The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-11


say all he knew about the matter, which, however,
he added, was little.
"You signed the petition, !" said the HERALD re
porter.
eyes" ~ .fI
"You notice the words in consideration OF the
unholy means employed. = To whom or TO what
does that REFER also the phrase such as the cor
rupting influences OF money have not touched'Yn
Mr. sTErsoN-To the Best OF my belief these
phrases refer to the money which has been
PAID TO MRS. PUTNAM
to give her name TO the letter asking for commu.
tation OF sentence for Foster
"Do you know that money has been paid to Mrs.
Putnam for the use OF her namer'
IL have no doubt that it has. And yet it has
siinpiy come by nearsay to me, though it is a
matter OF notoriety TO many Of u.s..
"And what is the source Of this information 2''
at comes from Mr. Allen, whose name is signed
to the petition. Mr.. Covert, who occupies the
store at NO. 6S Pearl street. formerly used by the
murdered Putnam, has been circulating This petit
ton around, and has been very active in getting
names. He drew it up, and has shown great. IN
terest in the matter lie told me that Mr.. Allen
had distinctly told him that Mrs. Putnam had had
overtures made to her some time ago to put her
name to petition, and at taat time the offer made
she refused to do, ind then the proposition OF CIV
ing her $4,000 was made. Al this time she, IL ap-
pears, consulted with Mr.. Allen, VINO is some rela-
tive or hers. / understand that even the
FIFTEEN THousAxD DOLLARS WAS REFUSED,
but at al events TIE bargain was finally consum.
mated at omething between $4,000 and 81, ooo."
as Mrs. Putnam so poor that IL was necessary
Tor her to take this money ~ I ffNr
There is no doubt that she IS In very needy Cir
cumstanccs and that she has no small difficulty in
supporting herself Putnam was a man who did q
small business, ana Just did about enough to sup
MOI a
not able to put anything by, and wnen he died his
widow, believe, had al she could do to support
"You have then no positive knowledge that
money has been used to buy Mrs. Putnam TO petit
"a have enough knowledge TO be thoroughly con-
WINGED and to have signed the petition IN conse-
M rs and SIC IS M
"But,n broke Ia the reporter, .'Mr. Allen, when
questioned about the matter by aERALDreporter,
statements he SO freely made before"
THAT seems TO- me very surprising, as It Is noto-
riOuS that Mr.. Allen has courted publicity TO his
statements and has made them very freely. The
matter is no secret among on the street, and 1t
was on the assurance That it was true that we
signed the petition. ] myself would like the Gov
ernor 10 know that the influences that were
brought upon the widow OF the murdered man have
been 5000 sA- I.s e.--n
SOMETHING MORE POTENT
than mere sentimental ones. The idea Of the Pc
tlon originated from the article in the HERALD
lew days since, which. after. urging the Governor
not to reprieve Foster, ended by saying that OF all
the documents presented to him the only one OF
any force or bearing was that in which the widow
OF the murdered man sued for the life OF the muir
derer We wished then to show that tins docu
ment was not so strong aud so disinterested as it
appeared upon the surface and that, seeing 1t was
SO paid for. no great amount OF Importance could
pareny It now
lies with the Governor, after we present the pc
tion to say how much weight her letter must
bring All we wanted to do was to show the facts
The reporter here left Mr.. stctson and called
upon Mr.. w. X. Preston, at No. u West Forty Eight
street. Mr.. Preston was in bed and the HERALD
reporter was shown up into his room.
When told about the petition having reached the
reluctance to have his name Identified with it, He
said he supposed It was SIMPLY a petition to the
.'on what grounds did you sign the petluon9"
asked the HERALD reporter.
''simply because / believed that the Governor
had been unduly
INFLUENCED BY PETITIONS
and letters In favor OF the prisoner. thought
that 1t was very well for him consider the ques-
tons OF law In the matter, but to go outside OF
these. II after Governor Dix looks over the case
sion that Foster had better be reprieved l shall
have nothing to say. but it was SIMPLY on these
grounds that ] signed the petition, and without
any idea that 1t was to be made publicn
"You have no doubt, observed the strong IAN
guaRe OF the petition you siCnedY' said the
HERALD reporter. "rhus, In consideration OF the
unhoy means employed to defeat the ends OF JUS
tice; land again. such as the corrupting influences
OF money have not touched"
'Ths Is very strong language" reioined Mr..
Preston Every strong, and il had noticed it when
the petition was put before me would MOI nave
'.Do YOU mean to say you signed it without look
II Just cursorily glanced over 1t, you know, but
did not take in its spirit"
''You have heard Of the charges which have been
made about Mrs. Putnam's name being paid for ~
Yes, | have heard remarks of something Of the
kind but don't know anything about them "
"4And yet 1t is acknowledged that this is what the
petition armed at by using the language it does.
Did you know that ~
,.'Well, as tell you, did not know or understand
r TIE OBJECT OF THE PETITION
was, and signed it on being asked to do So"
"From whom did You hear that Mrs. Putnam had
received money to sign her name to the letter to
General DiX?'
''Ohl heard it from several parties, and be-
nam"
,'And from no one elses"
al am not sure from whom, but heard it from
several But did not know the petition meant all
this"
MIR. Preston again said he hoped his name
would not appear to the petition, and the reporter
He then called upon Mr.. F. W. Leggett of the
firm of A. w. Il F. W. Leggett, produce dealers,
whose names as firm are signed to the petition.
Mr. Leggets said that the petition was signed sI By
brother knew more about it than he did.
.You know, however presume" said the
HERALD reporter, "what the petition refers tor
fers TO the fact of Mrs. Putnam having received
money from the Foster family to sign her name to
the letter.
What do you know Of this transaction ?"
'Mr. Blank, q wealthy man, was the person en-
ployed by the Foster SIDE to negotiate the matter.
Mrs. Putnam was then offered money to give her
name to q letter asking Fosters reprieve.
SHE WENT TO MIR. ALLEN
and asked his advice. Understand he advised her
not to take the money, but II she were TO do it to
ask a good price. She asked whether $4,000 would
be enough, and he SAID the family could as easily
pay $4,000 | believe ii was at this last interview
that Mrs. Putnam allowed her name to be used,
because she showed her disposition to take The
money and dlsregarded Mr.. Aliens ADVICE to re-
fuse it,
this matter w
81 think that very few women would do 1t, and
look on IL as being rather queer OF her to do. But
then, on the other hand she is poor, her husbands
IL