The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-10
B. r. Hamilton Proved the False
ness Of Charges Preferred.
THAT HE HAD INsULTED THE
FRENCH CITIZENS OF BIDDEFORD
The French Voters at This Meeting Testi
fed to Their Belief and Admiration for
Mr.. Hamilton. and as a Political Dodge
tho Affair winlCost Many Democratic
Votes
(srecialsto the PREss.)


Biddeford, September 9.-An immense
crowd, largely made up of French people.
was present at the jointdebate at the Opera
House Saturday night between Lawyer B.
F. Hamilton, and ex- City Solicitor Read
Mr.. Hamilton effectually proved that he
made no reference. disparaging or other
wise. to the French people in his Water
boro speech. Reproduced afidavits which
give the lie direct to his acousers, and MIR.
Readswas left in a humiliatings and pitiable
position, for to these afidavits, fatty con-
tradicting his statements, he could make no
reply.
Mr.. Read, who has been aiding and asst
ing the Biddeford Standard in its misguided
partisan attacks upon Mr.. Hamilton, was
challenged by the latter to the joint debate.
and to the surprise of everybody accepted.
Mr.. Hamilton opensd and denied the charge
m ade in the STANDARD that he had said the
French were filthly." He denied having
even mentioned the French in his Water
boro speech.
Mr.. Read folloyadl After the publication
of the original article In the Standard .and
its immediate denial by the Republican
papers, he and Standard reporter had
driven to WATERFORD. Heidi not claim that
they found any one who heard Mr.. Hamil-
ton ..sssay the French were filthy but he
did name number. whom he said told him
Mr.. Hamilton had mentioned the French
people in way that had surprised them.
although most of the people he saw did not
claim that they had attended the meeting
themselves. I% s las
Mr.. Read made a a-vood argument. but all
that he said had been published in the
Standard the day hBfore. and Mr.. Hamil-
toms friends had lBeen teSN Naterboro with
copy of the papeSHand hadsseen these men
whom Mr.. Read And the Standard claimed
to quote. II
Mr.. HamiI ton came forward in reply to
Mr.. Read. and was, RECEIVED with great ap-
plause. He said he wd4Id put James Hill on
the witness stand. Mayor Hamilton stood
afidavit Of James Hill. sworn to before
Curtis S. CARL OF WATERFORD, justice of the
peace: 8Ms
To the public: The statement in the Bid
deford Standard of the September Tth issue.
in which / am reported as saying, s'You
have the facts RS they are, in the article
headed. ssAre Herdsd Togethef.', is an
absolute falsehood.
{signed) JAMES HILL.
asNow,.' shouted Mr.. Hamilton, who lies,
James Hill or Mr.. Read?'
fs'Read! Read 70 came the shout from
the audience that was heard two blocks
sway.
Fred McKenney of WATERFORD said in his
affidavit that. he did not make any such
statements to Charles T. Read of @. H.
Leslie as appeared in the Standard of Sep
tember Z. He also made oath that Mr.. Ham
iIton did not meDtion the French people in
his speech. Frank. .Rdherts made oath
to the same thing.
Mr.. Read had said THAT he had converse
tion with John s. Sanborn. assistant post
master of Waterboro. who said he had heard
Mr.. Hamilton say ssthe French herded to-
gether like cattle. But Mr.. Hamilton had
an AFFIDAVIT from Mr.. Sanborn'in which he
absolutely denied having said any such
thing. and took oath that so much Of the
article referring to him in the STANDARD
was an absolute falsehood With the read
ing of these afidavits, Mr.. Hamilton rested
his case. All that Mr.. Read had in reply
was weak aridavit from George A. Shaw,
a Biddeford man, who had been the Stand
ards original informant in the case. Mr..
Hamilton was decidedly on top and the
Democrats have certainly not strengthened
themselves with the French people here.