Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1878-12-28
TELEGRAPHIC,
More Light on the Celebrated Aeklon
Scandal,
The Louisiana Congressman Shown
Up in an Unenviable Light.
LOUISIANA.

New ORLEANS, Dec. 27.-The
following was published here:
To the Editor Of the Democrat:
I hand yeu herewith for publica~
ton a synopsis of the evidence
taken before the Acklen Committee,
of which l was a member.
This synopsis was written at the
time for publication, but for a rea-
son I have heretofore stated, and
which then acquiesed it in, was
withheld. have no desire to pursue
Mr.. Acklen, but his action in seek
ing vindication at the hands OF
others has raised an issue of fact
which can only be determined by
submitting the testimony to the
public. If the decision of our
committee is not based on sufficient
testimony, then Mr.. Acklen is
entitled to the benefit of it; if, on
the other hand, it is justified let the
imputation rest where it belongs.
Respectfully, d. b. Penn.
Here follows the statement made
by the committee showing the de-
cision adverse to Acklen' innocence.
| Thev notified Acklen that the decis-
ion would be made public: Ack-
len entreated US not to make this
decision public until after Il m. on
Sunday, the 3Oth inst, in order to
determine, as he said, after more
calm reflection, whether he would
withdraw from the canvass or not.
To this delay we consented for the
purpose he had indicated. Pending
this delay, Acklen secured a ia,
vorable opinion from the second
committee, composed of prominent
Republicans, headed by ex-Gov
Hohan, and late Saturday night
sent this second and favorable opin
ion to the city press for publication
in the Sunday papers. This
extraordinary conduct of Mr.
Acklen's, coupled with the
fact that the second de-
cision was directly opposite to
one we had rendered, though
based on the same evidence, com
pels us to give a brief synopsis oi
the evidence on which we gave oul
decision to show, as we think II
will, that our decision was not die
tated by prejudice or Ill will. Th'
: history of this very shameful affair
; as developed by evidence adducet
during our investigation, is as fol
lows: A column synopsis of testl
! mony follows reciting that Acklel
engaged the girls father to manag'
his plantation. Intimacy sprung
up between the girl and Acklen
: In August, TT, Acklen accom-
! panied the girl and her mother t
: New Orleans and was active in per
: fecting a marriage between the CIR
and the man Wright, who had bee
hostler on his plantation. Fror
Y others we learned that Wright d.
;, serted her in a few days. The gil
, was delivered of an infant in Eel
! '78, and sank lower and lower
/. social life, and died of yellow fevt
: in September.
Two afidavits are then cited, on
alleged to have been signed by tt
girl. favorable to Acklen and d.
+ claring his innocence of any Grim
,s nal intercourse. The affidavit is
d the form of questions and answer
,s before Alfred Ingraham, Notar
h Public, who testified before the cor
a. mittee that one morning Ackle
ly and young woman came to his o
ed fee and presented the affidavit
ed written out and signed, and that
lie only read the caption to learn tn
's. the affiant was the person mention'
n- in the affidavit. Ingraham ask
he the girl if that was her signatur
,r- and that was all he did in the ma
or ter. He did not ask any question
u and knew nothing of the contents
L the affidavit. We have grave dout
Oh of its genuineness, and most po'
m nt tive proof that the girl could n
-, m write. She certainly did not sii
le- the affidavit bearing the signatu
.ly Matte P. Wright.
ZEE Affidavit No. 2, made by t
ch girl, is as damaging to Acklen
De- the other is favorable. The G
ts. made the acquaintance of IL.
,T; Dr. Smith, and to him told the ia
he He reduced the statement to VIZ
ra- ing and induced her to come to
an house, where she appeared befc
eg eT Judge O'Rourte, Justice of t
les peace, where she stated she kn
to the contents, and made her ma
ne which was attested to by the )
tice, August, 1873. This ahda'
No. 2, gives the full detailed sta
d, ment of the whole matter betWe
Il. Acklen and herself. She alleI
u the seduction, manner of seductl'