New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-20
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE NEW LAW OF FORGERY.

iHrL NEW LAW Of FOhUEhI
CRIME TO PUBLISH FORGED ENDORSEMENTS Oh
SENTIMENTS AFFECTING POLITICAL OPINIONS
OR VOTES.
To the Edttor Of The Trtbwne
SIR: OF course everybody of common sense
knew that the talk Of The Times about the forgery of
election returns was expression OF senseess rage
glad but also surprised TO find that you notice 1t
you do this morning Arc you quite serious enough In
your illusions to the new law defining forgery which the
Editor Of The Times has conspicuously violatedi
Tho history Of that law is brief interesting After
the discovery Of the who forged the Infamous Morey
letter and OF his coautors in the Democratic National
Committee 1t was found that there no law under
which theprincpa those connvns his crime could be
punished. Yet their crime of the most dangerous
class OF fogees intended 1t to defeat the will Of
the people In the selection Of the head OF their Govern
ment Mr.. John l. Davenport, to whom we largely owe
the registration laws which cectuay prevent fraud In
another way drafted act which personally he pressed
through the last Legislature, and which makes forgeries
similar to that OF the Morey letter punishable by fine
and imprisonment other forgeries This law was
approved by Governor Cleveland now Presdentelect,
elected believe through the agency among others,
of The Times in fragrant Violation OF that law. The law
reads follows the italics being my own and designed
to call attention to its violation in the special case OF
The Times:
AN ACT DECLARING CERTAIN ACTS TO BE FOR.
SEC. l. Every person who with intent to injurc or
defrand shall falsely make alter forge counterfeit or
be- party to- the %ains altering csn or
feng OF any letter. telegram. report or other written
altering forging, or counterfctng, any otner person
shall be In any manner injured I'm his good name stand
ing, position general reputation, shall be adndged
guilty OF forgery and upon conviction shall be punished
by fine of not less than five hundred dollars or inpfs
SIC. q Every person who shall ntier shall cause
aid, abet or otherwise connye at or be party To- tne
communication, paper instrument. pmportiag 10 hare
been r,,en signed by another person, or any paper
where no original existed Witch said letter telegram
report or other written communication paper or n as
said the person uttcring tho same shall know to be false
forged counereed and by the uttcrng of which the
sentiments, opinions. conduct character prospects, IN
terests or rts of such other person shall be
scented or Otherwise iy,ousy agssd shall be aIdSeSS
by fine of not less than $500 Imprisonment for not
more that three years.
SEC. 3 This act shall take effect Immediately.
Now let tell you, what possibly you already know,
some Of the circumstances OF the publication Of
the forgery OF James q. Blaine's initials to q
false Endorsement Of editorial article stolen FROM your
office you say, by discharged proofreader About
month before the publication of the forgery IN me
Times an individual was hawking the original editorial
about the offices Of Democratic newspapers offering It for
others, but that time nothing said about any In
dorsement upon by Mr. Blaine 1t soon appeared that
the article had been surrepttiOusy obtained from TIE
TRIBUNE Office, and subordinate editor Of The Times to
whom was shown declined to Use 1t on the express
ground that 1t was SO stolen subsequently
a facsimile of the Fisher letter With
Mr. Blaines genuine initials was published
in Tie Times and there reason why the Editor
could not have known. from his own files what the gen
signature OF Mr. Blaine looked like But two weeks
later the Editor Of The Times Out with plate pur
porting to give portion OF THE TKIBuNE editorial win
the forged Endorsement and initials of -. g.. b., ac
companed with comments designed to inlure the Repnb
lican candidate with the Independent ana stdiwat re
publican5. satisfied from the figures or the eiec
ton that this publication did some harm to the kepuo-
can candidates, II not enough 10 defeat them..
The Independent Republican Committee purchased
from somebody who solo heartce and who forged the
Endorsement and initials the right to use IT, The com
mttec made the FAC smile plates. They were suppieu
directly To The Times. aud large number OF other plates
OF the same were SEM to Mr. ". :. Andrews who Tor
warded them to papers In various parts or tne
State and country for publication Mr. Andrews is !he
Democratic State Committee In 1850, arranged win the
publisher OF Truth to send plates OF the forged Motyy
letter to all parts OF the country for IN Democratic
papers. A. Us l.
Neic- York. Nov. 10. 1884.