Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-05-28
N E w P o X +,
Saturday, May 2S, 1903.
RUTLEDGE'S LETTERS.
WILDER'S AFRIDAYyr.

brought forth, deierves---a certain degree OF al.
teniion. William X. Wilder fweass, II the cer-
tihcate OF q. Hazard is worthy Of credit, " That
" iince the year eighteen hundred, he has con-
family had for isle, and has been telling, a,
4" his bookstore in Newport, large fupplles OF
" hot preGed paper, bearing the water mak,
L. Stains, I7eo." To underaanc this afii-
davi, correctly, il 10 neceifary TO inier the word
long, before the word fnce--becsuie that, in fad,
Wilder never had, nor ever fold paper OF the
deicription mentioned. until the latt winter, that
is, until lang faee 1900. Whether it is intend.
ed chat the affidavit mould be undeIitood in the
fenfe which we give. or whether il is meant TO
impoie on the public this ialhty, to Wit. that
Wilder had for iaie, in Newport, paper Gmiiar
to that on which the Geffroy letters were writ
ten, at and before the time when thole letters
were written, AoguR 1T, and 9TH 1901, we un-
equivocally declare that Wilder had not for fale
in his ibop o. fore the kisd of paper in quei-
ton, neither in Aug. 1901, when the Gcfry-
letters we're written, nor in July Soz, when the
Robert 7. Smifb letter was writtcn 10 Calender,
nor previous 30 the publication of the tsyge,is |;
and that he ha, had lcch paper only yfute the
diicovety and expoiure OF The guilt OF Katledge.
The paper which Wilder row fells is hot
prefied, water mark'd L. Stains I7eo-,he
congregational paper in 500 was hot preGed,
bearing the fame water mark-the Gefffoy- let
ters are on hmilar papcr-0nd rather Hpf0,fn-
nSfey jor Rxtledge, The paper on uVbieb be pUvots
,ypediug bu J,ieadf CbampIn and Onn. 10 tbe
b,iriy Of fbe .Inyors, bas ibe 4oatey marx, II.
BLatkaveH 1897, qobieb bappem 10 be tbe paper
on uObeb be sDr0,e. in 1859 y 1900, 10 t4vs Of
bis fben frien9s in AeqVp0rt, and has tbs Jane
4vaftr hnes and marks. To fwcar away ,heie
lines and marks, fomc "rcipettable merchant"
and " principal aationer" of Philadelphia mutt
be produced.
The truth is, that, fome time after the pub
lication of the Geftoy- letters, 10 1904, two
gentlemen, one of Providence (R. I.) the othet
of CharIeaon Is. c. induced by a deiire to diff
cover the real author OF the letters, whomtoever
he might be, examined the hand writing care
fully, and on examination of the kind of paper
ALTO, obferved the quality and water marks
they called, Immediately, at the flores of the
different fationers in Newport, to inquire for
and purchaie paper Of the fame quality & marks,
but none could be procured, fbOagb tbe inqaiy
1vas mSde ar Wider's, who now, it ieems,
fweats he has eoraanty had for fale, fnce 500,
the hot prelIed paper. bearing the water mark
T. Stains 1899. The two gentlemen would
have been happy to have difcovered any
circunaance favorable to Rutledec, but they
dilcovered the paper to be Congrellional-
a circumRsucc which, 1vifb ofberf infinitely
mors f,0rg, muR have operated on their minds
to perfect conviction of his guilt. We think it
duty incumbent upon them to make known
to the world the anfwer given to their inquiries
at Wilder's ihop-and we think it the duty Of
other gentlemen, who inquired at Wilder's
about the fame time, and before il was general
ly known on what paper the Geffroy letters
we're written, TO come forward with the anfwers
received by them. Thus will the public be
enabled TO undefaand WilGer's affidavit. Ii
would a0ia us in unfolding the meaning of Wild
er's affidavit, ii thoic who have afcertained from
his under-agenu the tine when the T. Stains
paper firR, to wit, laf winter, made its appear
ance in Wilders fore, would declare it, in print.
We know that the public mind muit be difsuaed
With Rutledge and his crimes, but juaice de.
mands iacri6ces Of individual feeling in the fup-
port of truth and conviction Of great offenders,
againR both the divine and human laws. Be.
iides, there is no probability of a trial at law,
TO which invitations have been 70 often repeated,
and coniequeutiy tbc whole truth mutt be told
in the public papers-asd exgbt 10 ebe Told.
The truth has prevailed, and will prevail, faLt
oafbs nof7vifSaOndisg and this confederation
ought TO encourage thofe who have almoft def
paired when contemplating the facility with
which falfc afidavts have been Manufactured
daring the conteA.