The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-04
Mr.. Plumm9r Writes a Bit of
Interesting History.
TELLS HOW 1T CAME ABOUT
Was Started by a Populist Who
has a Grievance.
HE WANTED TO MAKE a DEAL
But the Democratic vice-Presidential
Candidate Refused to See the
PopuIist and He Got.


AONNNNAANr~A'1
Me-, is continuing his attacks upon the
Hon. Arthur Sewall, but has thus far
neglected to inform the public, before
which il seems to be his pride to pose
daily, of the motives which actuate
him now, and which did actuate him
when he sent throughout the West and
South statements which everyone at
all acquainted with Bath knows to be
false. II may be well to print the fol-
lowing letter, which certainly speaks
for itself:
Auburn, Me-, July II, 1896.
The Hon Arthur Sewall--My. Dear
Sir: I start for ST. Louis as delegate
at-large to the Peoples party National
convention ON Thursday, the 10th, or
Friday, the nth. Maine, Vermont,
Rhode Island, Massachusetts,. New
Hampshire and Connecticut viii all
send fun delegations, ard we all go
together. At this moment am some
what undecided what course TO adopt
in regard 10 the Chicago nominees. Is
Il possible for me 10 see you before
that time2 cannot well leave my busi-
ness here at this time, as / have much
TO do / send you copy Of the Lewis
ton Journal containing an interview
with myself, which viii explain itself.
Please answer immediately. Very
truly yours, /. c. BATEMAN.
Mr.. Sewall did not visit Mr.. Bateman.
A few days later a gentleman from
Mr.. Bateman's home (Auburn) visited
Chairman Hughes of the Democratic
State committee and tried to arrange
for a meeting between Mr.. Bateman,
Mr.. Sewall and Mr.. Hughes, declaring
that such a meeting could bring about
results highly advantageous to all, but
Mr.. Hughes failed TO see how any such
meeting could honorably bring about
any such results, and declined to at
tempt any deal. This was all done
within a week of Mr.. Bateman's de-
parture for the convention.
Then the atmosphere about Mr..
Bateman appears to have maryellously
cleared; he suddenly discovered what
course TO adopt in regard 10 the Chi
cago nominees and, as will be seen
from the files of the Republican and
gold press Of this country (which gem
erouslv gave unlimited space TO this
silver advocate" of Maine he began
exposing ssMy dear Mr.. Sewall" as a
tocratic oppressor of the poor and a
millionaire aristocrat who fattened
upon the blood of labor.
But his charges against Mr.. SewaI,
which charges are practically repro
duced i'm the New York Press article re-
ferred to later, can be met and proven
false with the greatest of ease. The
fact that before these articles were
written the New York Herald had pub
lished a complete sketch of Mr.. SewalPs
life, which sketch was reproduced by
the Boston Journal and other papers,
and commented upon by the local Re
publican press as the first correct ac-
count to appear, shows that Mr.. Bate
man could easily have learned the truth
had he SO desired.
But his utter ignorance of the sub
iect was shown in the opening sentence
of his letter of Aug. 81, so widely pub
lished, where he states that Mr.. Sewall
sis the millionaire president of the
First National Bank of Bath and a di-
rector in several others" Unfortunate
ly for Mr.. Sewall, he is not a million
aire, or anything like it, and has never
had any connection whatever with the
First National Bank of Bath. He is
not director of the great Maine Gem
trail railroad system (which great"
system was practically absorbed by
the Boston and Maine years ago, as
Mr.. Bateman ought TO know and be re-
tired from it's presidency three years
ago.
AS to his universal popularity with
the railroad employees, amy of the men
who served under him will gladly tes-
tify. 'He is a plutocrat by birth, in
stinct and education" says this volu-
BILE gentleman from Auburn. Arthur
Sewall began active life cutting ship
timber In the woods, and his pluto
cratic education" was impaired TO the
sound of the axe and adze, and h1s
robust frame of to-day bears testimony
to the "plutocratic nursing" he recely-
ed in the Thackmatack swamp. Only
last week" continues this imaginative
penman. "a score of granite cutters at
Hallowell were discharged by his or
der because they would not work with
the thermometer at 102 In the shade.
This is such an absurd statement that
it doesn't require refutation. MI. Sc
wall has no connection whatever wlth
the Hallowell granite works or any
other granite works.
In TINS cOn0ecUIOn III may pC NSiA w
copy the following letter written ~ a
prominent Republican of Bath to the
Bath Times:
Bath, Sept. 4, 1896.
To the Editor of the Times: After
reading in the Times of last evening
an article copied from the New York
Press, I feel it my duty to reply.
Having worked for Mr.. Sewall more
or less for the 20 years, it is my opin-
ion that the impressions conveyed by
the article in question, are false in
every particular and gross injustice
to Mr.. Sewall, and ! think a large ma
iority of the people who have beer
employed by Mr.. Sewall during thai
time will bear me out in the assertion
Ny experience with Mr. Sewall i
that he wants good, faithful work, ant
is willing to pay for it.
FRANK A. PALMER.
The Times referred to here is editel
by John o. Patten who has just bee
reelected to the Legislature by the Re
,,,,b1iaauG and his Sipnpd editQr6a