Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-02-27
RICHARDS LETTER FORGERY
One in World-Herald Committing
Fremonter to Prohibition Fraud.
LETTER WAS ALSO SENT TO BEE
Editor of This Paper, SuspectinG
Fraud, Wrote to L. ID. Richards--
his Decentralization of, the
Forgery Followed.

L. D. Richards OF Fremont declares that
the letter published in the World-Herald
over his signature, committing him TO the
advocacy II statewide prohibition, is
fraud and forgery from start to finish"
This letter quotes Mr.. Richards as COM
mending the stand of former Governor
Sheldon in advocating statewide prohibl-
ton and saying that had either he or
Sheldon come out thus boldly for a dry
policy when running for governor Of Me-
braska he would have been elected.
The world-Her not only printed this
forgery in its editorial columns, but made
1t the subject of it's lead editorial for the
day and the occasion for reading char
acteristic curtain lecture to the republicans
In general and Sheldon and Richards in
particular.
But the editor OF the World-Herald was
not the only man to whom copy Of this
spurious letter was sent. The editor OF
The Bee received one. as well. But the edi-
tor of The Bee suspected on the face Of
the thing that IT was, a fake and forgery,
and tylk occasion, before venturing to use
1t, TO write Mr.. Richards and ask him II
he had written and sent out such a letter.
Fraud ana Forgery.
Here is Mr. sRichard' S answer
FREMONT, Neb., Feb, %, 1s10.-Eon. Vic
tor Rosewater. Editor of The Bee, Omaha,
Neb. Dear Mr.. Rosewater: l thank you
for the courtesy of yoSr inquiry Of the
oath inst. regarding the authenticity of a
typewriter letter and typewriter sigma
ture. and replying thereto would say that
the whole thing Is a fraud and forgery
from start to finish.
II notice the World Herald published the
letter with editorial comment and that it
appeared also in the State Journal without
magnifying it very much.
IT called up Mr.. Newbranch and told
him that 1 was going to write him and
asked him If he would give my letter prom
inence on the editorial page. l am enclos-
ing you herewith carbon copy of the New
branch letter.
Again thanking you for your considera-
tion am. Very truly yours.
''L. d. RICHARDS"
Letter to WOrld-HeraId.
Here is the copy of the letter Mr.. Rich
ards sent to II. E. Newbranch. editor of
the World-Herald, to which he made
reference:
February 25, 1910.
Dear Mr.. Newbranch
"The World Herald in this morning 5
page purporting to come from me, upon
which you comment freely and apparently
with some satisfaction. Is this part of
the political game?
II never saw this letter and know abso
lutely nothing about it. 1t is a fraud and
forgery from start TO finish, and 1 am
surprised that the World Herald should be
so unfair as to publish a typewriter letter
with a typewriter signature without as
certaining the facts.
Il say typewriter, for Mr. Rosewater
OF The Bee received a similar letter ami
had the courtesy to write to me before
publishing, asking II the letter was au-
thentic.
Il cannot understand the motive that
inspired the writer Of the letter. / am try
ing to be respectable and lead the simple
life, and to have such an injustice perpe-
trated makes me feel that my efforts in
that direction are vain. I do not mind
saying, however, that I am not a prohibit
ZIONIST and never haze been. / believe in
the slocumb law. rightly enforced, and
in the republican o'clock closing law
III you receive other letters in the fu-
ture purporting TO come from me, please
remember that you have a telephone in
the office, and 1t will cost you only 80
cents to verify"