several months in irving to
make an arrangement with our creditors
by which we might continue in business.
but was unable TO do so. We thereupon
flied voluntary petition in bankruptcy.
thereby surrendering to our creditors
everything that We possessed. My brother
and family and myself and family occu-
pied the same house, which we owned.
and everything that we had was owned
in common. SO that We were entitled
to no exemptions under the state law.
When all our effects were taken charge of
by the assignee in bankruptcy we were
absolutely penniless.
remained at my old home long enoueh
l.
ton of our business affairs. meanwhile
working for time on the farm of John
Moore. in Bancroft, Ne, for 81 a dav
With the money so earned and $50 bor-
rowed from Mrs. Snow. now Mrs. Hilton.
residing IN Holton, Me-, for which gave
her my note payable on demand and draw
ing interest at 6 per cent per annum. |
came on an emigrant train to San Fran.
cisco, and for about four and one-half
months drove a street car on Mission
street for the City Railroad Comnanv
After our failure and while in Maine GOT
trusted for $40 worth of groceries bv tbs
firm OF Babb Il Lancaster, Of Bangor. who
were among our creditors at the
time of our failure. | also had a
credit with Dole & Fogg, furniture dealers
in the same city, with which to furnish a
room for myself and wife. These sumsI
had agreed TO pay from my first earnings
on the Pacific coast. i arrived in San
Francisco with Sl0i, the only money had
III the world, and after being there four or
five days | went to the postoffice and
bought two postal orders for $50 each and
sent one of them TO Babb & lancaster and
the other TO Dole & Fogg, thus leaving
myself with only s. and owing more than
that amount for my hotel bill
On December 2s, 1876, | arrived in this
city. which has ever since been nv home
There are hundreds of people in this state
several Of them residing in the city Of Sc.
attic and IN King, Snohomish and Skar,t
counties, who have known Inc from early
boyhood, and who can vouch for the en-
tire truthfulness of this statement.
think / wss here nearly five years before I
repaid Mrs. Snow the m0ney borrowed
from her. She was in comfortable cir
cumstances and therefore had no unaasi-
ness about the matter. Wben was able
10 spare II, however, / reckone.l the inter
est at IN per cent. per annunI, Instead of
per cent. as the note called fo~, and sent
her draft for the entire amount.
Ny mother always told me that my
father spelled his name NeGro,r
The Ledqer article published this morn
ing - mass of rnisstatements from be-
ginning To end. and / am informed bv a
friend living at Danforth. Ne. hat il was
procured by a man connected with a
Boston detective agency. searching not
for truth but for falsehood.
J. Fl. AcGRAw.
Seattle. October q.