New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-16
THE uoREY FoRGERY LAID B4RE.

The kind of 4" reform to DE eNpec'" ~ we
Cleveland could be elected, and the sort OF cam
noign to be expected this year, are disclosed III
| the History of the MOrey Letter. JUST pup
| lshcd by John |. Davenport, the more salient
| features of which are given III The tribune
this morning. The very men who are now
nroyed 70 have contrived, circulated ana by
most dishOnorable means bolstered up TO the
end that most Infamous forgery, are at present
engaged in conducting the campaign for
Cleveland Purity and Reform" Mr.. Daven-
port's book fastens the responsibility upon the
active men at the Democratic National head
quarters In 1SS0W. II. Barnum was Chairman
of the National Committee, and he is now In
1880 f. o. Prince was Secretary and Charles D.
Canda was Treasurer and they are now In
1880 Edward b. Dickinson was the oinclal
| stenographer and the secretary OF the Execu-
| tive Committee, and he is now. The disclos-
| ures of Mr.. Davenport give the people warning
| to expect still more daring and Infamous
| forgeries within the next three months, for the
| purpose of electing that pure man Cleveland,
| and securing " good government"
The mass of evidence which Mr.. Davenport
arrays cannot be briefly presented. When the
| matter was before the cOurts.years ago, there
was proof enough TO convince candid minds
| that the forgery was not the work OF any IRE
| sponsbe tool but that it came i'll some way
from the Democratic headquarters. But the re-
| markable detective skill of Mr.. Davenport has
| now traced this piece of scoundrcism from ITS
| very origin in the minds of its origlnatois.
| Late in September, 1880 CHAPMAN Barnum
| became alarmed about the success of the Re
publican campaign on the tariff question: 10
| General Este he suggested that something
should be prepared for use in brief hand-blll
or "dodger" setting forth whatever could be
made to appear offensive in the Republican
position on Chinese cheap labor. Este con
ferred at once with IIadley. and what purported
to he an interview with Garfield was at first
concocted This was taken to headquarters and
! TO the private rooms of Mr. Barnum ana Mr.
Dickinson. It came back changed TO the form
of u letter, but with the important phrases pre-
served. This identical paper. with the original
suggestion for a campaign dOdger ami the
changes made at headquarters Mr.. Davenport
has seen. The startling fact is that the precise
words of the important phrases OF this paper are
those aferward found in the forged letter as
published.
The paper was given TO lladlcy. WIN was AT
| that time being paid secretly by Mr.. Barnum.
| About October 10. private slips of iorthcom-
| ing letter were received by Democratic editors
and managers at distant points, purporting to
come from the Democratic National COMMITTEES.
| At Glove land, October 10. at Orovlle Caliior-
nia. October 10. and at many other points 1t
! was seen before its publication. The Chairman
| of the Maine Democratic Committee has stated
that lac received the letter from hr. Barnum
two weeks before It's publication. Six day"
before it, publication the whisper that some
thing fatal ia Garfield was coming circulated
In The stock Exchange. Mr. Dana oi inc sam
was told Of the existence of the letter but de-
nouucrd IL ma u forgery. So 10 many other per
sons came the news that tho Democratic Com
mittcc was going to send fac-simile plates OF n
| letter which would elect Hancock.
| Mr. Davenport proves cOncluSivcly that the
| forged letter was written by lladlcy-Mr. Bar
| NUNS hreling. The fac-simile comparisons
| given OF his writing are conclusive. But lis
publication was preceded by an editorial III
| Truth, sent thither according To all evidence
| from Democratic headquarters, foreshadowlng
that line of attack Mr.. b. b. Smaley of the
| National Committee was conspicuous IN having
| the letter widely distributed; Mr. Barnum tele-
| glaphed all over the country the glazing I'M
tu,h that the letter was in Mr.. Gartieds
handwriting" and that denial was useless y
and then sent out the same Iladlcy, under the
false name of 40. NJ. Wilson," to Lynn and
afterward to Baltimore, to "bolster up the
weak points in the letter." kilograms to and
from him aud Barnum and fac-similes OF letters
and signatures are given, showing how he was
directed and paid from New York and what ne
did In the desperate effort to make the Morey
letter pass muster until after the election, an
affidavit was forged and hotel register fraudu-
lentv changed and men were hired to come here
and swear falsely, and, as all the world knows,
were convicted of perjury. But to the end, Mr..
| Barnum or his sten0grapher direcIed the agent;
thus Mr.. Barnum himself telegraphed 40. NJ.
Wilson Boston: Don't come unless you have
| got through"
That which will attract most attention is the
| mass OF closely linked evidence connecting the
| Democratic National Committee with every step
| in this succession of infamous crimes. Thou
! sands of items are given, which by themselves
/ would have little force. but which, when ar
rayed by Mr.. DavenpOrts SKILL become links III
| an irresistible claim of evidence. Only day
| or two before the election in letter of which
| fac smile is given by Mr.. Davenport, Mr.. Bar
| mum introduced Mr.. Hadley, lone of our
| staunch and trustworthy friends" to Demo
| cratic Committeeman in Maryland, and the
result was another forged affidavit. Going into
another struggle, with Mr.. Barnum again lead
| ing the hosts of aPurity and Reform" it is
well to be warned of what things he is capable.