Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-13
THE MOREY LETTER.
Judge Davis Decides tt a Forgery
and Holds PHILIP for Trial.

NV ioRk. Nov: l2.-Judge Davis this no 1rn-
OF kenward Philip charged with criminal libel
upon Gen. GARFIELD. Tue accused his honor
says Is charged with two offences First, that
ne wrote the so-called Morey letter. counter
letting the signature OF Gen. Garfield thereto
AND. second that after General Garfield made a
puonc denial or having written the letter the
accused wrote an editorial headed Living ana
Sticking 10 IL, and asserted that General Gar
field was liar In denying the authorship OF u.
IL Is apparent his honor says that no such per-
as Henry L. Morey existed at Lynn. Mass. The
letter. be also holds, is unqueStionaOly a for
gerry. and not I'm the handwriting OF General
GARFIELD. The question of tue guilt or innocence
OF Mr.. Philp must be left TO a Jury TO datermlne
OF criminal libel, and must oe committed or give
bail
In his decision Judge Davis dwelt on the
question or the genuiReneSs or the Morey letter
as OF great Importance In considering the case.
lie decided that the accused should ha held 10
answer unless he could show that ten. Gar
Held wrote the letter. aud In fact was neld 10 be
a liar when denied It's authorship But the
evidence, as reviewed he said, showed the let
ter &c te forgery, ana sho yea the non-exist-
ence OF such pei son as Henry L. Morey.
Severe On Mr. Hewitt.
In his decision Judge Davis is very severe on
Mr.. Hewitt He says: Mr.. Hewitt's connec-
uon With the letter and transactions that have
grown out Of IL, are. 10 say the least, OF a most
extraordinary character. According 20 the
testimony OF Mr.. Hart when he received the
letter. the very singular manner I'm which it
reached hin aroused his suspicious lie saw
IFS Importance, II genuine, as a weapon OF
deadly power In the hands OF Gen. Garfield's
political foes lie was not satisfied 20 publish
it upon The examination which his editorial
stan could make. and he therefore took the
envelope 10 the democratic national committee
for inspection. lie there saw Mr. Hewitt. Bar
mum, aLdall and several Others. Mr.. Hart
showed them the papers and said, IN substance.
that he did not want 10 publish the letter II it
was forgery, but II genuineh be did and wanted
nc no -, other PAPER TO get ahead OF him
all the persons he named, but Mr.. Hewitt made
the closest ana most careful examination, and
spent fully half an hour In its examination, and
Then pronounced the letter both. body aud Sig
nature TO be 10 The handwriting OF Gen. Gar
neld. Photographs were then taken for the use
OF the national committee, and Mr.. uart re-
turned with the letter TO his ofiica But his
mind was not iully satisfied and late in the
evening he sought and found Mr.. Hewitt again
ana was again assured that he (HeNttD
baC examined large number OF Gen. Garfield's
letters ar that the Morcy letter was prenuine
and this was cllEched oy impreSsing Mr.. uarts
mind With the iGea that he would have made IL
out forgery if he could, II IS not very surpris-
ing that Mr.. Hart, with the usual anxiety OF
newspaper publishers TO be ahead OF their
Deighbors, should have published the letter
without further iaquiry, but IL is astounding
that man Of known sagacty. OF great eXpe-
rtence in business and In public affairs. and
who is supposed 10 have decent respect for
truth and justice. and who speaks as an expert
In writing, with all the suspicious circumstances
that attended the reception or the letter with the
envelope ana It's eIasurCS before him, with the
city post office ard station stamp on itS blck,
with the letter marked personal and conf
Dental" ard addressed TO some person whom
he certainly did not know-with the letter be-
fore him the contents OF which. II true, would
be greatly INJURIOUS aud IL false would do a
wrong TO his intimate friends as base ana
wicked as an aSsasSin's Stab-Sn0uld have
thought ~ just 10 press and cause lis Dublica-
lion without fifSt removing all doubt as TO its
character However much equitable division
may leave for others, upon Mr.. Hewitt must
rest a larger share Of responsibility for the
first publication OF the base and shameful for
gerry. and lis subsequent relations 10 the for
gerry do not lit a single shadow from his con-
duct. He was member or the national COM
mittce. He doubtless knew the extent aud pur-
poses 10 and for which it was taken and used
by that committee, and that it went forth to
the country with the sanction OF his endorse
ment. He knew beyond question that it met
speedily with the indignant denial OF Gen. Gar
1eld, who denounced the letter as base and
stupid forgery and It's sentiments as brutal"
A Grave Conspiracy tO Accomplish
a National Crime.
The judge also says: My mind has reached
the clear conviction that the So-called Morey
letter, I'm body, signature and all its parts. is
not Ia the handwriting OF Gen. Garfield, but Is
altogether forgery, perpatrated by some per-
son or body OF persons for the purpose OF de.
cefying the people and defraudDG them and
Gen. Garfield OF their votes. The evidence
bearing upon Philips guilt or innocence Or he
forgery is volumlnous. and would demand a
careful analysis. Taken in connection with
other evidence In the case, it tends TO establish
grave conspiracy 10 accomplish a national
crime. Conspiracy points 10 men in other
quarters and OF far higher positions, or whom
dupe and tool Ii is better, therefore, that the
question OF the actual guilt OF forgery be left
TO the consideration or Jury. before whom ad-
dtional and perhaps more decisive evidence