Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-15
The PHILIP TRIAL.
Judge Davis holds the Prisoner
to Answer for Malicious
Libel.
THE MOREY LETTER SHOWN
TO BE A FORGERY.
Course of 4. s. HeriH Sc
rerely Condemned.

New YORK, November II. Judge Davis
this morning rendered an elaborate deci-
sion in the case of kenward Philip, charged
with criminal libel upon General Garfield.
THE accused" his honor says, sis charged
with two offences. First, that he wrote the
so-called Morey letter, counterfeitng the
signature of General Garfield therefor and
second that after Garfield made public de-
NAL of having written the letter. the accused
wrote the editorial Lying and Sticking to it,
and asserted that Garfield a liar in
DENYING the authorship Of it, 1t is evident
that no such person as Henry l.. Morey
existed in LYNN. Mass. The letter is I'M
questionaby forgery and not in the hand
writing of General Garfield.
The question of guilt or innocence of Philip
must be left to the jury to determine. De
PENDANT is leld to answer to charge of crlmi-
nal libel. and must be committed or give
bail
Judge Davis dwelt on the question of the
genuineness of the Morey letter as Of great
importance in considering the case. He de-
cided that the accused be held to answer I'M
less he could show that Garfield wrote the
letter aud in fact was held to be a liar when
he denied having written il. but the evidence
showed the letter to be forgery, and the
non-existence of such person Henry l..
Morey.
Judge Davis is very severe on Mr.. Hewitt.
He saws '.Mr Ilewitt's connection with this
letter and transactions that have grown out
of If. are to saw the least of a most extraor-
binary character.
According to the testimony, Hart when he
received the letter, in consequence of the
very singular manner in which it reached
him had his suspicious aroused. He saw its
importance if genuine as putting deadly
power in the hands of Gen. Garfield's politi-
| cal foes He was not satisfied to publish it
upon examination which he and his editorial
staff could make and he thereupon took the
| letter and envelope to the democratic
| National committee for inspection. He
there saw Messrs. Hewitt, Barnum and Ran
dali. with several others. Hart showed them
the papers and said in substance he did not
want to publish the letter if it was a forgery
but if il was genuine he wanted no other
| paper to get ahead of him. in its publication
He said it was examined by all the persons
; he named. Mr.. Hewitt gave the closest and
most careful examination and spent half an
hour over it and pronounced it, body and
| signature to be in the handwriting of Gen.
| Garfield but Hart was not fully satisfied and
late in the evening he found Hewitt again
and was again treasured.
He Hewitt had examined a number of
| Garfeld's letters, and said the Morev letter
was genuine, and this was a clincher and i'm
pressed Mr. Harris mind with the idea that
he would have made it out a forgery if he
could.
However much equitable division may
leave for others. upon Mr.. Hewitt must rest
the larger share of the responsibility for the
first publication of the base and shameful
forgery, and his subsequent relations to the
forgery do not lift single shadow from him.
As he was a member of the National commit
tee, he doubtless knew the extent and pur
poses for which it was taken and used by thai
committee, and that it went forth to the
country with the sanction of his endorsement
! 1t is beyond question that it met speedil,