The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-06-13
THE SLIDING SCALE OF LYING.

THE SLIDING SCALE OF LYING
Sherman says he believes the letter sait
to have been written by him to Anderson
is base forgery, and those who have 1
know it to be such,- -C2cVelaRG He1aG
sPecial 2oH
Sherman only 6e(ieVeS it, does he He
doesn't kaoaO it, then In the light o
this uncertainty Of Sherman himself
whether he wrote such a letter or not
how are chose who have it" TO kAO70 il
it to be a forgery? The construction o.
the sentence quoted above is an agoniz
ing effort to impress the public mind
that Sherman is innocent of writing such
letter, without directly asserting thai
innocence, for fear his guilt will finally
be proved beyond doubt. But here is
what comes next:
The Democrats are a good deal de-
moralized over Sherman's aggressive
tactics, and especially at his assertion
that the pretended letter from him to
Weber, Supervisor Of East Felciana
parish is forgery. 1t is alleged that
this letter urges Weber to make an aft
davit that the election in bis parish was
not free, and promises him an office in
Louisiana or elsewhere, 1t now turns
out that nobody has the original, but a
photograph or certified copy, the origl-
nal having been destroyed.-He'a(a
SPecial2IM
How easy it is to slide down the scale
in lying A day previous the Herald
special said that Sherman only behieVea
the letter, alluded to, to be a forgery
the name of Weber being mentioned in
this later dispatch instead Of Anderson,
although the letter referred to in both
dispatches is the same. But now this
last dispatch says Sherman asserted the
letter to be forgery and that the DemN
ocrats are demoralized over his asser.
ton
This, we repeat, is lying on the slid
ing scale, and for effect gradually. The
Democrats are not capable of being de-
moralized by anything John Sherman
may believe or assert about that letter.
The last sentence in the dispatch is
amusing. In the first place the infer>
ence is intended to be conveyed that
John Sherman wrote no such letter at
all. Then it declares the original Of the
letter is in nobodys possession, it hav-
ing been destroyed, and only a certified
or photograph copy is in existence. II
never borrowed your old kitle," said
the irate virago, and it was cracked
when got it and whole when returned
it." This statement about the kettle in
dispute is on a par with the statement of
the Herald special about the letter in
dispute. John Sherman never wrote
such letter, the original having been
destroyed and only certified or photo>
graph copy in existence Yet, as if this
we're not sliding down the lying scale
fast enough, here comes another special:
Sherman Indignantly denies all stories
n regard to the letter which it is claimed
he wrote and copy of which is in the
hands of the committee. No such origi
nal letter was ever written, and the whole
hing will be proved fraud and forgery,
The attempt to make Sherman a crimi-
nal in this transaction will end in La
ailure.-HeralG special May
,4M.
So, from first 6elieVtng the letter s7id
o have been written by him to be a
base forgery" John Sherman, after
hree or four days consideration, " in
lignantly denies" such a letter at ALL
This is the elimination on the sliding
,cale of lying, If John Sherman had
Known he did not write such letter, he
would have Indignantly denied it at first
instead of saying that he believed he did
lot write it.
The fact is John Sherman did write
he original of the letter, certified pho.
ograph copy of which is in the posses,
ion Of the investigating committee. 1t
vas found in the possession of Weber
yhen he was killed in Louisiana, and
transferred by Mrs. Weber to a Mrs.
encks, who took it to Washington city |
nd sold it to John Sherman who des
royed it, hoping thus to wipe out the |
aiming evidence of his crime. But
he letter was photographed first and |
ertihed to, and this copy is what is
making John lie so desperately. 1t will |
onvict him all the same, moreover and |
Notwithstanding,