New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-14


No. TIA Kenesaw-ave,. y. w.
Washington, D. c. Juno Il. 1894
SIR: N November. 1898. on the strength Of GER
taW. the Fourth Assistnt Pesmaster General
you gave TO tie press OF the country 4 statement
OF Assistant Attorney General ryner has gone on
for a AuHber Of years. and atter referring 70 me-
the corruption took the form Of fayorine get
Ilch,qulcK concerns ana similar schemes III otter
duty to prosecute, paid (mel FOR permission to
After thus giving your Official opinion Chief
Magistrate OF The nauon as To M guilt, you re-
ferred to the fact that there were three indict-
ments pending against me and you called upon .
No verdict Of jury or sentence OF judge could
have had such far reaching or lrFemedlable conSe-
quences for as this extraordinary official procla-
nation OF suit 1y y6S and The ordinary LlacnneF;
the injustice done IrInedlateiy upon seeing your
charges in the pres, | addressed you letter.
YOU had 10 right, without least first giving me
chance to be heard in my defence, or without
F11eVa1 HIST the good name and
which for nearly eighty years had endeavOred TO
"A merciful and just God would spare my life long
enough TO enable me 10 lace jury OF my peers,
10 be a deathbed protest against your unusual I'm
had my day In court, and according to the law OF
tha land I have established my innocence OF any
Messrs, WoIthingten. & Hershey to lay fuly be.
and private career. and to take advantage OF no
legal technicalitles,
Tho Jury were asked by and by my counsel
md by the court 10 ignore my age and physical
condition I asked not for an acquittal. but for a
mine referred to L. Mr. BI,stoy;'s report was
jury without moments hesitation. pronounced me
mot guilty all the indictments. Their YER
inous sentiment of every member OF the bar OF
the community who followed the case And may
add that I was not content to rest my vindicatlon
on the governments failure to prove crime. but
1 insisted on atfrmatively proving my innocence OF
Such a verdict in a trial brought IN coed faith
accused party but unfortunately in this case your
official proclamation Of my assumed guilt has such
TO f1ny it practically overrides the verdict of the
hesitate to say that your verdict given before trial
IS more TO relied upon than the verdict OF court
/ have no recourse except by appealing TO your
sense of right and fair dealing: -.
mated briefly that your action unjust and
y ond did Il had been ed and
ceived by Mr.. Bristows report charged that
his report suppressed the facts garbled the evil
dence msquoted the records. made untrue state
ments and was in eVsry way S nn to msead
l now reafffrm these charges. and 1 call your at
tfaSn 10 ss f hat is RS 6 than ers
after witness on the stand for the government in
document after document from the government
moment TO question the good faith and entire SIN
certify Of your proclamation; wish merely to en-
that yonr laudable zeal for public and oftciai
decency has been imposed upon.
You accuse me of gross corruption" the attor-
neys for the government constantly disclatmed any
such charge before the jury. You charge that I
WIS paid by criminals not 70 prosecute them
Not scintilla of evidence was offered to sustain
such charge. nor single witness nor a
single document produced 10 show special favors
to "SWfndltng schemes a single violation OF
duty. Every charge in the Bristow report in any
wise rejecting has been d1sproved by the
recent trial. disproved by virtue or tNe verdict
but by sworn evidence Of the governments own
witnesses.
In my letter to you prayed that my life and
mental powers might be spared until | had con-
WINGED the American public and you as chief magis-