Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-26

the track of the villain, as Garfield advised
them to do, l think they had better go
straight to Mentor. Ho isn't manly enough
you see, to come out and deny the genuine
ness of the signature, but only of the letter
itself"
To a New York World interviewer Mr.
Hewitt also declared
General Garfelds word as against that
signature will have to be reinforced by the
arrest of som sbody aud his conviction as a
forger before / shall DO convinced that l am
wrong in my belief"
These assertions of Mr.. Hewitt were largely
instrumental in keeping the forgery afoat.
1t should be noted that no attempt whatever
was paid by Democratic journals to the Of
forts made by Truth to sustain the forgery.
The Democratic committee had taken the let
ter as their own and were circulating and de-
Tending it as their own. On the very day that
Mr.. Hewitt declared that nothing but the ar
rest and conviction Of the forger would con-
vince him that he was wrong Philip was ar
rested. Tho arrest was announced on Thurs
day morning. October 20. On the evening
of that day, Mr.. Hewitt, in the face Of the
arrest, in speech at Tammany hall reiter-
ated his belief in the commences Of the Chi
neso letter, on the ground that the charge
brought against Philip was not for forgery but
for libel This, like all the other statements
of Mr.. Hewitt, was published the next morn
ing in the Democratic newspapers and was
telegrnphed all over the country as the only
offset TO the arrest of Philip and the damag-
ing disclosures which each days court pro.
d.
tell-tale post Office marks on the envelope
had been discovered, and tho fact of the forg-
cry was established beyond dispute. Some
thing desperate had to be done to Offset this.
The next morning was the critical one for the
conspirators. The 100000 copies of the pa
per containing the forged letter. which Truth
proudly announced had been sent to the Pa
cifo coast by the Democratic committee
would reach their destination on that day
Mr. Barnum did his part of the task 10y send
ing out this astonishing lie TO all the Iude-
pendent and Democratic editors of the coun-
try
NEW York, Oct 30, 1880.
The Garfield letter is not forgery. Mr..
Joseph Hart, publisher OF Truth, was honor
ably discharged this morning by the Repub-
lican Chief.Justice OF the General Term of
the Supreme Court of New York. the Hon.
Noah Davis.
WILLIAM II. BARNUM, Chairman.
Mr.. Hewitt on Friday evening attended a
meeting at Terrace Garden, and the World OF
the next morning reported him as saying:
but whether the letter be genuine or not,
it cannot be denied that its sentiments and
declarations arc in full accordance with the
votes of Gen. Garfield, aud the course of the
Republican party on the Chinese question. BY
this course they have planted themselves up
on the ground Of favor to Chinese emigra-
ton. They cannot escape this position by
any new declarations at this late day in hos
tility to it."
This was the end. Mr.. Barnum's despatch
reached the Pacific coast simultaneously with
the fac simile of the forged letter, and in oil
probability saved California and Nevada for
Hancock. The lie, at first only contempt
BILE, proved in the hands Of the Democratic
committee powerful weapon. Let them
have all the credit which attaches to its use
and let the actual indisputable facts in the
case be firmly fixed in the minds Of the Amer
lean people.