The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-01
DUDLEY AND BROTHER BEN.
THsTsxroF THE ANDgRsoNLgTTER.
William Wade Complains That While He
Has Done More For the President
Than Anyone Else, the Latter Cuts
Him Dead-A Touching Epistle.

WASHINGTON, April 25.-The alleged letter
from Col. w. W. Dudley to Samuel Van Pelt,
an old army comrade living in Anderson, Ind,
as published here to-day as special dispatch
70 Chicago paper from Anderson, was shown
Col. Dudley tonight He pronounced it "a
clear, cold forgery" said he had telegraphed
10 Van Pelt as soon as he saw it in the paper
to-day, demanding that Van Pelt give out for
publication the letter which he actually wrote,
and added: Il wrote only one and have pre-
served a copy. Here il is. While don't care
20 have my private letters published to the
world, yet there is nothing in this letter which
] am ashamed Of and while il was hastily writ
ten In confidence to an old friend, would
have no objection to the president seeing it.
I have asked nothing from Gen. Harrison. and
therefore have nothing complain Of / wish
the administration every success, and would
not, if / could. embarrass it in any way. l am
out of politics, and would not accept any pub
lie Office. l have recently associated with me
Mr. Charles D. Ingerson of New York and
Jerome Carly of Philadelphia, and have de-
cided to devote my entire attention to the prac-
tiee of law. l neither seek nor would accept
any public Office"
Following is the letter:
-
s. d. Van Pelt, Anderson, Ind:
DEAR OLDSAM-You good letter Of the 10Th
of March got in good time, but it found me alb
sent have recently returned from a trip TO
the South where / went On legal business, and
had a good time and a little rest from the
crowds OF people who throng my office from
morning until night, and from the mountain of
letters which pile upon my desk every day.
Your letter got into the pile, where / rescued
II tonight and hasten now 10 say how much
good it has done ME to hear from you again.
There is nothing should like better than to do
something for you, Sam, but | am afraid you
greatly over-estimate my influence. Your old
friend Reed has placed his pension in my
hands, and l am working away at it to get il
soon.
Perhaps there is no one in the country who
has done so much for Gen. Harrison during the
last twenty years a. I have. but because our
democratic friends down in indianapolis have
started the hue and cry on me, Brother Ben
does not seem 10 feel that he can afford TO rec
0gnize me as an acquaintance and conse-
quently don't take dinner at the white house
might be expected l have not been inside
the white house since Cleveland's Inaugural
ton, little over four years ago. but will see
II something cannot be done little later on,
and tell you what to do. IL you should not
hear from me again, Sam, for the next two
months, don't be alarmed. for there will be
Just as good chances two months hence-and a
little better-as there are now.
1--WE my KIM REGARDS 10 all the boys AT A n
dersOn and remember me always as your friend.
w. w. DUDLEY.
ANDERSON. Ind. April 2j.-[Special The
publication IN this mornings SENTINEL of ex-
tracts from the letter of W. W. Dudley to Sam
vel Van Pelt of this city created a profound
sensation. The extracts were given as stated
from memory by person who said he had
read the original and are accurate in phrase
ology. This morning Mr. Van Pelt received
the following telegram from Mr. Dudley:
WAsHINGToN, D. G. April %. 1850. SAM
EEL VAN PELT-What Is this see in Chicago
Herald from their Anderson correspondent?
] demand that you have my letter as written to
You published in the Indianapolis journal, the
Anderson papers and the Chicago Herald. Is
that the way you treat private correspondence
from an old friend? Answer.
w. W. DUDLEY.
In accordance with this request Mr.. Van
Pelt gives out the letter, which is word for
word as sent out by the Associated press from
Washington tonight