The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-10-09
that HUMAN HIDE STORY.
An UnmitIgatcd Falsehood without the
Fatntcst Foundation in Fact.

An Unmitlgatcd FaIsehood without the
Faintcst Foundation in Fact.
II will be many long year before
the people of Ohio cease to blush over
the spectacle of their Governor dilating,
in campaign speech, over cane sup
posed to have been made from the hides
of convicts who died in the penitcntiary,
and basing his whole revolving story on
convict seeking pardon-a story
which bears visible falsehood on the
face of every line. Some features of
the narrative command renewed atten-
ton. On Friday, before the delivery Of
his speech, Governor Foraker furnished
to the Columbus correspondent of the
Jimes-Stdr information upon which the
following portion of his dispatch was
based:
"The disclosures are more sickcning
than ever. The story of skinning con-
victs for their hides has generally been
regarded improbable, but yesterday an
examination of cane made of human
flesh was made, and found to be as
represented by the convict who madeit.
The varnish was taken of, and when
the skin was uncovered it gave forth
sickening stencil which could not be but
OF human flesh, and this led to another
discovery. The skins were not tanned.
They were only tackled up and dried in
the sun, and when stretched cut into
strings and wrapped around a steelrod.
This accounts for the smell"
The idea that there is any peculiarly
''sickcning stencil" about adecomposed
human skin is original with these train
es of convict testimony. 1t would
smell not bit worse, and probably not
nearly so bad, as calf-skin under tho
same conditions. But the point par
ticularly sought to be impressed is
that if this terrible cane had been made
at the time indicated (two years ago),
the skin of which 1t was composed could
not, by any possibility, have smellcd at
all. 1t would long since have dried into
an indurated mass, as Odorless as parch-
ment-which is itself dried skin. If the
Governors story is true this cane has
been very RECENTLY manufactured for
campaign purposes, just as the con-
vict's testimony was manufactured, and
probably by the same person. DR..
Montgomery vigorously denouncess the
SUOIy u
falsehood, without the faintcst founda-
ton in fact. He points out that this
convict Nye is under sentence OF fifteen
years for horse-stealing; that he was
the most notorious liar in the peniten-
tiary, and that he has long been seeking
q pardon. He has been promised It
now, in return for the sickening
stencil" of his fairy tale.
And what do the people of Ohio think
of itP Their Governor calls in from the
penitentiary horse-thief (Nye), and a
murderer Richardson) to help him make
up a campaign speech. Under hope Of
q full pardon, the poor wretches swear
to any thing he wants, or to any thing
that his tool, Beaton, suggests; and
then, without scintilla of other evil
dence, this Governor hourishes his con-
vict tale upon the stump, and makes it
the basis of torrent of blackguardism
against all Democrats, whether in pri-
vate, in political. or in judicial life.
Will any one deny that the man is
lunatic? He was once suspected of be-
ing in some degrees removed from a
fool, and perhaps that suspicion ought
yet to be obtained; but it compels the
other conclusion of political insanitv.-
Gin. Enquirer.