The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-13
THE poUaHERrY CASE.
The Attempt TO Compel the President to Atone
for q Public SANDER.

The Attempt TO Compel the President 20 Atone
for q Public SANDER.
epecisI TO the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Sept l2.-In connection with
the petition to Congress by Mrs. Cbarlotts
Smith for authority to prosecute President Ceye-
land upon the charge of libeliug Mrs Mary Ann
Doughesty, an Irish woman, whose pension bill
was recently vetoed. the Woman's National
League of this city, has just issued brief 10 the
case which is to be distributed among members
OF Congress. It will be remembered that Mira.
Dougherty was severely injured by an explosion
in the arsenal here, where she was working at
cartridge making during the war, and that the
President in vetoing her pension said that she
was a woman OF bad character The brief in
the case issued to-day is headlined as follows:
"a dastardly outrage. Grover Cleveland as
calls the character of Mary Ann Dougherty. be
vetoed her pension bill and then denounced her
as drunken and worthless to the whole country.
The charges against her proven false. Will
Irisbmen vote for q man who shelters himself
behind his high office 10 ruin the tame OF help
less Irish woman
Following are the salient features Of the brief:
'sGrover Cleveland stands before the Nation
as a candidate for reelection. with how much
show the people must determine in November.
Ours Ia the Nation of brave men, but the great
chief executive takes advantage OF his high of
fetal position to traduce and ruin the character
OF poor Irlshwoman-the widow of an Irish
soldier who defended our flag in the dark days
of the rebellion. By what right did Grover
Cleveland stoop from the high pedestal on which
the people had placed him to sssai the reputs-
ton OF q helpless widow to whom Congress had
granted petty pension of eight dollars per
month, for servic-s rendered the Nation by her
dead hushsndi Was il not cruel enough 10 veto
the act Of Congress. and there let il resti No;
ronlf 10 u Cd -.
the yiudictive feeling which be has exhibited
against the poor and fri-ndless since his iu-
stallation into Office. be takes the occasion 70
say:
1.-The petition OF this is indo-sed by the al
mira and several other officers Of the navy. and
distinguished clergyman Of Washington. certifying
that they know Mrs. Dorgherty and believe the facts
stated De The police records the precinct
in which she has lived yr years show that she il a
of very bad character. and that she has been
under arrest niEe times for drunkenness. larceny.
creating disturbances, and miscerneanOrS o. tina.
SORT
I'VE have taken the time snd pains 20 look
through the police records for tue last twenty
six years TO satisfy ourself whether the charge
which Grover Cleveland brings against Mary
Aun Dougherty were true. and Whistler che
as bad as he had pictured her. The record
shows that lthisi Mary Ann Dougherty was ar
rested about twenty-five years ago. for assault.
and this WAS the only time she was ever arrested
Was che guilty. Let US see. The evidences
shows that brutal member OF the police fOres
while engaged in beating HE wife-who had
young baby in her srms-was assaulted oy
Mary Ann Dougherty-with his own billy-and
made TO desist. She was arrested for this,
Quilted, and the police officer dismissed the
force"
A complete abstract OF the police court rec
ords covering the arrest OF the various women
in Washington by The pame of Doueherty 10
produced. and the fact that Mrs. Mary Ann
Dougherry, who applied for the pension, was in
dorsed by many of the leading citizens Of Wash
ipgton. in given