The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-03-23
The Davenport libel suit against

The Davenport libel suit against
the editor of this paper, that has been
kept in court for over six years and
was set for trial at this term, has been
settled and is now out of court. The
conditions of settlement were that the
defendant pay the plaintiff his costs,
amounting to $3.50, and make the fol-
lowing publication:
Several years ago we published an
article attacking c. H. Davenport of
Brattleboro in some of the tenderest
relations of life, for which we were in
dicted and fined at the time, and for
which a civil action was also institu-
ted which has since hung along in the
courts for one reason and another.
Immediately after the first publica-
ton, and after we had been arrested,
we published retraction which, in
general terms, admitted the falsehood
of the charge but did not cover the
ground as it should in showing its ut
ter baselessness.
The charge, as published by US, re-
lated to Mr.. Davenport's first mar
riage, aud the death of his wife only
two months later and insinuating that
there was something wrong about it
that it was due to his "vileness. ;"
The story was not only false hut
there was never any reason for beliey-
ing it to be true, as the facts turn out
to be, and as we would have found
them to be if we had made any suffi-
cient investigation at the time, and in
justice to the memory of sweet and
pure woman whose memory we deep
ly wronged, we wish to state the truth
fully. She died from tubercular con,
sumption after two years of illness.
She was first attended by DR.. Geo. P.
Twitchell, of Keene, being taken
there while attending school and
boarding at her sisters, and after re-
turning home by DR.. Geo. f. Gale
and DR.. H. D. Holton of Brattleboro
and DR.. Daniel Campbell Of Sax
tons River. All these physicians as
scrt positively that there not only was
no cause for any such charge as we
made but no reason for anybody to
suppose there was. She was married
with full knowledge that death was
near in the hope of adding something
of happiness to her last days.
Under the circumstances Mr.. Dav-
export cannot be blamed for feeling
it deeply that such aspersions should
be cast on her memory.
| Our foundation for the story was
an article that appeared in the Mont
pelier Argus which we supposed re-
ferred to Davenport, but no names
were mentioned in it, and itcontained
no reason for supposing that it refer
red to him. In fact, the Argus after
ward voluntarily said, in commenting
on this case that it did not. We act
ed on the supposition that it did, be-
cause we heard some gossip to that
effect, but we are now satisfied that
that gossip originated very largely
from an article which we published,
In July, 1883, seven months before
the final libel in which VIC said that
Hiram Atkins was not the only man
whose "pigeon holes were full Of evl.
dence" of Dayenport's wrong doing,
and which caused people to connec,
the Argus publicatlon with him anC
furnished the only basis had for sup
posing SO.
!. Following is statement from hel
mother:
Williamsville, Mar. IA, '94.
Mr.. Davenport and Eva had been en-
gagged about a year, when during a stay
of few weeks in Keene she was attacked
with severe form of diptheria whicl
left her with a hacking cough and tn
germs of that fatal disease, consumption
which caused her death nearly two year
ater. During the engagement her mothe
was--as every good mother should be-
her best friend, to whom she told he
loves, her hopes and aspirations for he
future husband, and their married life Il
the happy home she anticipated. An,
during her illness, whenever he proposed
the marriage, that he might be more con
stantly with her, and care for her, sh