Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-16
THE M0REX LETTER MIDDLE.
) Judge Davis Rises to Acknowledge
An Error and TO Exnlnin.

'Nkw YORK, Nov. l6.-Judge Davis, at late
hOur lest night, sent communication to the
newspaper CfhceS, In which he says that he Is
satisfied that IN giving a summary OF Joseph
Hart'S testimony in the Philip case from his
memoranda and recollection, he fell into an
erlor relating to the time when Mr.. Hart took
the Moley letter 10 the natl3nal commiJtes
rooms Tor examination, at which time Mr.
HeV lit first examined 1t. The text OF the let
ter had been published, and the fsc
simile had not heen, and it was to deter
mine whether the letter ShOnld ba autographed
a llb shsd in fac smile that Mr.. Hart
sought the opinion or Mr.. Hewitt and others as
10 It's genutneIesS. In every other particular
Judge Davis says he believes tie evidence and
all the IL ferenceS made by him from it are fully
justified by the fac'S end then the judge goeS
on TO show how the erIr happened TO be made
and to inquire whether 1t is OF any material
signifcance In forming correct opinion Of his
MIR. Hevvitt's Connection with the
Letter Sharply Criticised.
TIE Judge says the letter. as first published,
less forgery IL It had not been taken up and
carried through photographs and hthographic
fac SMILES On the shoulders OF the national
committee, and Mr. Hewitts stronger charac-
ter: Nobody charged or suspected Mr.. Hewitt
OF being the gully forger, but my belief was
ard sun Is that but for him and his course the
forgery would er have been picked out Of
the gu lii wnica it was born and b .rled
into he canvass with the deadly power of his
ehdorsenlsDf ut and that OF the national commit
tee. The judge then adds some portions of the
testimony ot Mr Hart, tending, he THINKS, 10
show that his gndge Davis5 mi take was
one at most of mere phrasa3logS. He
then goes On to say that the testimony
had net been wri' ten out and he nad relied on
his brief notes Of the most important points it
Was the publication OF the fac simies OF the
letter with Mr. Hewitt'S endors ement that
alarmed and aStonished the country aud If the
evidence OF Mr.. Hart did not show that Mr..
Hewitt was the chief cause of the forgery tax
Ing that dangerous and effective shape, the
jndge was unable to understand Is scope and
effect. He says that he is justi12 cd In saying
thai but for Mr. Hewitts acts the thi az would not
have been d. e. One ord from hin would have
secured delay and that word repeated would
nave prevented action. But he (HewitU chose
not TO utter that word-nOt even to allow his
friend, Gen. Garfield. the chance to know what
vas claimed to be his death warrant" aui
much less chance to cross examine tue man
v bose opinion and character were most likely
TO execute 1t. He then alludes TO Mr. HeEitts
utteraIces on the platform about the forged
letter and his testimony on the witness stand in
the Ph1lp case in regard TO il. In conclusion.
Judge Davis says: SIT Is great mistake In Mr..
Hewitt to suppose that hls testimony and mis-
conduct were not the legitimate subject OF judi
c1al criticism when he appeared as a witness
DDCer such circumstances and my opinion IN
the case, for whatever it may be worth, viii
stand unalteted as to him. except in a single
particular above suggested