The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-26
A CLEAR, COLD FORGERY.
The Letter Alleged to Have Been
Written by Gen, Dudley
TO HIS OLD ARMY CoMRADE
Attacking President HarrIson-Mr.
Dudley Gives Out tho letter he
Really Did wrIte-A Manly
Statement Of his Position,

WAsHINaToN, D, O., April 25.-The
following alleged letter from Col, w, W,
Dudley to Samuel Van Pelt, an old army
comrade, living in Anderson, Ind, was
published here to-day as a special dis
patch to Chicago paper from Ander'
son;
"MY DEAR SAM:-Yours received. l
need not tell you that 1t would be very
gratifying to me to see you get the
Indian Agency, knowing, as | do, your
special fitness for the Place, and your
service 10 tho country nthe hour OF her
sorest need, but am sorry TO say that
l will be unable To render you any as,
sistance whatever with the President,
He has lost his backbone, and Is too
Cowardly to be seen consulting with me,
for the simple reason that the Copper.
heads and Rebels Of Indiana have
trumped up q lot OF charges against me,
He seems entirely obllvious to the fact
that 1t was through my efforts that In.
diana was saved to him."
A FORGERY,
When the above was shown to Colonel
Dudley he pronounced 1t "Clear, cold
forgery"
He said he had telegraphed to Van
Pelt as soon as he saw 1t in the paper
to-day, demanding that Van Pelt give
out for publication the letter which he
actually wrote, and added: ~ wrote
only one and l have preserved q copy.
Here 1t is. While don't care to have
my private letters published to the
world, yet there is nothing in this letter
which / am ashamed Of and while II
was hastily written in confidence to an
old friend, would have no objection to
the President seeing 1t. / have asked
nothing from General Harrison and,
therefore, have nothing to complain Of.
l wish the administration every success
and would not, II could, embarrass II
in any way. / am out Of politics and
would not accept any public office. l
have recently associated with me Mr..
Charles D. Ingersoll, OF New York, and
Jerome Carty, Of Philadelphia, and have
decided TO devote my entire attention to
the practice OF law. | neither seek nor
would accept any public Office"
THE REAL LETTER.
Following is the letter:
WASHINGTON, D. G., April 10.
ToA. D TaRpelt, Esq., AndcnOn, Ind.
DEAR 0LD SAM:-Your good letter Of
the 20th OF March got in good time, but
IL found me absent. have recently re-
turned from trip to the south, where !
went on legal business and had a good
time, and little. rest from the crowds
OF people who throng my office from
mountain OF letters which pile up on
my desk every day. Your letter got in.
TO the pile, whence rescued II tonight,
and | hasten to say how much good II
has done me-to hear from you again.
There Is nothing l should like better
than TO do something for yLu, Sam, butI
am afraid you greatly over estimate my
influence. Your old friend Reid has
placed his pension In my hands, and |
am working away at IT TO
get II soon. Perhaps there is no
one in the country who has done
so much Tor General Harrison during
the last twenty years, as have, but be.
cause our Democratic friends down in
indianapolis have started the hue and
cry on me, Brother Ben docs: not seem to
feel that he can Afford to recognize me
as an acquaintance, and, consequently, l
don't take dinner at the White House as
might be expected. have not been in
side OF the White House since Cleve-
lands Inauguration, little over four
years ago, but | will see II something
cannot BE- done u little later on and tell
you what to do. II you should not hear
from me again, Sam, for the next two
months, don't be alarmed, for there will
be Just us good chances two months
hence-and a little later-as there are
now. Give my kind regards to all the
boys at Anderson and remember me
w. W. DUDLEY.