The San Francisco call., 1898-07-03
Incident of Markham # Pond Campaign.
CHARITY is THE GAMER
REPUBLICAN, COMMITTEEMAN
 REDEEM. THEIR OFFER.
Checks Drawn in Favor of Arch bishop Riordan, Protestant and
 Hebrew Asylums and .1- the Aid Society.

The happy sequel of a story was told yesterday, bringing to a close an incident which, six years. since, shook the State to its very center. it originated during the memorable Pond Markham campaign, which was fought So bitterly for the Gov ernorship at that time.
 During the heat of the campaign Rus sell J. Wilson, chairman of the Demo- cratic State Central Committee, made public a letter bearing the signd Ire Of Henry H. Markham. In this ler.1r the people of the Irish race were referred to in sighting manner. The intention of making it public was to injure Markham's s candidacy Although given the widest publicity, it failed in its purpose and Markham was elected.
 Irwin C. Stump, chairman of the Re publican State Central Committee, pro- nounced the letter a forgery and offered a reward of 5000 for the letter, with proof of Its gepuineness. The letter and the proof were at once forthcoming. MT. Markham refused to pass upon the au- thentcity of the document. Suit was inn mediately commenced against MT. Stump to recover the proffered reward
 Judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff by the Superior Court, and upon appeal to the Supreme Court the judg- ment was affirmed.
 E IECiM. the start the ln6UlUeTS OI tue GeJll- cratic State Central Committee, headed by Chairman Wilson. and Secretary A. T. Spotts, made it known that whatsoever % money was recovered would be devoted to charity.
 s' The thousand dollars was paid to MT.
 Wilson and he drew four checks, each in the sum of $250 The pleasing duty of distributing them .devolved upon MT. Spotts They were drawn respectively In favor of Archbishop P.W. Riordan, head of the Catholic church; Mrs. William AL vord president Protestant Orphan Asy- lunf Arthur C. Smiley, superintendent Boys and Girls Aid Society; and Louis !. .Gerstle, treasurer Hebrew Orphan Asy- ; lLn: Acconipanylng each check was a letter; of which the following Is copy: :: .'. SAN FRANCISCO, July l. 1888
 Patrick W. Riordau, Most Reverend Arch - biskQp of San Francisco, san Francisco, Cal |. Your Grace. During the so-called Pond Mark " State Of California, through it's then chairman, Russell ]. Wilson, offered to the public letter which the DemOcratic party asserted was writ ten<by Henry II Markham. the then candidate :: for Governor of the Republican, party of this '. State, wherein MT. Markham, among other
 the: .:Irfsh crowd The authenticity of this letter was disputed by the Republican State : Central Confsnittee and MT. Markham himself .then"a candidate for Governor, denied that ht
 had. ever written such letter and denounced it as>a forgery.
 The Democratic State Central Committee
 through Mir. Wilson, its then chairman, as- serted the genuineness of this letter and offered to establish .. jddicialiy that the letter was
 genuine
 = IrvSin C.. stump, the then. chairman of the Republican Gtate Central Committee asserted that said letter was a forgery and offered a :: reward of Sl00Q fer the production of such let
 ter. accompanied with proof of. its genuine
 ness: z %.
 The original letter was subsequently pre-. . .sented by Mir Wilson to the Republican State Genital Committee, and thereafter to D. Nj .. Central Committee with permission to present it to- Mr. Markham for inspection Mir. Burn: subsequently, Presen1ed the letter to MT. Mark = hafIt: and MT, Markham either refused to in speCt the letter or. to state whether the same was. genuine or not. and Mir Wilson there .. tral Committee of California, commenced :, suit against Irwin C.. Stump, the chairman o tile Republican State Central Committee. t recover the sum. of 5000, which the rewarC offered by MT Stump on behalf of the Repub 'lican committee for the production of such { letter: and MT: Wilson. at that time stated
 that he had been authorzed by his committe, to say that in the event that he recovered judg ment for this $106O the same should be dis
 trihuted as follows:
 S250 to the Catholic Orphan Asylum, the sun
 of S250; to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, the sun .. of $25e, and to the Boys and Girls Aid So ciety, the sum of $250, making a total of 5000 Subsequently, judgment was recovered by MT ;'' Wilson for the sum of. 5000 in the Superio Q Court of this city and. county, thereby estab fishing the authenticity of this letter and ol
 appeal by the Republican party to the Su
 preme Court of this State the Judgment fl favor of MT. Wilson for 5000 was affirmed b.
 the Supreme Court; which amount has beel . received by MT. Wilson on account of thi
 judgment. am, therefore requested by MT
 Russell J. Wilson, ex-chalrman of the Demo