New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-03
MR.. HEWITTS EXPLANATIONS.

A FoRGETFUL DEFEECE-JCDGE DAV1sS JUDICIAL
PRIVILEGE r-GENrRAL GARFiELDs oRrHoGRA-
PHY-BULLs FROM JERSEY AND ELSEWHERE.
To the Ed,tor or The Trtoune
SIR: Judge Davis did not transcend the just
limits Of judicial privilege in his comments on
the testimony of Mr.. Hewitt, however severe his
censure mag be deemed. 1t was his duty to con-
slider and pass upon the questions iii the case before
him. both of law and Of fact In considering the
facts he was s5ariy called upon to cetermlne
the weight to be gwen to the testimony ofthe several
WITNESSES The genulneness or forgery OF the letter
was most material question. Witnesses had testi-
fed that the letter WAS not General GIriields. Tx
perts had given opinions both ways; and an array
of extrnsc facts relating to the conditions OF the
enveOpe-the ensures tho stamps, the mailing at
Washington long after the date OF the leitor, and
the receipt Of it IN New-York, and its passage for
delivery 10 substitution of rhe Post Otice-had been
shown After all this evidence Mr.. Hewitt was
brought upon the stand to prove by his opinion.
based upon his familiarity with General Gif:eid's
handwriting, that the letter was genuine and
ing alone his testimony wOHld be suii; to show
such genuncness; bat It was III conflict with that
of other Witnesses. some Of whom were OF less and
some of equal credit aud with an array of circun-
stances wnIcn mignt be conync ny un.cs the char
acter and opinion Of Mr. Hewitt were such as TO
contravens them.
Under such circumstances it was matter
of the first Importance to inquire how these
several witnesses stood IN relation to the case.
what they had done and said, and how tar
they or either Of the responsible for the pub
hcatIon OF the letter that opinion they had eX-
pressed ont Of court, ami under what clrcumstan-
ces and under what motives of prejudice or desire
TO snstaIn particular in respect TO the letter
they were te-tifyiug.
MIR. Hewitt's good character did rot exempt him
from & il ordinary and useful test OF credbl ~.
Mr. Harris testimony bad clearly shown that thf
fac-simile Of the forgery was publish d the faith
OF Mr. Hewitt's uIqua'f d dcciara IONS that there
could br no doubt of the genuneness OF the letter;
and IN considering the whole testimony 1t was APP
parent TO the lGge a. i is to everybody else that
Nj. Hewitt in the last hours Of the examination
before the election was putting the weight OF his
character into the case, after evidence had been
CIV. n that had satisfied all who bad heard or read
10 that the letter forgery for Che purpose OF
keeping alive the preteuce OF gcnu!neness ul the
fruit Of fe forgery could be secured nc the polls
judge wis had plain rgb TO show IN h.s opinion
In Justification OF his conclusion that Mr. Hewits
testimony was not sufficient 10 Over5ear al. otueis
anG what his relations to the case and lis response
bitiss for the publication use of the lerJar al-
pear.d TO be- forgery 30 IN amous, and the use OF
be apt to intensity the condemnation OF any Court
oi justice.
Mr. Hewitt disclams friendship for General Car
field. Indeed he intimates that he dsulled him 80
nrch that be sent him jersey bul calf, some six
hundred miie4 by rai, ap iarenty rs present, but
really a. cheaper mode of gettilgrd OF tic animal
than 20 hand il over 10 butcher Bat be chrisiened
the bull with the swelling name of Revolution"
before be sent IL. He produced and pat IN evidence
General Garfeld's letter of thanks. written evil
IDENTIFY without suspicion that =" the present VAS
oa.y Mr. Hewltts mode # getting rid Of nuisance.
lie really seeing 10 have thought MT Hewitt was
irend an. not an enemy. sending brazeh bUli INTO
Troy. Mr. Hewitt says the ball had no record.
Yet IN the same letter of thauks General CARRIED
asks Mr.. Hewitt to send him the pedl-ree
Of the animal Mr.. Hewitt then sent TIE pedigree
of the worthless creature. Gnd General 1arHeidS
letter was produced 10y Mr. Hewitt on me sand
thanking HIM aso tor the pedigree. Was tho ped
iuree q forgery Or vas it something 10 cover up
the wortnlessncss of the present There are other
kinds Oi " bulls" besides worthless Jerseys hi'
Hewitt.
Mr Hewitt saws that Judge Davis was guilty of
dscourtesy looking INTO the letter that an
nOunced the bull present that the letter was only
produced TO compare signatures. Mr.. Hewitt mas
forgotten that this letter was not only produced 10
compare signatures. but also to show that Hrneral
Garfield IL bad speler. Tue Morey letter con,
tanned bad spelling Nothing had been proved
abont that III court; but out OF doors ana IN the
uewspapers il had been urged a. 4 reason Tor Doubt
ing the geuuncness of the letter. Mr. Hewitt was
ready 10 meet all such suggestions, ana as General
Garfield IN very nasty postscript 20 us letteT hau
asked Mr. Hewitt 10 send him " the peddree, he
produced the letter 10 convict hlm OF bad spellng
and when the Court suggested that IL seemed 10 he
nothing bnt slip of the pea in hastily wrihnga
word he insisted that u showed that General Car
field was IN the ha 1T OF spelling badly.
Probably that was the " insepsrabie ban" that
prevented all social friendship between levitt ana
Garfield NhW-lORhER.
Ner- Iork, Dec .. 1880
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