The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-27
Turner's Part Tn Raising
 Dough" Ks Merely Lark
t-ontinped froTa Paee ID


 he was correctly quoted in stating that he did not consider his position a political one. Asfin you are mis- taken, MT. Leeds. for the writer never sent Mir. Ballard to see Mir Catlin, and further, MT. Ballard did not call on. MT. Catlin regarding a campaign con trabutIon.
 N ssI regret exceedingly that the lam guage used by me in my former let ter is distasteful to you but 1t IS be- cause of nay interest in the Repuhn- can party that called your attention, and again call your attention to the gross errors you made in your state ments regarding this matter.
 ssReferring to the copy of MT. Cat lin,s letter to you, he states that. in for a contri button. and that he de- cided to give nothing If MT Catltn will take the trouble to look up on the books of the treasurer of the Re publican party, MT, " F. See1ey, he will find that he contri buted $10s he is 90 credited I might add that at the time this was brought in. T had to report that Mr. CatI1n gave with such ill grace, and had told ne he ceuld not afford it. was told to return it. but. feeling that al not care td embarrass him by returning it. accepted it. iturning 1t into the tr sasnrer, where 1t is redited to him, and has been since 1912
 Again regret the necessity 3f ta alxfng this matter ? with you and admire the light you have made for ybur friend. but am sorry that 1t lead you into making statements that J Eeel called upon, as chaarFnan of he Repnblfcan town cprnmittee, to rafllte. regret that cannot ohlfge you, by iii any way retracfing my former statement, and will add that so far as sI am concerned, the incident is clos ed.ss
 Ezaat Turner says.
 Jar1es Tsrners letter to City clerk J Alexander Fl Robinson, chair man of the Reppblican town coinuiit- tee in which he admits the charge of Of the board of contract and supply for q $100 contrfbutions reads:
 fsI have read with considerabfe aanusenent both the letter of Norman Leeds to you, under date Of T une 26s 1s14.s and the letter of George Gat1 find little truth in either shave nown Mir. CatIin for over twenty years. but never until now have I ap- preciated how strong is his ilnagina tfon. and how weak his memory.
 s4ATr Leeds denies that member .of the fnance committee was deIegated |to see MT. CatIln. was member Eof the finance committee and was re- auested to place MT Catlinss name on my list He further says that Mir Catlin sent his check by naail sard MT Catlin adds that he received no ac-s acknowledgement for several weeks. Now. the facts of this matter are these:
 fsAfter several unsuccessfuI attempts T finally met MT. Catlin late one af- ternoon. told him was a member of the finance conalmitfee, and that if he 1res to the campaign fund. should be very pleased to receive 1t. MT. Catlins said that he was not holding political position and agreed with him. and told him that less than 10 per cent Of the contributions which I had re- scefvea had come from those holding tpo1itfcal positions. The money raised X to hnance campaigns comes only in Epart from those holding political posi- tions and in all these cases, the con- taibutions are entirely voluntary. and actuated by public spirit. A large number Of contribu tons comes from public spirited. citizens, who have ss deep interest in the welfare of their city and party, and I had placed him, among that class Of citizens.
 After quite a lengthy chat. Mfr Cat-s lin took his check book and drew. in my presence a cheek for s15. Being a little surprised at the amount | asked him if he could not make l,se
 
 he had an unusual number of ex- pensez which he was suddenly called upon to meet. and said that he could hardly afford to contribute the amount lthat he did.
 .I took his check, and left him, thanking him for it.
 That very same evening. at meet ing of the finance committee. I turn ed over Mir. Catiins cheek with oth- CTS. MT Catlin's cheek was com view with MT. Catlin and that this was all he could afford to give, adding that the Lord would never pick out MT. Catlin as one of his cheerful givers. It was the unanimous opinion of the committee. that under the circs1m- stances we should not deprive MT. Cat lin of his $15, but rather return his check. l
 "A day or two following this meet ing. went into MT. Catlin's of1ice, and he being apparently busy, and I hay ling but little to say to him, laid his check upon his desk. telling him that the committee had decided to return 1 1t to him. He asked why, and told him that the committee did not feel they ought to accept his contribution, 1 if this was all he could afford to give. He asked how much I thought he ought to contribute. T jokingly said, ''Oh, about $500" He pushed his check toward me with the remark that he did not feel he could afford to give any more and suggested that I take it. replied that I would leave it with him. and let him think it over, and when he had decided what he wished to contribute, to send his check di- rectly to the committee.
 'sAs Mir. Catlin drew his check ir
 my hpresence, and he says the check is dated October soth, assume that this is the day called upon him. As the election was held November 4th and his cheek was returned to him be- fore election, his statement that 1t was several weeks before he received any acknowledgements is reduced to a very few days
 That Mir Catlin mailed his check 10 the committee. that he waited sew era1 weeks for an acknowI Isdgement