The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-07-18
MAYOR GALE TRIES
TO EXPLAIN HIS
DIFFICULTY
Mayor of North Adams Accused of
Trading in City Offices
AND NOT PAYING HIS BILLS
Long Statement Made by the Mayor
in Which the Accuses John Ma
gems of Being Boss.

ANOllu AudllOt Ouig 10 Avn VI NAN
ans disgraceful scandal in connec-
ton with the mayors Office was par
TALLY aired in the local papers last
night when Mayor John w. Gales
statement was printed:
His story of the last municipal
campaign, his dealings with Attorney
John Il. Magenis, before and after
the election, as wells as the history of
his estangement from Magenis, are
told in the interview which Mayor
Gale released for publication last
evening. The substance of Mayor
Gales story is to the effect that he
was approached by Magenis soon af-
ter he had been nominated for mayor
by the democrats, and that he had
been assured of support from Magenis
and his friends.
The mayor says that Magenis at
this meeting old him he expected to
raise a campaign fund of about $500
and that this would be contributed by
the Conway brewing company of Troy
N. Y, whom he is alleged to have said
was to give $500. 4 man named
Casey at North Adams, whose first
name was not mentioned, was put
down for $500 in the conversation,
and there was talk that "the boys"
were to be asked to give $25 or $50
each If they could stand it.
Gales story is to the effect that
he promised to appoint former Mayor
f. d. Stafford license commissioner
in view of this promised support, and
in view of the fact that he thought
Stafford would make a good man for
the place. He says he knows moth
ing about whether or not any of the
money referred to as a campaign
fund was raised or spent, and has
seen no evidence of It, He also said
that all the money he personally had
during the campaign was something
like SIT, which he accounted for in
his campaign expense statement.
Many conferences regarding ap
pointments other than that of license
commissioner are referred to in the
statement and Mayor Gale says that
the trouble between him and Magenis
started when it leaked out that he
had appointed DR.. Stafford to the
license board before II had been in
tended to let the public know about
ii. This brought about some public
criticism that he did not like, Tn,
mayor says, and he demanded, accort
ing to his story, that Stafford re
turn to him the appointment that hat
not yet been recorded. DIR. Stafiort
had not qualified or taken the oatl
of office when this situation arose, h,
said. This really started the trouble
between him and Magenis. the mayo
says, and he stated that Magenis dc
manded that Stafford be announces
authoritatively as the appointee. Gal
says he refused to do this and late
appointed John +. Sullivan upon re
cciving assurances that DR.. Staffor
would give up his claim to the al
pointmeni.
The feeling became acute betwee
them, Gale says, when the matter G
reapponting City Bookkeeper Sull
van came up for consideration. Nh
genis is put in the position by tn
mayor OF objecting to the renamin
of Sullivan and urging the appoin
ment of anyone else. Sullivan wa
reappointed and since that time Gal
says he and Magenis have not bee
politically intimate. Magenis shol
time ago prosecuted Gale In poe
debtor proceedings and Gale In hi
interview claims that the suit wa
inspired by desire to eliminate hin
politically rather than by other re-
sons. He proceeds to give man
reasons for this belief and the test
mony taken at the hearing with III
newspaper mon covers % typewri
ten pages. There has been much 4
torest In the affair in North Adam
and the release of the intervie
which was given last Friday eyenin
has been keonly awaited.