Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-12-27
Tho kcHfeu Case.

EkS AcnReE StsSc.
New ORLEANS, Dec. o6.-The following is
published here:
To tie editor Of tie Democrat:
hard you herewith tog publication i sSnni'
sis CT the evidences taken before he Ack!eo
Committee, CT which l was member. This
synopsis Was written at the tine ior publication
but fer reason | have heretofore stated. aud
which | then scqui5sced 10, il Was withheId.-
| have 10 desire TO PURSUE Mr.. Ackiep, but hld
action il seeking vudicstion at the hands OF
others has raised "a issue Ct taes Which can
only be deternired by submitting the testimony
to the rubIio. If the decision of our COMMITTEES
is not basad on sufficient testimony thon Mr..
Acken is entitled 70 the benefit Of it. II 90
tic other hand it is justified let imputaiion rest
where i: belongs. Respectfully,
D. 3. PENN
Here follows statement made By the com
mittee. showing that their decision was sdserse
to Ackien's ioaoceace: They notified Acken
that tueir deoi5ioa would be made public
kcklen entreated u not to make this decision
public Until after IL IN. on Sunday the l3th
lost, ia order to determine, Is be said, tt:er
more calm r. Fiction whether be would With
draw frcu he canvass or not. 10 tbs delay
we consented for the purpose he had Indicated.
Pending this delay Mr.. Ack!er secured favor.
able opinion from The 8ac0ud committee.
composed CT prominent republicans. head
cd b. * GoycIros Hahn, aad Lotto ca
Saturlsy night s~at this sc3nd AID favor
at!a cpipi1u 10 ihe city press f,r publication
in Ito Srnd:y papcr*. This extraordinary
clnGu,t Of Als Ack!en's, coupled with the fact
that the second decision YVES directly opposite
to tie oUe VIC had rendered, though prCfsEsed-
y based OF the same evidence, eompes Us TO give
b:iet synopsis Of tie evidcDoa on which We
gave CUE decision to show, as We lhiak it will,
that our dec!s;la was not dictated By prtj adicc
or i'll will
The history Of Til; vciy shameful sifa!r, es
deectoDed by The cVidsGcc sdduced during cur
Investigation. 10 as follows:
4 Column o. syGopSis OF tic testimony fol
lowa, rec;!ing hat Acklt1 epgeged the girls
lalhc: 10 E.aua2o his plantation, Soma time
ai':ec in Intimacy srraDg up between the gir
aud Acs!Ga. La August, 1877, Ackicn accom-
pauica TIC g;rl aud Ecr mother to New Or.
leafs. alG Was active ID pclfeoi4e Il marriage
bc,weea tie gil AID maa named Wright,
sho haG b,cr s loStlcr en- hg i4atativr.
Ficm Others VI learned that Wright desert.
cd his wife anu weat 10 T5xas few days alter
his marriage. The girl Was delivered If an H.
fiat III February, 1875, aud sitter thaS sank
lover aud lover IL sCc!a! life and died Of yell
low tevsr 10 Scpienb2r, 1878. Tso ahiIsv!ss
aro thcn oised, nna ALLEGED &c EaVc b,en sigued
By lbC girl, very favorable to hck!GD. aid dc.
ciarog his iaDGc5Ee3 OF apy criElira! Intercourse
The athjayl5 Wss IL the foEm ct questions
ard srswcrs be ferG Alfred Iucrsham, notary
public, vino met the committee aud testified 10
suhstauor, as follows Fiat coc niornpg Mr.
Acklca caoja ITO Ola lfiee tccampanicd ty a
young voEiar and prescribed lin the affidavit
--ulss!ions and answers Ill written cut and al.
ready signe1, and that be unlp reaG the capli3a
10 learn that She aiGaat Wa the person mer.r
tened il he a:liiaEit Mr.. Iagrahau. asked
the Ycuok 9s,tli.n i; iiat Tag her signature aad
that was all Mr.. Iogra!taa: did 10 the matter
Lie Was askea speciality Il he lad Fropoupded
any OF tho questions set iorth 10 ;he affidavit
AID ha3 taken rc alsaers down. Hs said he
tad not AID thai he Knew uo;hiog o. the co1.
teats Of the Siiiisylts at ali. We have very
grave reasons TO dOuot the gebuloeness OF tbi5
the giri could NOT write. We hal cvidarc, that
L peucil was placed in her hand aoa she was |
requested to Trito her name and she could Tot
Ike The first stroke OF 'ettcr. SIC certainly
cid sot sign tho affidavit bearing tho signature
OF Matte T. Wright. AFFIDAVIT: No. 2 ni~de
%; tic eiIl, j: eS dama2iGg &c Sir. iickcn as as
ii.7it No. ] was lavo7ati5 to him. The Lis
Tory of af!idavt Nc, :: Ii this :is:a SKI n,zda |
Tie acuuaina1oa Ct Sir. i. l.. Smith sad 10
hipl told Scr ac. iio rendered the ststcmcat
to wiring =ui inGuc.d :,as 4: c2Elr 10 i!s house
where she anpa#;ad before judge CfRoa:ke. a
Justice OF ih9 rcaca, and stated That sho knew
.he con;c:e:7 sad r2a,:G her Inaik which Was at
tested ty ;he justice 10 August, 1878. This Of
Gdayit NJ. ggea z 'ul and detailed statement
ct the vhn!c Sa.t;cr betTcen Dir. Acklea AID
herself /; alleges thc aeGuc'i5o. tho maDue,
Of The seduction .aui ali he facts with 50 Elucs'
mpu:3nes3 Of detail! that i carilea much weight
With it. Although TIC dc Got rGl? on It's sta;c-
mepts as materially tlaeac;ag our judgment,
We boii;Ga much q j. 10 &C. trI2. particularly
where there :7as o?Ctoo1rativa testimony 70 suI-
tain what he believed. Tae questions OF Il,
l.. Sni.h'S motives whether they were revenge
or black mailing did oct la'cres. us. Eight re-
respectable D2rs0ns testified tat The glrl related
to them the t3o.s taaDtio8cG il the affidavit !
No. a; lnz tine OF her ulsrciago- 81 |
did pot kuc. tic existence CT Saith. but
what IL Ct interest fox Ii 70 koaw that Smith |
had not coic2c:c1 thH atatciDaTis OF this wo !
we're fully satisfied. 70 The allisvts !urclsh. |
cd By Mr.. Ackl;p, which he procured Oh
his visit to lis rlantation 10 ,h3 lag: f,~
DAYS W. attach but lit;!c or 30 credit
They are ell III tee han ] writoe OF Mr. Ack!en, |
and made By his ucgro carriage driver, md his
wife, sid by Ills negro blacksmith and bis vile,
and other negroes, all Of whom ere now, or have
bseu employed 90 bis plantation, most OF them
afixing their marks, not knowing how to write,
end sworn TO before negro justice Of the peace.
The above, dated Oct. 10, but not heretofore
rubIisbed, WAS signed by tho committee.
ISizpca i DUNCAN +. KENNER,
D. 3. PENN,
ALBERT VOORHEES,.
PAUL T.. TnEARD.
j. Il. ALCEE GANTnEAUI,