Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-19
THE MOREY CHINESE LETTER.
Judge Darts PrOnOunces 10 an
UnquestiOned Forgery.
philip Held for Criminal Libel.
Overw n Ginning Evidence OF Grave
COnspirNcy--.Abram n. Hewitt Severe
~ Censurcd by Judge Davis.

In the Oyer and Tcrmincr Court at Now
York, last Saturday morning, Judge Davis
rendered an elaborate decision in the case of
Kenward Philip, charged with criminal libel
upon Gen. Garfield. The accused, his honor
says, is charged with two offenses First,
that he wrote the so-called Morey letter,
counterfeiting the signature of Gen. Garfield
thereto, and second, that after Gen. Garfield
made public denial of having written the
letter the accused wrote the editorial, Lying
and sticking to it,, and asserted that Gen.
Garfield was a liar in denying the authorship
of the letter. 1t is apparent, his honor says,
that no such person as Henry l.. Morey exis-
ted at Lynn, Mass. The letter he also holds
is unquestionaby II forgery and not in the
handwriting of Gen. Garfield. The ques-
ton of the guilt or innocence of Mr.. Philip
must be left to jury to determine. The de
PENDANT Philip is held to answer TO the charge
of criminal libel. Judge Davis also referred
to the circumstances in the case which tend
to establish a grave conspiracy to accomplish
a national crime and said: THE conspiracy
points TO men in other quarters and of far
higher positions, Of whom Philip may have
been the accomplish or only the dupe and
tool. 1t is better therefore that the question
of actual guilt of forgery be left to the con-
sderation of the jury, before whom addition
al and perhaps more decisive evidence may
be brought"
In his decision, Judge Davis dwelt on the
question of the genuineness of the Morey
letter as of great importance in considering
the case The evidence, he held showed
the letter to be a forgery, and also showed
the non-cXistence of such person as Henry
l.. Morey.
Judge Davis was very severe on Mr.. Abram
s. Hewitt of New York member Of the Dem
10 No, V,,tN 10 ssaf1
Hewitt's connection with this letter and the
transactions that have grown out of it, are,
to say the least, of a most extraordinary
character. According to the testimony of
Mr. Hart, when he received the letter in the
very singular manner in which it reached
him, his suspicious were aroused. He saw
its importance, if genuine, as weapon of
deadly power in the hands of Gen. Gartield's
political foes. He was not satisfied to pub
lish it upon the examination which he and
his editorial staff could make, and he there
fore took the letter and envelope TO the dem
ocratic national committee for inspection.
He there saw Mr.. Hewitt, Mr.. Barnum, Mr..
Randall and several others Mr.. Hart show
ed them the papers and said in substance
that he did not want to publish the letter if
it was forgery, but if genuine he did, and
wanted no other paper TO get ahead of him
IN its publication. He says it was examined
by all the persons he named but Mr. Hewitt
made the closest and most careful examina-
ton and spent fully half an hour in its exam
nation and then pronounced the letter, both
body and signature, to be in the handwriting
of Gen. Garfield. PHOTOGRAPHS were then tax
en- for the use of the national committee, and
Mr.. Hart returned with the letter to his office.
But his mind was not fully satisfied and so
late in the evening he sought and found Mr.
| Hewitt again and was again assured that he,
| Hewitt had examined a large number of
| Gen. Garfield's letters and the Morey letter
was genuine and this was clinched by i'm
pressing Mr.. Harris mind with the idea that
he would have made it out a forgery if he
could. 1t is not very surprising that Mr.
Hart, with the usual anxiety of newspaper
| publishers to be ahead of their neighbors
should have published the letter without fur
| ther inquiry but it is astounding that man
of known sagacity, and great experience in
business and in public affairs, and who is
supposed to have q decent respect for the
| truth and justice, and who speaks as an ex-
| pert in writing with all the suspicious circum-
| stances that attended the reception of this
| letter, with the envelope and its erasures be-
| fore him, with the city post Office and station
stamp on its back, with letter marked per
| sonal and confidential, and addressed to some
person whom he certainly did not know,
| Win the lGtlbI DGlOIo nm, MhObo SOhtthth
| if true, would be greatly injurious and if
| false would do wrong to his intimate friend,
as base and wicked as the assassin's stab,
should have thought it just to press and
| cause its publication, without first removing
| all doubt as TO its character. However much
| an equitable division may leave for others,
upon Hewitt must rest the larger share of re-
sponsibility for the first publication Of this
base and shameful forgery, and his subse-
| quent relations to the forgery do not lift a
single shadow from his conduct. He was a
| member of the national committee. He
| doubtless knew the extent and purposes to
and for which it was taken and used by that
committee, and that il went forth TO the
| country with the sanction of his Endorsement.
He knew beyond question that it met speedi-
| ly with the indignant denial of Gen. Garfield,
who denounced the letter as a base and stu
pid forgery and its sentiments as brutal
Judge Davis also said: my mind has
reached the clear conviction that the social
ed Morey letter in body, signature and all its
parts is not in the handwriting of Gen. Gar
field, but is altogether forgery, Perpetrated
by some person or body of persons for the
purpose of deceiving people and defrauding
them and Gen. Garfield of their votes
Since the publication of the above, Hew.
lit, having attempted some defense of his
conduct Judge Davis has corrected one OF
his statements in relation to Mr.. Hewitt's con
necton with the Chinese forged letter-that
the text of the letter had been published and
the Autograph or fac smile had not, and it was
to determine whether the letter should be 18th
ographed and published in fac simile that Mr.
Hart sought the opinion of Mr.. Hewitt and
others as to its genuineness. In every Other
particular, Judge Davis says, he believes the
evidence and all differences made by hin
from it are fully justified by the facts. He
says the letter as first published would have
fallen ll-born as a silly and useless forgery,
if it had not been taken up and carried
through Photographic and photographic fac
SMILES on the shoulders of the national com
mittee and Mr.. Hewitt's stronger character.
Judge Davis goes on to say; Nobody
| charged or suspected Mr.. Hewitt of being
guilty of forgery, but my belief was, anC
still is that, but for him and his course, tn,
forgery never would have been picked out o
the gutter in which it was born and hurled
into the canvass with the deadly power of hi
endorsement and that of the national com
mittee." In conclusion the Judge says ~
is a great mistake in MIR. Hewitt to suppos
that his testimony and his conduct were no
legitimate subject of judicial criticism
when he appeared as witness under sucl
circumstances, and my opinion in the case
for whatever it may be worth, will stand un
altered as to him, except in the single partic
ular above suggested"
|
The official vote of New York city give
Hancock i23,Ol5, Garfield 81, CSC, Weave
GlO and 20 for the Prohibitory candidate
The official vote for mayor gives Grace 1Ol,
7GO, Dowd %, 10.
The official returns of the Iowa election
give Garfield 70, 1876 majority over Hancock
the largest majority ever given in that state