Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-25
The ssGarfieEd Chinese Letter.,
WHAT POSTMASTER ANGER SAYS-MoRE EVIDENCE
THAT II Is A FORGERY

On saturday last THE ST. AR printed the state
ment OF Postmaster Anger, OF this city, to the
effect that the date and cancellation stamp on
the alleged Morey Chinese letter was not in fact
the date and cancellation stamp in use when
the letter purports to have been mailed from
the Washington City Post office. To Offset this
discrepancy it has been published that the date
and cancellation stamps on the envelope were
the letter was mailed and stamped at the Cap
ttOl and not at the city Post Office. This is met
by Postmaster Anger with the statement that
the date stamp used at the Capitol has upon its
face The word Congress" and it could not have
been mailed from the Capitol without the word
congress" appearing.
frg examination OF the fac smile has dtscov-
cred even greater discrepancies, and OF such
nature as 10 appear to show concluSively that
the letter is a deliberate forgery. The date
stamp on the alleged letter is January 23d. On
the 18th OF January Mr.. Anger took charge OF
the " Washington Post Office as postmaster. He
nearly worn out, that he at once made a re.
quest upon the Postmaster General for author
lty to get new set or stamps This for the
reason that the stamps in use did not legibly
bring out either the date mark or the Wash
ing ton, DC" The date stamp used on the 18th
OF January and up to the time OF changing the
same was stamp of uniform pattern used by
all pestmasters. When the new date stamps were
ordered, Colonel Anger requested that the year
should appear rs wei as the date OF the month
on the stamp. The department; allowed this to
be done and the result was that the stamp had
necessarily TO be enlarged. SO that while in
general appearance the date stamp used b. the
CITY postmaster was OF the un!torm pattern
used bJ all pcStmasters. 1t was In TACT, larger
than aGy used, because OF the year being placed
therein. which is hot the case with any Other
post office.
From this fact there Is good presuUlable ev-
dency OF forgery. II the old stamp Wa5 used on
the Esd of January II was So worn out as not TO
be legtble, and yet the date stamp Oh the
envelope covering the alleged letter IS brought
out quite .egibiy III the fac Simtle, much plainer
indeed than could be made by the Old stamo.
II the new stamp had been used 1t would show
the year 1850 which does not aDpearOn the FAC
simile. The theory Of Postmaster Aineer IS
that the fcrger bT some means became pos
sesS OF the uniform date stamps used at the
other post Offices and suppOslng the one In use
at Washington to be In good crder as 1t was nos
ON the 18Th or $50 OF January, put In the words
Washington in bold type and thus Overreached
himself.
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT DISCREPANCY
has also been discovered. On the 23d OF jan
ualy the cancellation stamp used at the CITY
post cfllCe was so large that it more than CO..
ered the stamp. and extended on each side; or
the envelope lengthWtse. In the fac Simfle, the
stomp cancellation covers only the stamp.
To-day, Chairman Jewell OF the national
committee, telegraphod Col. Ainger to forward
Autograph copies OF the date ana cancellation
stamps to the colnmtttee Fac SMILES Will be
printed by the committee and scattered broad
cast