Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-07
WHAT MR., BENEDICT SAYS
About the Dental Operation Per-
formed Upon Mr.. Cleveland

Setting at Rest Sensational Reports--Why
Two Teeth We're Pulled Instead OF
One--Thc Presidents Ability at Crib
bage and Fisiling--He Beat Mir. Bene-
dict Every Game OF cribbage They
Played--His skill at Fishing.
New York World, Tuesday.
Banker =. @. Benedict, the cloee per-
sonal friend of President Clevelond made
statement yesterday to representative
of the World regarding the occurrences
aboard the steam yacht Oneida July LIST
last. Mr.. Benedict has. heretofore. re-
manned silent on the subject. To oil in
quiries concerning the President and the
operation which was said TO haye been
performed upon him on board the Oneida,
Mr.. Benedict has heretofore answered that
he had nothing to say.
"Too much has been said and printed
about this matter" said Mr.. Benedict yes
terday. ''If the same operation that wae
performed upon President Cleveland hac
been performed upon you or rue, not one
word would have been said, written or
printed about it. The whole thing didn't
amount to enough to be talked about. The
President wants to have the matter
dropped, and / and his other friends don't
like to hear any more about it," Then
an operation was performed?p asked the
reporter. Eyes, there was, If you call It
SUCH" was Mr.. Benedict's answer. "Will
you please tell why this operation was
| performed aboard the Oneida?" asked the
reporter.
Benedict land, since 1t was necessary to
| pull one of the Presidents teeth, we con-
| Guided to have it done aboard the yacht,
where there was perfect quiet and where
| there was fresh air and good light in
| plenty. Rather than to sit down in an old
dentists chair in a little office in town, on
a hot summers day, the President came
aboard my boat, and there's all about
| that
'How was the operation performed"
Il don't know" said Mr.. Benedict; Il
wasn't there"
but you were aboard the Oneida at
that time" said the reporter"
''Yes, was"
And the operation was performed while
the Oneida was cruising in the Sound, Ut a
moderate speed, and while directly of this
point2
THAT is right" said Mr.. Benedict. Mr..
Benedict was asked for further details
WELL" he said, sat first they removed
one tooth. That's all, think, they wanted
to.pull. Then, think, piece of the jaw
bone came away, and the second tooth
had to be extracted Mr.. Cleveland stooC
the operation very well.p
ut has heen printed" said the reporter
THAT the President was put to bed aftel
the operation had been performed, ant
that he slept for 50 hours. Is that true?"
"All bosh,n replied Mr.. Benedict. mo
a word of truth in that. Why, let me tel
you this, and you can judge for yoursel
: whether there can be any truth in such
report. played cribbage with the Presi
dent the same evening. l have the reeort
t of every days games we played aboard tn
3 yacht now. We played every day, an
: the Prudent never missed meal"
/ did you beat the President playin
! cribbageP' asked the reporter.
mo, indeed" was the reply. "He bea
Q beat me badly. too. Now, l hope" cor
S tinued Mr.. Benedict, that this will Sc
everybody at ease. want to say that tn
!. President never was in better health tina
. els to-day. The talk about his hayin
:, Bright's disease, cancer and goodnes
!. knows what, is all rot. You should sc
u the man as saw him since that time 20
!. speak of, standing in the boat two houi
s before sunrise with fishing rod in b
hand and with that powerful right arm
|. his casting line. have seen the Pres
dent stand in the boat all day long an
" fish to his hearts content. And the peop
say that he is sick man. l hope yor
) health or my own health is as perfect b
day as is the. health of the Presiden
Could sick man go through all this exc
# else in an open boat all day. long? Y
70 went fishing, and we hauled out "A b
, than five pounds, and the President pc
sonally caught half OF the lot.i
u Mr.. Benedict said that the false repor
81 concerning the President and his heal
r had been of the greatest annoyance bo
a. to the President and to his friends.