, 1892-09-01
M'GRAW AGAIN.
A Denial and a Very Positive
Interview

what a Citizen of Maine says OF the
Record of John II. McGraw in
Washington County, OF That
state, sixteen years Ago.
SEATTLE, September John H. Nc
Graw, when shown the article in THE
TRIBUNE Of Wednesday relative to his citi-
zenship, said; "This is simply absurd.
am a native of Barker Plantation, Penob-
scot county, Maine, and / was born there
on October l. 1880 My parents never
lived in New Brunswick. The dispatch
bears on the face of it evidence that it was
manufactured in Olympia out of whole
cloth. On Friday, August 18th, there APP
peared in the Post.Intelligeneer a sketch
of my life. In this the fact is mentioned
that was born at Barker Plantation. The
writerof THE TRIBUNE article has evidently
confounded Barker Farm in Washington
county with Barker Plantation in Penob-
scot county.
I'm Maine there are township organiza-
tions and also plantation organizations.
The latter form Of organization is used
where the population is too sparse for
township organization. The Barker plan
tation, where ] was born, Is one Of the
plantation organizations. Il is located in
the timber regions of Maine, where the
population is still sparse. This mistake
as / said before, leads me to believe that
the dispatch was made up Of whole cloth
in Olympia. j am confident no infOrma-
ton has been received from Danforth, Me-,
as there are a number of persons there who
know of my birth and life up to the time /
left there.
"Now as to the statement that went to
Baker Farm, Washington county, to get
the court there to naturalize me. ! left
Maine on the 9th of July, 1876, and have
never been nearer TO Maine than the CITY
Of New York since that time. As to my
fathers naturalization, 1 know nothing
about that. My father died when l was
two and half years of age, and there
fore, do not know whether he was natural
lied or not. Before / left Maine ] voted
and held Office. ] was appointed justice Of
the peace and quorum by the goyernOrand
MY commission was for seven years. 1t
had not run out at the time ] left Maine.
II had not been a citizen / could scarcely
have done this in a place where / was so
well known. / was sheriff Of King county
for eight years and my citizenship was
never questioned. Il is ridiculous to have
It questioned at this late day. am a ma
tive of the United States and / am proud
of the great land Of my birth"
WHAT CITIZEN OF MAINE SAYS.
"Did you know John II. McGraw i'm
Mainep asked a TRIBUNE reporter of for
mer citizen Of Maine now residing in this
city.
a did, !" was the reply.
him z"
"He resided at Danforth, in the northern
part Of Washington county, near the Baker
place. now called Eaton. He and his
hrothors hoDt eioiro fliarq.ond made a disae-
trous fsflure OF it, A good many farmers
and others suffered from this failure and
John McGraw left the country sixteen years
ago."
do you know whether Mr. McGraw was
born in Maine or not2"
"NO. He was looked upon as of foreign
birth while living in Maine"
How far is Penobscot county from Dam
forth ?"
"Only a short distance"
"DO you know any Of the men who suf-
fered through McGraw's failure p'
"Yes; Joel POss, John Wetherbee and
E. Morse can give Information relative to
the matter, think. BY consulting with
those gentlemen, you could undoubtedly
obtain all the information desired. If these
parties and others around DanfOrth will
give the true facts about Mr.. McGraw it
will make exceedingly interesting reading
for the voters Of Washington. II his
victims fail to give the facts ] will myself
make detailed statement for publication"
Nj. McGraw in his denial gives no proof
of his birth I'm Maine, and the P.-I. sketch
Of his life TO which Mr.. McGraw refers,
does not locate him in Maine from the
time of his alleged birth IN that state until
his leaving IL for San Francisco % years
afterward. 1t says, however he failed as a
never been nearer Maine than New York
since he left there l0 years ago.