The Republican journal., 1886-05-27
The Belt Divorce Suit Periurers

lie D6lI divorce GulL fef1 ur6rS.
Last september We caile' editorial attention
to the evidence taken by a commission in this
rit,- in thc R.lt ,Ii,ar..o ,.,s,. rh. L.t.;I. nf
tl'' "i>ll'>sli- >lol! naive "'eii FieAll! ana
frequently placed before the public. and we
dn moi NOW ,,n1,., f., recall tb.,u hr,,.,..
H.,
10'i''' an" ''' '''-'u woman ii'I
roWly escaped being made the victim of one of
,bc ba.e,t and most diaboliral cou>nirarir. re-.
corded in Inc criminal annals of tbe rouutry.
and this cvnsnira,.y was ptI,ctuajly ailrd h,,
the action of M oG>oIct. law ana t1,,. ,n,niuf
men. Of n priyatr commission.
As will easily he remembered thc evidence
of tb, vitn~..,.s hrn,'rtt hcfora IN. ,nmmi.-
>ion to testify against Mr,. Bclf. Was broken
down absolutely and in every palticular. Ctm-
ninoham. thr ,>eudo-,etectiyr. who manufor
turcd the evidence left fine city before the
commission had concluded lis session, and has
not hcrn heard of since
Samuel Jack>ou thr nriy4tr Notchm.n who
testified with hi, badge worn con>picuou,ly ON
His breast. stated ON ro-,-.Xanination tl.ai ;lI
IN, had >ail. from hpoiruiup To end. aLGl,t Mr..
Godfrey tthe name Of the lady before she lnar-
rcd Mi. Beltj WA, utterly untrue: that a 81
loon brrper uamctl Goll.v had promised him
so TO testify. and that Cunningham had told
hiln thr Story he was expected TO r,.pcat in
court
hattie -
ur~>o,. knowing tla1 jackson Ind confessed
hi- perjury. requested pcrni>,iou TO take back
what he had said himself ..a> if was all lins =
lie said he had been told that he should be
well paid if lie testified against the lady. He
wanted to SAY now that lie did not know the
Lady: that he had never seen Eer in hi, life ;
that he knew nothing about her, and that he
had been induced by CunninrF3m to come for
ward and swear a, he did upon the promise. of
being well paid.
Those subornpd witnesses who remained to
stand their trial for pcrilIry were, sent TO the
prnitrntiarv for five wears and in th. National
Repltbliran of last week 3uprarrd thr account
of jackson, trial. when thp iurv took seven
minutes to :t.rec to a verdict of "alil1y As in
!icted''
Some further trials NAV take place and the
law, DELAY may nn.tuon, the MN. .hnnut of
mi>rreant, who. for a few dollars. wouI1 have
Willingly sworn away the fair fame of I'm inno-
cent woman. But iustirr ha. at last been
vindicatcl ana Il famous divorce >Ilit ended.
ct we should like 10 know more of the people
who were behind Cunningham and hi. ni~cr;l-
hI,. gau~ What shall he thniI.,ht uf Inc ,n,;,
and women Who directly aidr,I The nrGru,i,,~
of the periured evidence: What reliance can
he placed on the wisdom or rertitude of men,
high in public estimation and society, supposed
to be learned in the law and Skilled IN The
phenomenal alterations of human nature. who
have NOT caparitv or conscience run,Irh Ia liz
cern between peri,rrd ana lraritimot,. evidence. .
ON October ~ 1855. Judge Fisher of the
Baltimore circuit court. granted a divorce
u HioHSu ri tol,D to Mrs. Belt. and thi- decision
i a r,u,nIptr lrr,l ,iud;rutinn nf th.t I,,I,.
But what amends can any lud-c'> decision offer
for >andcr and libel uIrou l,. rrlnIta1inn of :,
proud. honored. aud DISTINGUISHED ouat.r
family. with all it~ attendant ramitication>
What atonemcnt shall be made for the totter-
inc reason. for the shattered hone, and health
of brilliant woman. the ornament Of society