New-York tribune., 1900-10-20
ODELL CALLS 1T FORGERY.
ALLEGED LETTER FROM THE STATE
CHAIRMAN GIVEN OUT BY INQUIRE.
DEMOCRATS CONTEND THAT 1T WAS RE-
CEIvED BY A MAN IN WASHINGTON
COUNTY-BEARs MARKS OF
SPIJRIOITSNESS
SPURIOUSNESS

CoUNTY-BEARs MARKS OF
SPURIoUsNEss.
What appears to have been a clear case of
forgery to bolster UP the waning cause OF
Organism in this State came to light last night
when James K Mcclure. chairman of the Ex-
ecutlve Committee of the Democratic State Com
mittee, gave out letter which places Benjamin
r. Odell, the Republican candidate for Gov
ernor, and chairman of the State Committee In
the light of a wholesale corruptionst. The let
ter, according to Mr. MCGUIRE was received by
Republican in Greenwich Washington County,
from Mr. Odell This is a copy of it, author
lied by Mr.. Mcclure:
MY Dear Sir: Your name has been handed to
me as lifelong Republican whom we can
trust VIII you kindly send me at the
names OF ten Independent Democratic voters
@ sIoing IN your election district whom you think
may De influenced to favor our ticket on Elec-
llon Day? Also advise us of any expense in
vowed, ours very truly, B. E. ODELL, Jr,
chairman Republican State Committee.
Mr.. Odell went to Newburg yesterday after
noon, and could not be seen. AS soon as Colonel
Reuben L. Fox, secretary of the Republican
State Committee. told of the alleged Odell
letter he said:
III bet $14 to IA cents that they haven't got
any such letter." and then he at once asked
Luther B. Little to call up Chairman Odell at
his home in Newburg. Mr. Little talked with
the state Chairman about ten minutes and then
made the following statement:
I read this alleged letter to Mr.. Odel over the
telephone He said:
THE whole thing is absolutely false. never
sent out any such thing Any one that knows
me knows that I never would send it out. The
whole thing is forgery and lie, and 1 will
come down to New-York in the morning, II
necessary, and fortify my statement With an
affidavit to that effect. The man who got out
the letter knows that it is a lie"
Mr.. Little who is familiar with the work of
the State Committee in commenting the let
ter, said:
This thing has all the earmarks of a clumsy
forgery, for this reason: The letter purports to
be signed by B. 3. Odell, jr., chairman Republi-
can State Committee Every one in this Office
knows that the letters sent out by the chairman
are never signed in that way. They are signed
simply with the word chairman under the
name of Mr.. Odell."
Mr.. Little then took out great mass of corre-
spondence, and showed that the full title, Chair
man Republican State Committee" never fol-
lowed the name of Mr.. Odeu.
The suspicion prevails that certain members
of the Democratic State Committee concocted
the scheme for injecting brand of slander
and lying into the campaign, and then sent the
letter to trusted Democratic workers in Wash
ington County in order to exploit it from the
safest and most plausible end of the line. 1t is
believed that this letter, notwithstanding its
undoubted spuriousness, win be exploited by the
Democrats for ''all it is worth campaign
issue in the back country districts. The only
effect of such trick at this time will be to
spur the Republican campaign managers to
greater activity and watchfulness.
James K. Mcclure chairman of the Executive
Committee of the Democratic State Committee
who gave out the letter alleged to have been
written by Mr.. Odell, was the most surprised
man in town to think that it caused any inter-
est When the reporters went into the Hoff-
man House about IL o'clock last night to ask
Mayor Mcclure for further particulars about
the letter they found him costly ensconsed in
leather chair in the cafe, seated at table COW
cred with snowy linen, heavy plate and fine
glass, enjoying a dish of fresh mushrooms and
slipping champagne of rare vintage. When the
reporters told Mr.. Mcclure of the interest the
letter had created, he gasped.
well, boys" he said. plaintively, this is one
on me- I came from a neck of the woods where
things kind Of rough and politics bit ruff
fled l am used to getting indicted about once
every forty-eight hours, and l didn't suppose
a little case like trying to buy votes in blocks
would cause any excitement. If 1 had known
( it would stir up a commotion l would have is
/ sued a long interview with myself, crucifyng
the Republicans for their perfidy and corrup
tiOn. but l didn't realize ii. 1t is one on me-"
The Mayor then went on to relate the in
cidents in connection with the alleged letter.
You see it is this way. The letter was sent to
a Republican worker in Greenwich, Washington
County. He showed it to several persons. Some
of them thought 1t worth reporting. Accord
ingly copy was made. 1t was copied carefully
and witnesses signed their names to the copy.
This sent to Senator Murphy. He has got
the name of the man that received the letter.
the names Of the witnesses and the copy. You
had better him.
An effort was made to see ex-senator Murphy
at the Hoffman House, but he had gone to bed
and would not get UP. Mr.. Mcclure added
ANY fair minded man, be he Democrat Re
publican can draw only one conclusion from that
letter. 1t is susceptible of only one construc-
ton"
Richard Croker had little to say about the
! letter. TT shows what the Republicans up
to- he said. at is another case of blocks of
five The Republicans trying to buy Demo-
cratic voters. but the loyal and honest Demo
Gratis will not be corrupted. The scheme will
fall
The Democratic leaders last night declared
seriously that the letter a genuine one; that
they would stand by its authenticity and expose
| the whole matter
IF you have Registered yourself for the
election, it that your neglected. Re
/ publican friends register to-day.