Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-11
MISS WINNIE DAVIS.
THE YOUNG LAoY'S NAME FORGED
TO BEGGING LETTERS.
The forror Believed to lie the Tennessee
Rogue who Recently Yictimized
Governor buchanan.
lRy telegraph TO the Dispatch.l

JERSEY CrTY. November 1O.-Two letters
have been sent South from here lately pur-
porting 70 be written by Miss Winnie DAVIS, ,daugt-
ter OF the late Joerson Davis. for begging 81 900.
Ono was sent 10 DIR. William Morrow, Of Nash
Vile, Tcnn., en- the other 10 General Gordon, Of
Atlanta, Ga. There Is little doubt that they
were written by Stoidard, tho forger, who lies In
the Hudson county Jail and who forged Ills way
out Of the Tennessee mines by letter 70 tho
Governor asking for his pardon, purportlng to
pretending TO be signed by lot Of the foremost
people OF Kentucky.
Observation-Disclosures Smith received n let
ter nom Dr. Morrow enclosing copy OF the note
scgt 20 him. He turned the case over TO Chief
Murphy, Who wrote 20 DR.. Morrow for tho original.
a day or two later IA friend OF Miss Davis came
rpm Now YORK with the note to General Gordon.
The General knew the address OF Mrs. Davis and
b IN daughter In New York ana knew that they
w)uid not need 20 write 20 him Tor money; 30 he
stnt them tho lettor TO put thom on their guard.
oNB or TIE LETTERS
The letter 20 Dr. Morrow reads:
JERSEY CITY. n, j., October 2, 1891.
"Sir,--ConfornAbly with request of my dear
mother, ask Of You favor in her behalf-that
you accept her note for 1000, payable In
ninety days. lOn may send draft or check pay
able 20 either Of us at your earliest convenience.
mother assures You that she viii certainly
DO able TO for the note at maturity, and will
heartily appreciate your kindness. We are
having, as you are doubtless aware, trouble
with the publishers OF my hoDored fathers book,
and mother has been obliged 20 bring suit to OBJ
tain hcr percentage Of the tales, as the firm was
inclined TO defer payment beyond the time
specined In the contract. We hope soon to have
matters properly adjusted 20 that We may re-
turn 70 Bcauvoir and not again be summoned
North In order 70 escape the confusion and
publicity Of hotel life in Now York we en-
gagged quiet quarters in suburb OF this city,
whero we are stopping somewhat ia cog. Mother
is badly worn non travel, labor, and worry, and
IS quite anxious 70 return homo. She has been
90 10 much expense recently that her ready
money is reduced 20 a minimum point, and she
il compelled 70 effect loan for n short time.
Sho viii soon be In receipt " a comfortable in
come, as the book Is an assured success and viii
rank among the greatest works oi modern times.
she certainly merits the reward, for she has
tOiled assiduOusly 20 complete my lamented
fathers unfinished work.
"Sho bcgs me TO assure you that she will be
happy 20 welcome you at BeauyOir whenever IL
may please you TO call. We viii extend oil the
hospitality In our power.
Awaiting your gracious response, believe me,
sir, very truly and respectfully.
"No. 81 Ash street, Lafayette, jersey City"
Dr. ViHidB, horTou Nashville, Tenn.'
WHY sTODDARD Is SUSPECTED.
"The reasons for connecting Stoddard with
the case are several and cumulative" said Chief
Murphy In an interview this morning. In the
first place tho language is Staddards. He often
begins his letters with that word 'cOnformably'
aud he usually closes with something about
gracious reply. Then again, whoever wrote
the letters must have known DR.. Morrow, who Is
n cunyict-labOr contractor in Tennessee, and
who would know all about that better than Stod-
dard? Besides that, when detailed Detective
Close 10 watch the post-Ofice for anybody ask
ing for letters for Miss Winnie Davis and found
that nobody went for them, was sure that
timid accomplics had been frightened away. i
had sent n dummy letter TO her at 81 Ash
street, and nobody there knew anything about
such a person. N the writer had boen free 90 20
20 the p0st-Ofice that would have been dill
fereut thing, but when man Is In jail
ne cannot easily 80 20 the pOst-Onice.
There is no proof that Stoddard wrote
the letters, which appear 20 be
IA a genuinely feminine and thOrOughly-formed
hnn WRITING. They are written on small, ruled
note-pa per OF rather ordinary quality, and begin
ON the left-hand page instead OF tho more COM
mon right-hlni page. Tho chirography is not
az all that OF a refined person, but belongs with
the language Of the notes. II does not at all re-
semble that Of Miss Davis.
"NO 81 Ash street is big tenement-house,
and even its inmates would not dignity & with
the name OF quiet and convenient quarters"