Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-09-04

A POLITICAL TRICK.
PARkHURST's REPLY
TO ATTACK MADE

In q campaign speech al Portland.
Thursday evening. ". Z. Pa.rangaIl
maze an attack on Colonel Parkhurst.
nasing II on a special dispatch from
Washington 10 the New York World.
n which II WAS charged that Colonel
Parhhurst collected money rom The
Government IN settlement OF Claims
and did not settle with sEbcouLrac-
Tors.
colonel IaihauTs1, VINO was speak
ing al South Gardiner, was called up
on the telephone and stated, thai the
attack Was mol surprise 10 MIN al
though ne VAS surprised that MI.
Patlangal attempted 10 make poIitl-
cal capital out OF ~ because several
weeks ago ne received d letter rom
an officer VINO was leavlng the War
Department telling MIN that such an
attack would be made Tor political
purposes.
Continuing. Col. Parkhursr said
thai The statements made were IN
true. hat the issues involved were all
submitted 10 the Secretary of War
several months ago. Secretary
Baker referred the entire subleC1
matter to Col. Arthur O'Brien. one Of
the legal advisers OF the Department
directing nm 10 make q full Investi-
cation. Col. O'Bren arter full in
curry decided that The War Depa1--
ment mad no interest II or control
over tins matter ana directed that 4
departmental ruling 10 mat effect be
made ana later %. 0'BI1en informed
me that Secretary Baker mad APP
proved OF ms findings,
The allowances maze by me War
Department n the adjustment Of our
tsncomplered contracts that were dis
continued after the armlsrlce. were,
We belize ed. insufficient and our re.
quest for q re-openlng of me awards
IS now pending before me depart
nent
There is now actually due Gs rom
the War Department a considerable
balance on account OF goods accepted
ana delivered before the ArmIstlCe
was signed. and on account OF The
unfair settlement Of our contracts.
AT Bangor have documentary
evidence 20 sunstan1late all OF these
statements.
This attack like Candidate Cox
statements about Republican cam
pai-n contributions Is made for poiiu-
cal purposes ana VIII be so regarded.
believe. br the voters Of Maine"
Following Is the Washington dis
natcn n ne New York World. above
referred %
Frederic H Parkhurst. president
OF t:1e J 2 Parkhursr X son Com
pany If Bangor Me and Repupli-
can candidate for GovernorshIp Of
that state. IS in trouble with The
Government over war contracts
He IS accused OF having collected
sonnet hing over 5000 flsm me Gov
eminent on one Of the cancellation
agreements. n excess OF the amount
ne was entitled to. on tho assertion
that this amount mad been pald TO
AUTHORIZATIONS BY MN. or that he
was obligated to them TO this
amount After The Parkhurst claim
had been settled IN fIlIl. the sun
contractors made demand on the
Government for what was coming
20 them. charging mat the Park
hurst company had not paid them.
The War Department. after trying
for a wear 70 get The Pa-knurst
cornpany 10 refund The payment. mas
finally turned the matter over 10 the
Department of Justice.
The Department OF Justice TO-DAY
refused to give any information
about the case. They would not even
state whether civil OF criminal pro
ceeriings were unQeT way. Politics
enters into the case InasmuCn as the
War Department al one stage Of the
proceedings consented 10 deter az
lion until after the primaries. be
cause Mr.. Parkhurst was candi-
date for The Guberrs 1orIal nomIna-
non at these primaries. A state
rnent. at-ri buted 70 Mr.. Parknurst
is TINT the War Department agree
ment TO defer action contemplated
holding up proceedings until after
the election in Maine. which is I'M
rninent. but tins IS denied.
There are two contracts involved,
both Of them for harness and horse
furnishings. The first OF these was
signed IN MAY 1913. and was for
Is. 600 neck straps, costing about
s51. 900. Less than half the neck
etraps were delivered and paid for
bv The time the a,nistice put an end
10 the necessity for more neck
straps.
In making his claim under which
rht, contract was cancelled accord
ing 70 the Dent law the Bangor
]eather manufactures is alleged 10
have included' obligations 70 sub
contractors: Beardrnnre & Co. bal
ance after deduCtinE salvage. s1.535:
y. r. Allen. balance after deduCtinr
salvage. S3S9.25.
After the usual amount Of red tape
the claim was allowed and Lieut..
Col. 4Ioetz Of the Purchasing Division
of the Army approved the brief
Of settlement for $4110, Of which 81
So was for obligations on settlement
with suhcontractors." and the bill
was Maid a wear ago. Just before
the arrnistice. the Government order
ed from Parkhurst 10000 brides at
nriee Of s46S00 No contract was
made on this and. the war being
over. almost immediately none Of
the brides reached the Government.
In June ri last year Mr Parl1hursi
nut n a claim for So $50. and accord