The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-28

contents Of the sfhdavit ct an. We have
very grave reasons to doubt the genuneness Of this
affidavit No. 1. We had the most positive proof that
the girl could not write had evidence that .
pencil placed in her hand and she requested
to write her name and she could not make the fret
stroke of the letter M" Moreover Mr.. Acklen
admits and states in his card, published on Sunday,
October Is. that the girl could neither read nor write
She certainly did not sign the affidavit bearing tho
signature OF Matte p Wright because she could not
write Now this question presented itself to the
consideration of comm;ttee-Who did sign this
aidavits We coald only conjecture. but had no evil
dence to determine the question satisfactorily to our
selves. Mr. Acklen based his claim to innocence ina
great measure this affdsit No. l.
A COMPENSATORY AFFIDAVIT.
Affidavit No. q also made by the girl, is as damag-
ing TO Mr. Acklen affidavit No. was favorable to
him. The history of afdavit No. is this. The girl
made the acquaintance of Mr.. ii. l.. Smith and told
him her tale He reduced the statement to writing.
induced her to to his house. when she appeared
before Judge O'Rourke justice of the peace. sho
stated that she knew the contents, which were not
read TO herr the truth of the contents made
her mark, which was atsested to by the Judge in
August 1873. This affidavit No. gives fun and de-
tailed statement Of the whole matter between Mr..
Acklen and herself; alleges the seduction and the man
thereof the pregnancy, which she attributes to
Mr.. Acken; her visit TO the New Orleans physician;
what took place there; attempts her part by TAX
ing medicines and by the of Instruments her
marriage with Wright; his subsequent desertion:
the part Mr. Acklen took in arranging the marriage
and his meeting her subsequently. This affidavit
No. relates all the facts with so much miputeness
of detail that it carries much weight with it. Al
though did not rely its statements
terially influencing our judgments we believe much
Of it 10 be true particularly where there cor
roborative testimony to sustain what she alleges.
coRnoBonArIvE EVIDENCE.
The question OF Ii. L. Smiths motive, whether
it revenge or Matchmaking, did not interest
u.s. Highly respectable witnesses testified that the
girl related to them the facts mentioned in the ada-
Wit No. 3 At the time OF her marriage, when she did
not know OF the existence of Smith; but what of
interest to to know that Smith had not
cocted the statements. OF this fully satisfied.
To tho adidavits furnished by Mr. Acklen. which he
procured ON his visit 70 his plantation in the
last few days. We attach but little
credit. They all in the hand
writing OF Mr.. Acklen and made by his
negro carriage driver and wife. by his negro black
smith and wife and other negroes, all OF whom
now or have been employed on his plantation. ost
Of them afhxing their marks. not knowing how to
write and sworn to before negro justice Of the
peace. All Of this batch of aidavts. had they
not been made by ilterate plantation negroes alleged
nothing than instances OF the vice and corrup-
ton Of the poor girl.
THE POLITICAL ASPECT.
Mr.. Ackien, after our decision was known objected
TO regarding the matter from political stand
point. We can only reitcrate what We said on this
subject in first statement. dated October o. There
express understanding with Mr.. Acklen that
if did not cxculpate him from all blame Of crni
nal character he pledged himself to Withdraw from
the canvass a candidate for Congress. without
this understanding the committee would not have
entered into this examination at all.