Sunday evening Nov 21
My Dear Gov
I have just rec^d yours of the 18^th and am inclined
to think you are not through with Colts case yet I dcannot see
enough in the circumstances detailed before the coroners duty &
given out in the papers to satisfy me that Colt actually committed
Self Murder. I dont believe the body found in Colts Cell was his
It all looks to me like a got up affair, and many things stated to
have occurred priorn to Friday are confirmatory of my suspicions
Colt wanted a treatise on anatomy, he ask^d a physician
where he could reach a vital part, he got no information. The
body found was with the dirk plunged in the heart with a precision
and acuracy that showed Colt could not want professional advice
Nothing was easier than to conceal a dead body in Colts
cell on Thursday night. He was left alone between 3 & 4 o clock
he was found in a posture to which no man could be intto who
has received a death wound to the heart – a wound of the heart
will occasion instantaneous and violent muscular action &
aft ^if^ Colt had stabbed himself in the heart he could not have
been found in the position in which he was said to be with his
hands folded across his heart. The thing is impossible
Doct Anthon was thrust first into Colts cell to
see the supposed Self Murder. In the ordinary course of prison
dicipline this would not be. Anyone can readily percieve that
such a man as Doct Anthon would be horrified with the
spectacle and not at all likely to escap detect deception.
I believe the hour Colt was left in his cell was
devoted to the execution of the Scheme, the fire in the cupola
was a part of the contrivance. The allocation of the multitude
would be directed to the fire or the corpse and every opportunity
afforded to smuggle Colt out of the "Tombs"
The Sheriff has shown himself culpable. How did
Colt get the Stilletto? Through negligence. Why was the woman
left alone with him? Through breach of official duty. If
that letter written to the son was opened I think it would be found
to contain the information that the father was not hanged & if the
body is examined I apprehend it will not be Colts. I may be
mistaken in all this but the whole affair is to me a

a very suspicious one
I have done my duty in the election and before
Do what I may or what we all may we cannot carry this
State for Mr Clay If our friends are determined to go out I will not
oppose. Yet I think it is asking too great sacrifices – andbut not
caring much for political honor I shall have less to loose than
those now actively engaged.
Without extra exertions he should have lost the
County. Had M^r Clays name been at the head of the Ont
Rep – where thank God it has not been and shall not be until
a national convention puts it there) we should have been beaten
Lazette & Frances are at Auburn
Truly
A Worden
Tell Weed he is understood on the position of politics
and he might as well have published all the Tribunees
leader as to left out the part about M r Clays. But no
matter we are diddled and done for for the next Pres Election

His Excellency
Gov Seward
Albany
CANANDAIGUA N.Y.
Nov 21
hAlvah Worden.
Nov 20, 1842.