National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-15

LabL september we called editorial at
tention to the evidence taken by commits
sion in this city In the Belt divorce case.
The details Of that distressing story have
been clearly and frequently placed before
the public, and we do not now propose TO
recall them. A brave, gentle, and outrage
ously-wronged woman narrowly escaped
being made the victim of one OF the basest
and most diabolical conspiracics recorded
in the criminal annals of the country, and
this conspiracy was efFectually aided by
the action of an obsolete law and the ap.
pointment OF a private commission.
AS will easily be remembered the evil
dence of the witnesses, brought before the
commission to testify against Mrs. Belt,
was broken down absolutely and in every
particular. Cunningham, the pseudo-de-
tective, who manufactured the evidence,
left the city before the commission had
concluded its session, and has not been
heard Of since.
Samuel jackson, the private Waterman,
who testified with his badge worn consplcu-
ously on his breast, stated on crossexami-
nation that all he had said, from beginning
TO end, about Mrs. Godfrey (the name OF
the lady before she married Mr.. Belt was
utterly untrue; that saloon keeper named
Cooley had promised him $50 to testify, and
that Cunningham had told him the story he
was expected to repeat in court
Battle Minor, another OF Cunningham's
witnesses, knowing that jackson had con-
fessed his perjury, requested permission TO
take back what he had said himself, "as 1t
was all lies" He said he had been told
that he should be well paid II he testified
against the lady. He wanted to say now
that he did not know the lady; that he
had never seen her in his life; that he knew
nothing about her, and that he had been
| induced by Cunningham to come forward
and swear as he did upon the promise Of
being well paid
Those suborned witnesses who remained
to stand their trial for perjury were sent to
| the penitentiary for five years, and In the
| NATIONAL REPUBLICAN Of last week APP
peared the account Of Jackson's trial, when
the jury took seven minutes to agree to q
verdict of 'guilty as indicted"
Some further trials may take place and
the laws delay may postpone the punlsh-
ment of miscreants who, for few dollars,
would have willingly sworn away the fair
fame OF an innocent woman. But justice has
at last been indicated and a famous divorce
suit ended. Yet we should like to know
more Of the people who were behind Gun
ningham and his miserable gang. What
shall be thought of the men and women
who directly or indirectly aided the pro
curing Of all the perjured evidenceP What
reliance can be placed on the wisdom OF
rectitude Of men, high In public estimation
and society, supposed to be learned In The
law and skilled in the phenomenal nberra
tions Of human nature, who have no
capacity or conscience enough to discern
between perjured and legitimate evidence
On October "a, 1885, Judge Fisher, OF TIN
Baltimore circuit court, granted divorce
a nensd Ct thOro to Mrs. Belt, and this de-
clsion is complete legal vIndicatlon OF
that lady. But what amends can an!
Judges decision offer for Islander anu libe
upon the reputation Of proud, honored
and distinguished Quaker family, with al
its attendant ramilcationP
What atonement shall be made for tn
totterlng reason, for the shattered hope
and health of brilliant woman, the orna
ment Of society and the idol of a closely
united family circle? From the depths o
the human heart comes no satisfactory an
swer TO such questions. We mortal mil
lions must live alone with the haunting
memories of Joys ard sorrows that w
thought were dead. But time remains, tn
one permanent instance of natures com
passion, and under its healing influence
the mind and heart, consclous,of their rectI
tude, shall grow again into accord witt
their surroundings, reverting to the bite
past and the baseness OF individuals onl
as II one should recall the phantoms o
some delirlous dream.
II this divorce suit aecompllshes n
further good, 1t viii, at least, have calle
public attention TO the fact that no man o
woman is safe in life or character Will
! three classes Of rulfians are permitted to b