The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-14
OHIO REPUBLICANS MAD AND SAD.
The Retraction of Charges Against
Campbell May Elect the Latter.

The Retraction OF Charges Against
Campbell May Elect the Latter.
A Columbus lO.) special to the New York
World says that there is CONSERVATION at
the headquarters of the republican state ex-
ecutive committee, the result of Murat Hal
stead's retraction of the charge that James
Campbell, democratic candidate for gov
ernor, was a stockholder in the ballot-box
deal, and his acknowledgment that the sig
natures of that gentleman in fac simile
letter published by him as documentary
evidence" of the truth of the charge are
forgeries. The double-leaded editorial max
ing this retraction and acknowledgment
over Mr.. Halstead's own signature appeared
unexpectedly in this mornings Commercial
Gazette, and was as follows:
Upon evidence believed to be conclusive, and
my own responsibility, addressed Mr.. James
r. Campbell a letter and published it in the ed
itorial columns of the Commercial Gazette,
stating hal the proof that he had secured
money interest in tn ballot-box. on behalf of
which, a member of the house of representa-
tives, he had introduced bill, and upon his de-
NAL caused to be engraved and published what
purported to be a fac-simile of his signature
appended to paper subscribing for three
twentlethS of the interest in the ballot-boX job.
In yesterdays paper made the announce ment
that the original documents were in my posses
Sion They consist of Mr.. Campbell's bill, the
contract numbered 1000 and the subscription
paper to which names are written, beginning
with that of Mr.. Campbell
Testimony was placed before me last night
proving that the Names including that of Mr.
Campbell are, with two EXCEPTIONS traced
from detached signatures, and are substantial
forgsrles. That there may be no shade of doubt
upon my exact meaning have to say that Mr.
CampbellS signature as it has been used is
fraudulent.
The proof of this came to me in conclusive
| form at late hour and it is my duty at once to
| declare gaPnad
| show the business behind the bill are as pub.
| lshed, but the signatures of which Ihave given
that OF the author of the bill. are fabricated.
(SigneD NJ HALsrEAD.
anything of this kind. They had evidently
confded fully in Mr.. Hallstead's constantly
| reiterated assertions that he had docu-
mentary and unanswerable proof of the
truth of his assertions, and without further
investigation on the part of the commi tee
the matter had been made the chief su ject
of discussion by republican speakers on the
stump. To have this suddenly pulled from
| under them leaves the party management
floundering about in bad prelicament.
| Chairman Campbell, of the democratic
state committee, assured the World CORE
spondent that the matter had only come out
| sooner than they wished it. They hoped to
be able to let the republicans hobble Them
selves hopelessly before the forgery was
| eApOoeu. DuJ IL IS nOU all OUT YET, SAID
he; "be prepared for still further surp ises
in few days" But the question is, if it is
a forgery, who is the forger and what his
purpose M. L. Hawkins. editor Of the
Cincinnati Post, says that R. G. Wood, one
of the patentees of The ballot box in ques
ton, was known to be seeking copie,
of genuine signatures of Mr.. Campbell
John r. McLane and others not long
ago Wood has disappeared, it is said. The
most plausible theory of the object of the
forgery is, that it was designed to ruin Mr.
Campbelrs chances for election by making
him out a trickster congressman. Evi
IDENTIFY, if this is true, Mr.. Halstead was no
privy to the scheme. and has exposed it a
soon as it revealed itself to him in its truC
light. Some republicans charge that Hal
stead has betrayed the party pnrposely, ant
others say that he has simply refused to b
duped by tricksters. while others say he ha
been guilty of making a very seriou
charge upon f1imsy ground. Mr.. Campbell
is placed before the people as the INTENDED
victim Of some dark plot Many repub
licans admit that the matter puts a yer,
different phase upon the political situation
in Ohio, and that Campbell's election i
very probable.