Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-09
Who Slaughtered the British Minister.

HE IS AN ENGLISH CANADIAN-HIS
REAL NAME Is JAMES CosNER.
A special dispatch from Pomona, CAL,
to the st. Louis Republic" of Sunday
last furnishes the following in regard to
the authorship of the letter signed James
Murchison, addressed to Lord Sackville,
the answer to which resulted in the dis
missa of the British Minister by Presi-
dent Cleveland:
Notwithstanding diligent work by de-
tectiyes, assisted by every Democrat in
Pomona and hints from the California
Democratic State Committee, the secret
of Murchison s letter was faithfully kept
until Saturday. and the disclosure Was
made in the Pomona Progress" whose
editor has authority to make the author
ship public. The letter to Minister W est,
&Sgned by CHARLES 3. Murchison, was
wrf>tsten here by young English Canadi-
an, ma ffiffsd james Cosner. He made his his
home in Pomona Ter seven years and was
naturaliZed last April at Los Angeles.
He is very strong Republican, and hav-
ing been in Canada during the tariff dis
cussion several years ago, became an ar
QoHC pTOtSCLISUlSJ.
lin this campaign he was one of the
first to declare fer Harrison, while his two
cousins, Andrew and George Wilson, who
have also been recently nasuraljzad, were
undecided whether to vote for Cleveland
or Harrison. Cosner is a bright young
lawyer, and has an aspiration for public
office from the Republican party of this
couaty He said Saturday that during a
heated argument with his Democratic
COUSINS and an Irishmau last August On
Cleveland attitude toward Great Britain
the thought suggested itself to him to
write to Sir Charles Topper and get his
private opinion concerning Cleyeland'5 at
titude on the fishery question. He talked
with TWO Republican lrishmen and for
mer Democrats, +. G. HalY and Patrick
e. Tanner. both lawyers, on the subject,
and they suggested that if an opinion IA
vorable 20 Cleveland could be obtalued
from Tupper, and also from MiDlSter
West, and could be spread abroad at the
proper time in the campaign it would be
another MoTey letter sensation, and be of
inestima BILE benefit to Harrison.
"a citing upon this suggestion Cosner
made rough sketch Of letters calculated
to draw Turper and West into giving
oplnlons favorable to Cleveland's admins
liation TO Canadian interests, There WAS
secret meeting Of Cosner. Tanner and
Haley in the office of the Pomona PRO
gress," where all made suggestions as to
tie alterations in the letter. The letter
when revised ard rewritten read very
smoothly. Another Republican, w. A.
Bell, who was called into council. suggest
ed that a letter to joseph Chamberlain
might have some effect to drawing an
opinion from him, AID also one to General
Fisk, the Prohibition candidate, might
induce him to advise the Prohibitionists
in doubtful States, like California, to cast
their votes for Harrison in orGerI0~smaSh
Cleveland's party.
Then another day was spent in writing
more letters, and then, when all were
carefully revised and rewritten. they were
dropped into the Pomona postCtfice on the
, night of September 4. The name OF Chas.
f. Murchlsen was signed to the letter to
West. because that is the name of English
relatives Of Cosner. The name of George
0. Watson was signed to the letter to
Topper, and Edmund Vaudeville to
Chamberlain's letter.
"On September 20, one of the men in
the secret called at the postofIice and got
the West letter. 1t was carried at once
to C0sner's Office where, with locked doors,
it was read to Tanner and Haley with
glee. Mr.. Cosner says lie could scarcely
believe at first that West had really fallen
so completely into the trap set for him.
Then there was week Of waiting for
answers from Topper, Chamberlain ard
Fisk SO as to have all in one batch. Tup-
per and Fisk replied very bril- fly and
without the least expression OF the desired
opinion, and their replies we're destroyed.
Then there was 4 wait of week more for
a possible letter frcm Joseph Cham berlain,
which never came.
meanwhile the Republican National
COMMITTEE in New York had been noti-
fed OF the bonalZ4 letter from West, and
it was agreed to publish the letter on Oc-
tober 27, just ten DAYS before the election.
w. Bell and Patrick Tanner TOOK Vests
letter to counsel with a lawyer there, as TO
the possible penalty for writing a letter
under al assumed name to West. Thele,
Editor Otis, If the Los Angeles ''Times y
heard OF the letter, and in some way I'M
known, the paper Published VESTS litter
en- October % The letter was published
throughout tie United States during the
next As hours.
MFR. Cosner admits the authorship of
the West letter. but does not admit
writing letters to Fisk and Topper, al
though he had hand in their compost
ton. He says that be knew when he re-
ceived the letter from West that its publ
cation would, make sensation, but be
had no idea itSw0uld result so disastrously
to that geGtIeman's diplomatic career,
orl t,o raurota pOxO that he helned RI got