Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-11
SHAFFNER ARRESTED
He is Charged With a Serious
Crime.
ME-. MARVEL DENIES oOMPIICITY

BURY HAD THE ARREST MADE |
THIS MORN1NG-PRIsoNER TELLS
MANY STORIES.
Alfred L. shaffner. at one time en-
plcyed as Office boy in the law office OF
Josiah Marvel. will have Ito stand trial
for criminal libel. The prosecuting wit
nesses are ex-Attorney-General John
Blggs and willard Salisbury, Jr.
This IS the outcome Of the investlga-
tion. by the Board OF Censors Of the New
Castle bar, Of the professional conduct OF
Mr.. Marvel, the story Of which was pub
lished exclusively in the Evening Journal
yesterday afternoon.
After the variants had been sworn out
this morning, Messrs. Salisbury and
Blggs, through Deputy Attorney General
Peter l.. Cooper, Jr., who represented
them before the censors, and who now
represents the state. made public the fol-
lowing statement:
Warrants were issued this morning by
Lewis Sasse, for the arrest Of Alfred l..
Shaffner on charges OF criminal libel,
preferred by willard Salisbury and John
Biggs. Messrs. Salisbury and Biggs
learned in September or October of last
year that certain papers purportng to be
in the handwriting Of Josiah Marvel,
had been Autographed by The Sun, and
were about to be published for political
effect the said papers purporting to be
statements made to Josiah Marvel by
certain Of the election inspectors OF 1896
involving Messrs. Salisbury and BiggsI
with the alteration of the election re-
turns at that election. Messrs. Salisbury
and Biggs then preferred charges against
Mr.. Marvel, charging him with unpro-
fessional conduct and had him brought
before the committee Of censors Of the
bar of this county for the purpose Of dis
bament Shanfner at the commencement
Of these proceedings stated that Mr..
/ Marvel wrote the originals that were
| Autographed. and continued to so state
| until yesterday, when he testified before
| the committee that he wrote the origi-
nails. Each of the inspectors made AMI
davit immediately after Messrs Sauls-
bury and Biggs learned Of the existence
Of the papers, that neither Mr.. Salisbury
nor Mr.. Biggs had anything to do, di-
rectly or indirectly, with the alteration
Of the election returns or were in any
way ltoRtlHlDlt ANl d. dllu ANdl DOilt OF
them ever so stated to anyone. Mr.. Mar
vel also swore before the committee that
he did not write the purported state
ments and that he never heard any of
the inspectors make any statement i'm
plicating either Mr.. Salisbury or Mr..
Biggs in the altering of the said election
returns. Shaffner represented to The
sun people that the statsments were
written by Mr.. Marvel and sold them to
The Sun for 800. they paying that
amount for them in cash"
Mr.. Marvel is represented by Herbert
II. Ward, while Robert H. Richards rep
resents Shaffner. 1t is proposed to push
the case against Shaffner to a conclu.
sion.
Mr. Marvel emphatically denies that
he had anything to do with the action OF
Shaffner and says that he was down ir
Sussex county sick when the lad whC
had left his employ year before. tool
such unwarranted action. Mr.. Marve
says that there was nothing in his notes
which implicated Messrs. Salisbury ans
| Biggs. and that Shaffner, or someon,
n who assisted him, must have made NJ
b the documents for the. express purpose O
e sale
THE PENALTY SEVERE.
The penalty for the crime is discre
. t.onary with the court 1t may be eithe
y a fine or a term not exceeding thre
years Imprisonment
Mr.. Richards, Shafner's attorney, wa
in consultation with the deputy attorney
, general for a short time this afternoon.
Shaffner was arrested at his home No
SOC Jefferson street. this morning, b.
= State Detective Witsil and takon bcfor
Magistrate Sasse, who continued the cas-
, until o'clock this afternoon.
sHAFFNER's MANY STORIES.
shaffner has told any number OF stoI
les about the papers. one was that MI
= Marvel sat at the table with him whe
No he prepared them. and that the schem
10 was TO take them to Alessrs. Biggs an
Salisbury and demand $1,000 bloc
y money. The variance OF his many stol
IA les Is doubtless Mr.. Mawel's best de
1. fense, for many persons could be sun
70 moned to swear that they would not be
q lieve Shaffner on his oath. Mr.. Marvl
r denies every statement duplicating hin
a with the preparation and sale Of the pa
II pers. They are now In the possession {
A. the deputy Attorney and NJ
Marvel characterizes them as forgeries.
lit YOUNG sHAFFNER's RECORD.
tn Shaffner has a bad record. When NJ
IS Marvel took him in his Office he gay
ne promise Of amounting to something. i
he nally he forged a check on his employe
r according to Mr.. Marvers statement, ar
he was discharged. no prosecution follow
er ing the act Then the boy became
nd prominent member of the old Hotel Jei
n nings gang and that association did hi
of an immense amount of harm.
Some weeks ago he was arrested e
forgery and larceny and is now und
,,r $3.50 bail for appearance at the May ter
OF court lie is IA good subject for pros
-, cution, but a poor one for states eN
~ dence, and the deputy attorney-gener
- apDar rcnitly recognizes the fact.