The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-12-22
CLAPp NOT GUILTY.
Successfully Refutes the Charge
Of Writing Obscene Letters.
THE TRIAL DEVELOPS A NEW oLEW.

An Ex- Clergyman Suspected of Hity-
Shocked Local Church CircIes-The
Denouement Creates Sensation.
Duchess county court room was crowded
beyond its capacity yesterday when the
ease of Clinton w. Clapp, under indict-
ment for having written obscene letters
to Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Of Woffin-
gers Falls, was called. Both Mr.. Clapp
and Mrs. Smith are prominent in the
village and leading members of the Bap-
tist church there. Clapp has been twice
supervisor of the town, assessor and vii
lage trustee, and was for thirty years
trustee OF the Baptist church, which fact
led to the unusual spectacle of church
records being produced in court for the
purpose of proving the similarity of the
handwriting therein with that in most
shocking and terrible letter which was
received by one of the most prominent
ladies in the congregation, The case,
which has been in the hands of Anthony
Comstock since last June, has created a
IuEOI6 throughout InB county.
beginning of the Trouble.
A few years ago Clapp's father died,
leaving him an estate of $l50,000. His
children brought the estate affairs into
court, and long litigation resulted.
Prior to this Mrs. Smiths husband died,
leaving an estate of $4,000, of which
Clapp was appointed executor. The
trouble in the Clapp estate alarmed Mrs.
Smith, and she demanded of Clapp an
immediate accounting Of her interests in
earnest. Rev. Henry b. Maurer, then
pastor of the Baptist church, but since
resigned from the ministry and engaged
in the study Of law in New Y ork
boarded at Mrs. Smiths house and took
an interest iii her affairs, and, it is al
legged, urged her to have Clapp removed
from the charge of her husbands estate.
This brought on trouble between the
pastor and the trustee. In June, 1891
the town was greatly excited over the
receipt by prominent people Of shocking
letters. signed Frank B. Hortin, whom
nobody in the village knew. The clergy,
man proceeded to discover the writer
and called in ComstoGk, Experts were
employed, the church records were ex
amined and compared with the letter
Slapp was fnaliY confronted with the
charge OF having written the letter
Then followed the indictment.
Clapp Turns tho Tables.
Meantime Clapp was not idle, as
was demonstrated yesterday when hi
lawyers, Walter Harrington and ex
Judge Henry NJ. Taylor, attempted il
their defense TO show that the Rev Mr.
Maurer, and not Clinton W. Clapp, wa
the author of the Objectionable letters
and that he had an ambition to contro
the estate himself. The sedate OLE
court room has not known such sensa
ton in years as that which followed The
attempt to turn the tables on the eX
Clergyman. They produced a letter ad
dressed to Frank b. Hortin, which
member of the choir found in Mr.
Maurer's study at the church. From
this they sought to prove that the hand
writing in tho letter found in the churcl
corresponded with that in the letter 70,
which Clapp was indicted. Seyera
times when Mr. Harrington aslSet
Maurer plainly, "Did you write this let
ter to Mrs. SMITH" the witness, in grea
excitement, exclaimed, May God para
lyze my hand this instant if know any
thing of criminal nature coucernin;
this letter
After an hours deliberation the jur,
returned verdict Of mot guilty"