Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-05-24
The Coffee Pot Lie.

y IelltI lIoIl lHt llVI. - W. lThtI
appears in the Harrisburg Patriot of
Thursday last, addressed to Senator
Wallace, adding his testimony to the
entire ialsity Of the "cotlte pot" story
as charged upon Senator Wallace.
Fisher was one of the committee of
the Senate appointed to investigate the
Senatorial contest in 1868, when the
slandcrous story was hatchcd up
against the Senator, and it is probably
to his credit that after fourteen years
have elapsed, he volunteers an oppor.
tune statement to disprove base and
unmanly SANDER his party has been
Eliminating in every political contest
since. He knew it was an unmitigatcd
lie from the first, as applied to Senator
Wallace or his political friends, ana
at the same time also knew that the
alleged fraud, triAng IN IL r,.uh a.
determining q true ei,c'iou, was made
in the interest Of the party in which
be- trained, aud used by the committee
a. au excuse for the commission Of n
great wrong and a shameless fraud
upon the rights Of the people aud the
Senator duly elected on that occasion
Ii was an easy matter for him to &c.
quit Senator Wallace Of any agency
in the dirty job, because he knew from
whom it came, aud ii it were as easy
for the Judge to clear hl. own skirts o.
the fraudulent business in which be-
acted part, the occasion would have
furnished the opportunity. His knowl.
edge of themanuer in which the contest
was determined, and the consideration
that procured the decision would make
interesting reading even at this late
day. Judge Fisher letter ia here ap-
pended
CurrESSE. Wyoming Territory. May
y. Iss3. Hon. H'm. /. W'lfi,r, Senate.
HIv-i'j~y Pa: NY Dr,E siE-I see
by the newspapers OF Pennsylvania that
you have seen proper at thj. late day to
deny that old, old story about the use
of somebody's coffee pot to color certain
fraudulent naturalization papers to tc
used in the political campaign Of ls67
in PenusyIvnnia. 80 long time bas
elapsed since ! heard anything Of that
story that / had forgotten all ahou. it.
But ss it has been revived feel called
on by a sense Of duty to give you fair
and candid statement OF what know
about the matter.
At the meeting Of the legislature in
January, lsGS, contest arose between
Colonel Robinson, Of Juniata. and Mr..
Nhugart, Of Centre, "a to which Of the
two was entitled To seat a. senator
from that senatorial district. 4 com.
mittec was appointed in the manner
provided by Law, and it 50 happened
that was one OF that committee. After
the appointment Of that committee we
met and proceeded to take a large
amount Of testimony. Among other
things brought to our attention was the
matter OF "doctored naturalization pa.
pers, and I remember that tho proof.
were quite clear that there had been
considerable crookeducss. Yet there
was not one particle Of evidence which,
in the slightest degree, implicated you,
and although heard all the evidence
and much talk outside Of the case, /
never heard one word that showed that
you bad any agency in procuring fraud.
ulent papers or using them after they
bad been procured. | make this state.
ment without being asked to do 90 and
without any consultation on the subject.
but simply from sense Of duty in con.
tradioting, 40 far a. my knowledge ex
tends, story which think never had
any foundation in fact, and one which
has been too long used TO do injury to
an innocent man. am as sound Re
publican as | ever was, but do not be.
lieve, and never did believe in libel or
slander to advance a cause or iniure a
political opponent
You are at liberty TO make any use OF
this you see proper.
Very respectfully yours,
!. w. FISHER.