In its latest issue, Next Magazine claimed to have obtained letters written by Lien Hui-hsin (連惠心), Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) eldest daughter, documenting domestic violence at home.
The magazine and the KMT argued yesterday over the penmanship in the letters, addressed to Lien Hui-hsin's childhood friend.
In the issue, which hit newsstands yesterday, the magazine said it obtained letters written in English by Lien Hui-hsin between 1979 and 1983 in which she mentioned that her father beat her mother, Lien Fang Yu (連方瑀).
The letters were addressed to a woman named Jane, whom Lien befriended at Taipei American School.
The return address listed on the stamped enveloped was the Lien family's residence on Dunhua South Road in Taipei City.
In the article, Next said it had the handwriting in the letters verified by an expert. It said the expert compared the signature in the letters with samples of Lien Hui-hsin's current signature and found the two had "no obvious characteristic differences."
However, KMT Legislator Huang Teh-fu (黃德福) said yesterday that the KMT had heard rumors about the letters about a month ago. He said the party had forwarded the letters for assessment and ruled that the handwriting did not match Lien Hui-hsin's.
Huang said someone had dropped off the letters at KMT headquarters and that this individual contacted the KMT a few days later.
Next stood by its story.
"We indeed had an expert conduct an examination on these letters. If Miss Lien wants to take legal action against us, we will be able to explain the matter to the judge," the magazine said yesterday.
In all the letters, Lien signed using her English name, "Arlene Lien."
In one letter, dated Aug. 7, 1980, Lien, who would have been 14 at the time, wrote: "I hate Chinese schools and I hate seeing my father beat my mother all the time. I want to leave it. I have to leave it."
"I told her why not divorce him? She said that if she did, then she would not get a cent and neither of us children will be allowed to see her either," she said in the letter.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) also responded to the article.
"The truth will reveal itself. If Lien Chan truly beats his wife, that fact will be known sooner or later," Taipei County Commissioner Su Tseng-chang (
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