Newspaper Page Text
gftronicU anft JSenftml*
WEDNESDAY MARCH IS, 1876.
Dobs anybody “ regret” whst Oob
dos said to Mobton ?
Hadn't the Northern Democrats bet
ter keep Gordon quiet ?
Won’t the Republicans print Gob
ton’s reply to Mobton as a campaign
document?
General Grant says Belknap “ought
to be hung.” Yet he accepted his
resignation with “regret.”
It is said that the new Secretary of
War is anti-Catholic, and stands upon
General Gbant’s Desmoinee speech.
The Greenback Party, of Connecticut,
has put a State ticket in the field and
will injure both the Democrats and Re
publicans to an inconsiderable extent.
Last Thursday Governor Smith ap
pointed H. G. Weight, of Richmond
county, Publio Printer, to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the resignation of Col. R.
A. Alston.
It looks as if General Gbant blunder
ed in his nomination of Schbnok s suc
cessor. The confirmation of Mr. Dana
hangs fire on account of a charge against
him of literary piracy.
The father of the late Jambs Fisk has
invented anew kind of harness. It was
of the elder Fisk that the irrepressible
Jim used to say “he wouldn’t tell a lie
for ten cents, but he would tell twelve
lies for a dollar.”
They hoaxed the people of Carters
ville the other day by circulating a re
port that Sunset Cox had been killed by
Blaine, of Maine. Matters were only
mixed. Blaine, of Maine, was mashed
by Lamab, of Mississippi.
The Oglethorpe Echo does not “ re
gret” Mr. Hill’s recent home-thrust in
the House at the Republicans. It
publishes a spirited defense of the
Representative from the Ninth District,
which we re-publish elsewhere in the
Ghboniole and Sentinel this morning.
Hon. Hugh Buchanan, of Coweta
county, is the latest entry in the Guber
natorial race. Let us see how the book
stands now: Habdeman, Colquitt, Smith,
James, Gabtbell, Bacon, Wofford,
Mclntybe, Lawton, Reese, Undebwood
and Buchanan. Will the line stretch
out to tli< crack of doom ?
We do not agree with the Associated
Press Agent when he characterizes as
harsh the instructions of the President
of the Senate to the Doorkeeper to keep
Pinohback from the floor of the Senate.
Pinohbaok has loafed too much in the
Senate Chamber, and as his case has
been disposed of he should be speedily
sent about his business.
The pamphlet containing the public
acts passed at the last session of the
General Assembly has been issued. It
is a volume of about one hundred pages.
A glanoe at its contents will show that the
last Legislature enacted about as many
and as important acts as its predecessors
The price of the book is one dollar, and
it oan be obtained upon application to
Phillips A Cbew, Atlanta, Ga.
The Cartersville Express understands
that promises have been made by cer
tain parties to carry the Seventh and
Ninth Congressional Districts in “a cer
tain direction for Governor.” Let us
know the name of the sellers and pur
chasers . To expose them is the only
way to break up such bargains. By the
way we may as well inquire if any en
terprising politicians has as yet disposed
of the First, Fourth and Eighth Dis
tricts.
It looks as if someone in Washington
City is soheming to kill off two promi
nent candidates for the Presidency by
besmirching them with false charges.
Serious accusations have been made
against both Mr. Pendleton and Mr.
Hendricks. It is confidently asserted,
however, that the stories can be easily
and effectually disproven. If there is such
a dishonorable plot as this its authors
will make nothing by their infamy. A
, slander exploded helps rather than
harms the intended viotim.
Hon. Thomas J. Simmons, the present
President of the Senate, seems satisfied
to let well enough alone. He is not a
candidate for either Congressional or
Gubernatorial honors, but wishes to be
sent back to the Senate, of which body
he will undoubtedly be re-eleoted Presi
dent. The term of a Senator is four
years, and some fine morning there will
be orape on the door of the Executive
mansion, and as the coffin goes out
Colonel Simmons will go in. Well, we
inight have a worse Governor.
Governor Brown’s testimony before
the Lease Investigating Committee is
stirring up fresh journalistic troubles.
The Atlanta Commonwealth published
the other day a rumor to the effect that
Mr. Anderson Reese, one of the pro
prietors of the Telegraph and Messen
ger, who is in Washington City, has
written to his brother, Senator Reese,
that if the Telegraph was paid $2,000
by the lessees of the State Road, Clisby
and Jones did not pay him one cent of
it.” As soon as this appeared, Messrs.
■Clisby and Jones sent a card to the;
Commonwealth, asserting that the ru- j
mor is “wholly and unqualifiedly false,” j
and they do not believe Mr. Reese “ever
wrote any such letter as is imputed to
him.” We fear lively times at the Press
Convention this Spring.
The South is under obligations to
New England for the defeat of Pinch
back's claim to a seat in the United
States Senate. The votes of eight Re
publican Senators were given to the
Democrats, which, added to their party
strength, gave the latter a majority and ,
sent Pincrbacx back to Louisiana. The j
Republicans who had the moral man
hood to vote against what they believed
to be a wrong aot of party were :
Messrs. Booth, of California ; Chris
tianoy, of Miohigan ; Dawes, of Mas
sachusetts ; Edmunds, of Vermont;
Morrill, of Maine ; Morrill, of Ver
mont ; Paddock, of Nebraska, and
Wadleigh. of New Hampshire. Five
of these came from the New England
States —two from Vermont, one from '
Maine, one from New Hampshire, and
one from Massachusetts. After the
vote was taked Pinohback telegraphed
to New Orleans that the “ good old
Abolition State of Vermont had gone
back on him.” Poor Pinch !
The Newnau Herald, commenting
tipou the letter from Atlanta published
in the New York Herald ten days ago,
says : We are no champion of Govern or
Smith, nor are we any special admirer
of his administration. On the contrary ;
we are forced to condemn much that he
has done since he has been in the gnber
Tutorial office. But there is nothing in
his administration to justify, or wen:
palliate such gross and unprovoked j
elEoders as those contained in the letter .
•referred to. It has been suggested that ;
Vie letter was written in the interest of j
tee holders of the repudiated bonds, (
awhile some think an indiscreet friend of |
;a rival candidate for Governor is the au- j
tthor ef the letter. If the former, then
<Govern Smith and the people of the]
£tate are dwcbly outraged on account of |
iit, because the people, with singular
Ynniiy, endorse his action in this mat
ter. If the latter, it has only served to
increase hie strength and popularity
with the people. Gov. Smith has doubt
leas had many shortcomings, and in
•many respects has disappointed the peo
ple; but they need something more than
,+he bare assertion of an anonymous cor
respondent of a Northern newspaper to
• convince them of his corruption or im
becility.
THE CHRONICLE AND SENTINEL. |
Some time since the Atlanta Common
wealth stated that it was informed that
the Chronicle and Sentinel had re
ceived five hundred dollars for pub
lishing a letter advocating the sale of
the Opera House to the State for a
Capitol A few days since the following
editorial paragraph appeared in the
Commonwealth :
“ The Commonwealth farther charged
“ that the Chronicle and Sentinel,
“ and Macon Telegraph and Messenger
“ also received five hundred dollars
“ each for publishing a letter endorsing
“ this purchase.”
We had at first intended paying no at
tention to these publications, but for
fear someone may misconstrue our
silence we now propose to say a few
words about them. The Chbonicle
and Sentinel has never published such
a letter nor received such payment since
the present proprietors, or either one of
them, have had any control over the
paper. If the charge is made against
the management which existed prior to
1871 we shall be glad to have it specifi
cally made, and we have no donbt that
it can bo explained or refuted. We
know that both before and after the
year 1871 the Chbonicle and Sentinel
opposed, editorially, and to the extent
of its influence and ability, thepurchase
of the Opera House by the State. Onr
files furnish ample and conclusive
proof of the truth of this assertion and
we also appeal with oonfidence to the
recollection of the numerous readers of
the paper. If any money was ever re
ceived by any management for the pub
lication of such a letter as that men
tioned by the Commonwealth the pay
ment certainly had no influence upon
the editorial columns of the Chronicle
and Sentinel.
CUTTING DOWN THE EXPENSES.
The Chronicle and Sentinel pub
lished yesterday the details of the plan
agreed upon by the City Council for the
purpose of reducing the expenses of the
municipal government daring the pres
ent year. It is scarcely necessary for
us to say that we heartily endorse the
determination of the Council to estab
lish a more economical system of gov
ernment. The citizens have long ex
pected and desired such a movemeat
and we are quite sure that they will be
pleased by the action of their repre
sentatives. They would have been bet
ter pleased if something of this sort had
been done long ago. Retrenchment was
as much needed twelve months since as
at present, but then there was an in
crease instead of a reduction of ex
penses. The step agreed upon Thurs
day night should have been taken at the
beginning of the year, when the ordi
nance fixing salaries was passed, but it
was not. Now reduction becomes a
necessity because the value of property
has diminished so much that the tax
whioh the law allows to be levied will
not pay the salaries now attached to
municipal offices. Notwithstanding the
prostration of business and the distress
prevailing throughout the country there
is no reason for believing that a ma
jority of the City Council would have"
consented to any reduction if the law
permitted them to assess a higher tax
for the payment of ordinary expenses
than the one-half of one per cent, fixed
by statute. It may not be pleasant to re
flect that this is the cause of munici
pal economy but every one will rejoice
that retrenchment has been decided
upon, no matter what the influence that
brought such action about.
We see no reason why city officials
should complain of the contemplated
aotion of the City Oounoil. It is natural
that employees should not relish a re
duction of their wages, but there are
other thirgs to be considered. When
employers are not prosperous employees
must share, to a limited extent, their
misfortune. For more than two years
past the employers of the oountry have
not prospered. Business of every kind
has been depressed and employers have
lost money. Asa consequence, they
have been compelled to lessen their ex
penses by reducing the wages of their
employees. Every merchant, every fac
tory, every railroad, every printer has
ent down wages and salaries forty to
fifteen per oent. since the commence
ment of the panic. There is just the
same reason why a municipal corpora
tion should reduce expenses as there is
thata railway corporation should doit. A
railway corporation is run not in the in
terest of the employees, but of stock
holders. A municipal corporation
should be run not in the interest of the
officers, but of the people. The reduc
tion of salaries agreed upon by the City
Council—fifteen per cent.—is not too
large. Many—doubtless the majority
of—corporations and private individuals
have made a large reduction in the
compensation of their employees. It
is true that officers will have to live on
lf>pß this year than they did last, but
i they Rinst recollect that theirs is not
an exceptional case. Every one has
been forced to economize during the
past two years, and eity officials will
not bo alone in their misfortune.
There is, however, one feature of the
proposed reduction whioh we do not ap
prove. It must have been agreed npon
without careful consideration, and |we
hope that when the deliberations of the
caucus are crystallized into an ordinance
that this portion of the plan will be
changed. The City Counoil proposes to
; reduce the compensation of every am-
I ployea receiving more than five hundred
dollars per tfrinum fifteen per oent.; but
in the casfl of day laborers they propose
to reduce their wage* frpm one dollar
aud a half to one dollar per dim-a re
duction out of all proportion to the other.
; To u this discrimination against the
j day laborer seems harsh, unnecessary
and unjust. We oan see no good reason
for making the day laborer an exception,
to a rule which should work uniformly
upon every employee of the eity. Indeed,
; if any discrimination is to be made k
i should be made in favor of and not
i against the day laborer. It is not usu
ally the case that the compensation of
a salaried officer is rednoed to snob an
extent as to cause actual suffering. The
wages of the day laborer m*y be made
so low that the bare subsistence of the
laborer aud his family may become
problematical. They ere not paid for
Sundays and for week day* when, on ac
-1 count of bad weather or for other causes,
they are not employed. We think that
there should be no discrimination either
way. Let the fifteen per cent, redaction
apply to every person in the employment
of the City Council, and no injnstioe
will be done, nor will any reason be
given to complain. We repeat the hope
that the arrangement agreed npon will
be so modified next Monday os to pat
day laborers and salaried officers npon
exactly the same footing.
Secretary Fish has replied to an in
qgixy of the House Committee on For
eign Affairs, sayin j that Minister
Schenck, stiyre the date of the Secreta
ry’s former communication, five days
ago, has resigned his office. The com
mittee are not satisfied wilt the re
sponse, wishing to know the precise
on which he resigned, as just previous
to Sokenck's taking passage for the
United States it was anuoptAad that he
had obtained leave of absence. The
committee have ealied on Secretary Fisa
for farther information on ike subject in
the way of notes and telegrams. The
committee have aa yet nothing to show,
that Sohbnck was required to resign in
obedience to the request of the British
Government, as has been stated. There
is great reason to believe, however, that
Great Britain will at the proper time!
make a formal claim for indemnity on
the United States in behalf of English
men who suffered by the Emma Mine
scheme, having been deoeived into the
belief that it had the endorsement of
the United States through the American
Minister as trustee.
Ld PORT ANT CASES.
Amongst the important cases before
the United States Supreme Court, the
Hew York papers mention two cases
from Georgia. The Tribune adds: “In
one, the State is a p*rty on one side,
and a number of railroads on the other,
in which the question is, whether the ac
ceptance of new charters since the pass
age of a law making all charters amend
able, deprives the companies of an ex
emption from taxation under the old
charter. The Attorney-General of the
State and ex-Benator Toombs represent
the State, and several leading Georgia
lawyers represent the companies. An
other case from the same State relates
to the great insurance companies of the
United States, the point being whether,
when a company complies with the con
ditions of any State for doing business,
it does not have a contract right to do
business for the time agreed npon,whioh
cannot be impaired. General Bbown,
of Kentucky, is against, and Wm. M.
Evabts and Mr. S. Dutches, of Geor
gia, for such right.”
THE SUEZ CANAL PURCHASE.
The Baltimore American says the
history of the transactions which led to
the purchase by the English Govern
ment of the Snez Canal is fully revealed
by the recent presentation to Parliament
of all the correspondence relating to the
affair. 'Learning that a syndicate of
French bankers were negotiating for the
pnrehase of the Khedive’s canal shares,
Earl Derby telegraphed to the English
representative at Cairo and learned that
the Khedive was in immediate want of
£4,000,000, and was thinking of hypothe
cating his shares in order to raise thq
money. The Khedive consented to
postpone arrangements with other par
ties until Lord Derby could be com
municated with. Five days after this
again Earl Derby informed the Khedive
that Her Majesty would buy the shares
for £4,000,000 cash down. This offer
was accepted, and the shares were
brought to London in four zinc cases
and deposited in the Bank of England.
The Rothschilds made a very good
thing out of it—as they do out of every
thing they touch. They advanced the
$20,000,000 to pay for -the shares ; for
this they are to receive 2j per oent. com
mission, $500,000, and they are to have
5 per cent, interest on the $20,000,000
advanced by them until the Government
repays it. The Rothschilds paid $4,-
000,000 to the order of the Khedive on
December 1. and the other $16,000,000
has been paid during December" and
January. It will probably be the end of
this month before they are repaid; and,
if so, their profit on this little transac
tion, in which they ran no risk and out
of which they may and probably have
made large incidental gains, will be
about $750,000 ; that is, $500,000 for
commission and $250,000 for three
months’ interest. Add to this the
profits which the house may have made
by buying Egyptians when they were
at their lowest, and it would be very
moderate to estimate their gains on this
little transaction at a round million of
dollars.
THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA MISREPRE
SENTED.
The following is clipped from the New
York Times, into which paper it was
copied from the Cleveland Leader :
The Cleveland (Ohio) Leader prints, as fol
lows, an extract from a private letter written
by a Cleveland lady now in Georgia- “Edwin
Booth is playing here to crowded houses, hun
dreds ooming in from the towns around. They
all admire him greatly, and they like him still
better because his brother killed Mr. Lincoln
This is strange, but it is true. A Kentucky
woman in the house tells me all these things.
She has a Northern husband and despises such
things, but. being Kentucky born, the women
express themselves before her. After the fra
oas in the offioe that I wrote you about, one of
the most prominent members in the Legisla
ture, in the hotel, said every Yankee ought to
have a pound of lead in his brains, and Mrs.
Habdehan, wife of the would-be Governor,
said that when Booth killed Mr. Lincoln it
was the best day's work he ever did. Two gen
erations must die before there will be any har
mony. Slavery made them entirely different
from us. The children now growing up will
know nothing of it.”
It would be impossible to compress
into a similar space more unprovoked
and wanton misrepresentations than are
contained in this extract. The only
truth in it is that Edwin Booth played
to crowded houses while in Atlanta and
■ in the other cities of the State during
his recent engagement. That the peo
ple of Georgia like Edwin Booth the
better because his insane brother killed
President Lincoln is to give currency to
a slander. The people of Georgia have
no enmity to the memory of the dead
President, and no sympathy for the
orime that deprived the country of
its Chief Executive in the person
of the lamented Abraham Lincoln,
Had Mr. Lincoln lived it is very proba
ble that the South would have been
spared the humiliation and spoliation
inflioted on her by the vindictiveness
and rapacity of the Radical party.
Apart, however, from motives of per
sonal and ' political consideration, the
people of the South had neither lot nor
part in the assassination of Mr. Lin
coln, and it is a sin against civilization
and Christianity to charge them with
having sympathy with a murder so fonl
and unprovoked as that of Abraham
Lincoln. It is, therefore, a slander on
the people of Georgia to charge them
with liking Edwin Booth the better be
cause his unfortunate and weak brother
killed President Lincoln.
The fracas in the office, alluded to by
this correspondent, was caused by an
insulting remark made in the dining
room to a member of the Legislature,
who is one of the least offensive and
most gentlemanly men in the State. The
insulting party remarked to his wife at
the tftfrlw that some of the members of
the LegieifciJWJ ought to learn etiquette
before attempting to #ke laws. After
ascertaining that the offensive Remark
had a personal application, the e
ber of the Legislature referred to gave
the author of it a blow over the eye
which a black impression there fop
someday*, fhjj&i&ult was offered at a
public table in a phfeiit and tho
offended party resented it, Wte? b ot b
parties had retired from the table, with
out stopping to inquire as to from whence
he come or as to whither he was going.
A man who offers a gratuitous insult
desery.es to be punished and onght to
be punished for )}}& unmannerly imper
tinence. These is statement in
this extract which we belieye iq qe £n-
"one of the most prominent
members the legislature in the hotel
said every to have a pound
of laad in his twins." A# & the re ‘
mark attributed to Mrs. ffftßftKMAy,
we have no hesitation in pronouncing it
to be without the slightest foundation.
Mrs. H. is an elegant, dignified woman,
and she is too mnch of a Christian ever
to have naad .the language attributed to
her by tins perambulating she-devil,
whose poisonous fangs sfaoaif P uU '
ad ont by the roots.
This veracious (?) correspondent gives
a Kentucky WOBB ip the House (the
Markham) as authority for the false
statements contained in her letter. Ref
haps this Kentucky lady is in some way
afflicted with a fertile imagination, which
yill account for her hearing things that
other* not hear and see things that
others did not
Certain it is that th opinions attri
buted to the people of Georg** P? , this
e aissn are false in every particular, and
the paptu lhat have given them cur
rency have .be*i guilty of circulating
©alioious falsehoods. ?£e people of
Geotgis have charity and patrici^sm —
charity to forgive the wrongs of the past
and patriotism-to build up and protect
in th 6 future, the puttie weal of onr
common .cqnntry in the smop sad under
the Constitution.
“Call that a kind man ?” said an actor,
speaking of an acquaintance; “a man
who is away from his family and never
■ends them a farthing?” Call that kind*
neas?” “Yes, unremitting kindness,
Jerrold replied.
DISGRACE* AND DEFEAT.
THE ADMINISTRATION PARTY
GONE TO SMASH.
Belknap and Babcock —What Sherman
Thinks About It.
[New York Herald, Tuesday ]
In Belknap Wane Than Grant ?
By a law of Congress it was made Mr.
Belknap’s dnty to designate certain per
sons to be post traders at a large num
ber of military stations. It was pre
sumed that he was the authority most fit
tofillsuoh places; that he would be less
under local or corrupt influences, and
that he wonld appoint strictly from a
view to the good of the service; that in
such a function he would be Absolutely
out of the reach of personal influences.
Bnt it is shown that in at least one in
stance he appointed a person who made
“presents” to his wife; who gave that
lady at one time ten thousand dollars in
hand, and transmitted to her at regular
periods various important sums. Some
people call this a sale. No well bred
person, no person of delicacy or refine
ment, wonld apply such a coarse and
vulgar name to a transaction in which
there is dearly a . mere interchange of
courtesies and kindnesses. Mr. Belknap
gave to Mr. Marsh a post tradership for
a hundred good reasons, because Mr.
Belknap thought it a lucrative place,
and wanted to do Marsh a favor. Can
any act be more innocent than this ? On
the other hand, Marsh gave Mrs. Belk
nap ten thousand dollars because it was
her birthday, or would be her birthday
at some time or another. This also is
as innocent as possible. There is only
one fact here that the censorious seize
upon—the fact that he gave money. If
he had given a diamond, it would have
looked better, but would it have been
different? In order to see that this
transaction was not a sale of
posts—not bribery, but a fair and
proper interchange of good offices—let
us suppose that Marsh had not given
money. Let us suppose that he had
kept his ten thousand dollars, and five
successive payments of six thousand
dollars each, and that with the forty
thousand dollars thus left in his hands
he had purchased at Long Branch a cot
tage and grounds, and given these to
Mrs. Belknap, or even to Mr. Belknap,
then it would have been evident that it
was {a mere offering of friendship, and
not a bribe. Some people gave Grant a
cottage in that way, and though one of
them was Secretary of the Navy and
another Collector of this port, nobody
said that Grant had sold these offices,
and he has not been impeached and is
not likely to be. But if they had given
him forty thousaad dollars, the price of
the cottage, it might have been other
wise. Or if Mr. Marsh had bought for
Belknap a house in Washington, as was
done for Grant; or a house in Philadel
phia, as was also done for Grant; or if
he had kept his money until it had be
come as much in quantity as the hun
dred thousand' dollar purse that was
made up in this city for Grant; in any
one of these cases Belknap might have
given him all the post traderships in the
army—except, of course those that are
claimed by the President’s brother—and
it would have been all right. For all
this has happened in Grant’s case, and
is all right; and what is right for Grant
must be right for Belknap. But he gave
money—ulthy lucre, vile trash ! And
yet it is a'pretty nice distinction between
Marsh's money and that hundred thou
sand dollar purse given to Grant;
though, of course, a purse makes a dif
ference and gives a refined air, especially
if it is a silken purse.
Gen. Sbernian on Belknap.
[From an Interview with Gen. Sherman lie
ported m the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.]
“Can you think of a cause for Bel
knap’s demoralization ?”
“Of course, I do not know the cause,
but having lived in Washington during
his tenure of office, I can form a pretty
good idea of it. In my opinion his
downfall is due more to the vicious or
ganization of Washington society than
anything else. I refer to the ridiculous
extravagance of those who move in the
first circles at the capital. Very few
Cabinet officers are able to live within
their salaries. While I was there the
only member of the Cabinet who could
stand it was Fish; with his income of
$200,000 a year he could afford to pay
most any price for social privileges ;
nevertheless it cost him $70,000 a year.
Mr. Chandler, who has gone into the
•Cabinet since I came to St. Louis, is an
other one whose private fortune is so
ample that his salary is no object to
him. Outside of these two none of the
publio officials in Washington can live
within their salaries. I left Washington
chiefly because my salary would not
support me, and because I did not con
sider the society there the proper place
in whioh to rear a family. I received
$13,500 regular salary, besides $3,000
for rent and horses, making $16,500 in
all. I outlived this amount every year,
by several thousand dollars. I had to
keep open house all the time. My-fami
ly rarely had any rest from entertain
ing people, most of them utter strangers
in whom we oould feel no interest. Be
sides, everybody considers themselves
privileged to practice extortion upon any
person who holds a prominent place in
Washington. Gas companies, house
furnishers, marketers, etc., always
charged me exorbitant prices, simply
because I was general of the army. Now
Belknap got SB,OOO a year, and had
no outside resources. He had a fashion
able wife, ambitious to lead in society.
She must have money, and there was no
other mode of getting it except by re
sorting to unlawful practices. In my
mind this is the key to the disgraceful
conduct of the Secretary of War.”
“Do you know Mrs. Belknap ?”
“Very well.” She was regarded as a
most estimable woman, intelligent, bril
liant and pretty. She came of a good
Kentucky family, and was ambitious to
lead in society. She wore a profusion
of jewelry, and-her dresses were import
ed. Her receptions were among the
most agreeable and showy entertain
ments at the National Capital. It was
impossible that she could keep her ex
penditures within her husband’s official
inoome.”
“Do you think Belknap will endeavor
to shield himself behind his wife ?”
“To the contrary, I think he is likely
to suffer much personal odium by keep
ing silent, in order to shield his wife.
He is not a man to protect himself at
the expense of his wife. If Mrs. Belk
nap, for a moneyed consideration from
outside parties, influenced her husband
to make appointments, the world will
never know it through Belknap. On the
other band, Mrs. Belknap is just the
woman to shield her husband, and will
doubtless assume as mqch of the odium
as possible. It is a very sad affair all
through, and will reflect much credit
upon our couatry and society at large."
Babcock’** Disgrace.
[ Washington Special to the New York Sun ]
Gen. Babcock has been . dismissed
from the White-House in deep disgrace.
He was welcomed back from St. Louis
by the President, but since he returned
’he is accused of an offense which in its
magnitude is not so grievous as that of
Gen. Belknap, but which in its effect is
perhaps as damaging to the Adminis
tr*tio£ and the Republican party as Belk
nap:s fall ft is said that the Secret
Service force has bepn for some time fer
reting out the manner in which the con
fidential letter of Attorney-General
Pierrepont to District Attorneys at St.
Louis, ' Chicago and Milwaukee was
made public. These officials said most
positively they never showed it to any
body! Atigntfon was next turned to
Washington, ana W EjgoW Storrs was
known to have given it out, the question
was, how did be get it ?
The Attorney-General urged that it
was not made public through any one in
the Department of Justice, and there
things rested for a few days. It was
then noticed for the first time that the
copy given to the press and the original
was'different ;n unimportant particulars,
and such mistakes might have occurred
in the haste of making a copy.
At this juncture the President remem
bered that he too had been furnished
with a copy of the letter, and as it was
among his official papers, to which Bab
cock alone had access, the suspicion at
once rested upon hifo, and from the
charge Babcock could not escape. He
had furnished his counsel with the copy,
and Storrs at once saw the great help
it mast be to these who through revenge
or hope of pardon would be willing to
to all they knew of Babcock’s
complicity in the whisky frauds.
The letter was neyer intended for the
public, but secretly to warn the District
Attorneys that no guilty man eould
escape punishment, however mnch he
might reveal against Babcock or any
otberhifet officials whose names had
been connected fjg* toe 'whisky ring.
It opportunely fell into fcappoofc s hands
who hurriedly made the copy, a com
parison of which with the -original re
veals the fact that it never could have
been written from memory, but that the
few inaccuracies were naturally those
wbki wonld occur in copying any letter
under feat Of discovered m the
set.
The publication has caused suep con
demnation of the President arid his
Cabinet, has so scandalized the bar of
the United States and made the subject
of CongrcSfLqn?! investigation that Bab
cock is ffent out of the White Honse as
a scapegokt tb bear the sins of Grant,
and his name is enrolled beside that of
injury he has done the Republi
can party by hia exposing the letter, is
irreparable.
Belknap** Tombstone Bniinew.
[Chicago Times' Washington Special, 3d.]
Though Belknap is politically dead,
and criminally beyond redemption, the
committee are still wrestling with evi
dences of his inexhaustible corruptions.
The sntlership selling was by no means
the limit of his thrifty peculations. The
details at hand show him in even a worse
light than the beneficiary of a woman’s
dishonor. Congress in 1873 appropria
ted $1,£00,000 to place a slab at the head
of the grave of every soldier buried in
the national cemeteries. September 6
of that year was fixed by the War De
partment for the purpose of receiving
and opening bids to supply the stones.
Walsh Brothers, of New York, who have
their quarries at Carrara, Italy, own
nine or ten vessels, constantly employed
in transporting marble to this country.
They had contracts nnder the Tweed
management of public works in New
York, and had supplied many private
cemeteries. They made special con
tracts to do the work. They employed
an expert to visit the cemeteries and
learn the cost of the supply, and ascer
tain what the other bidders were likely
to do. They made friends with Bab
oock, and through his intimate friend;
Captain McGningne, chief of the Ceme
tery Division of the Quartermaster-
General’s Office, learned that a bid of
$923,000 would be below any of the bids
so far put in, all the bids received hav
ing been secretly opened, scheduled and
resealed nnder • McGuingue’s direction.
They came to Washington with a bid
for $923,000 prepared, sealed and fully
guaranteed. On arriving on the night
of September 5, they ascertained that
another bid had been put in by a party
either at St. Louis or Louisville for $913,-
000. They were urged to put in one for
$906,000, but believing that the bid* for
$913,000 was not bona fide, and consid
ering the work unlikely to yield over 4
per cent, at the price offered themselves,
they deoided not to go below that price.
September 6, at five minutes before 11,
a. m,, the bidders assembled in a room
of the Quartermaster General’s office.
Each bidder deposited his sealed bid in
a basket. Mr. M. J. Walsh took care to
deposit his bid first, ss that it would be
covered by the basketful and reached
last. This was to prevent any other
lower bid being slipped in after the
amount of his was known. The basket
was carried intp another room and was
brought back in company with Captain
McDougal, in whose presence the bids
were to be qpened. Among the first
bids taken from the top of the basket
was that of Mr. Walsh, who at once
said: “Captain, I want no fraud here.
That bid was at the bottom when the
basket left this room.” “Well,” said the
captain, “if you are dissatisfied, report
the matter to the Quartermaster Gener
al.” The opening of the bids proceed
ed, and at 11:15 o’clock in came a bid
which was received and opened, and
proved to be from Samuel Bridges, of
Keokuk, lowa, for $900,000. Mr. Walsh
sprang to his feet aud exclaimed: “Cap
tain, there is fraud here. This bid came
in 15 minutes after the opening began,
and it is not accompanied by samples of
stone, nor properly guaranteed.”—
“Well,” said the captain again, “if you
are not satisfied report to the Quarter
master General." Mr. Walsh did so and
Gen. Meigs struck Bridges off the list,
and also the bid of the St. Louis party for
$913,000, the samples of sioue acoorrfpa
nying the latter being of an inferior
quality, which left Walsh Bros, the
largest bidders at $923,000. In this
shape the list went to Secretary Belknap,
but it came back, with Bridges’ bid in
serted, instructing them to award him
the contract. Mr. Walsh was indignant
and disgusted beyond expression, and
said: “I meant to deal honestly by the
Government. I have dealt with New
York city under Tammany rule, where
every party could inspect the bids him
self before they were formally opened
and pnt in his own after doing so, but I
never saw such barefaced corruption as
this. I have seen Babcock at Long
Branch, and spent $30,000 mainly on
him to make suie of this, and now I
have nothing to show for it all. The ex
planation is that Belknap is seeking to
be a Senator from lowa, and this fellow
will help his cjsvtss.” The contract
was subdivided and distributed in part
as follows: Fredericksburg cemetery, to
Capt. Dougherty; and the rest among
the Bridges, three Washington politi
cians and others. None of these par
ties were dealers in marble, nor had any
of them practical experience. Three of
them tried to sell their contracts to
Walsh after getting them, and all have
failed to fulfill them to the satisfaction
of the Government inspectors. The
price at whioh the contract was awarded
was less than $900,000. It has been as
serted that this price was purposely
made too low, so as to furnish an excuse
for demands for a larger compensation.
The disappointed lowa bidders made so
much trouble that Belknap sent McGuin
gue to the West on army duty. Bel
knap gave as a reason for opposing the
Walsh Bros.’ bid that their marble was
1 not American, bnt no such requirement
had been made in inviting competition.
Walsh told Belknap that if he wished
to carry out the principles of the old
Know Nothing party he would furnish
him, Grant, and McGuingue with suits
of American hemp.
Captain Robinson—Hi* Military Career and
Trial—An Alleged Threat by Belknap.
Balimore, Md., March 6.—The resi
dence of ex-Oaptain George T. Robinson,
who resides at 15 South Chester street,
in this city, was besieged yesterday with
interviewers. Captain Robinson’s pres
ent employment is that of draughtsman
in the Columbia Iron works. He was at
Fort Sill from 1868 to 1874. The Sun
this morning publishes the following asj
the result of the interview of its repre
sentative yesterday :
Captain Robinson claims to have pre
pared these charges against Belknap in
the different letters sent to President
Grant, direct through the military chan
nel, between 1869 and 1872, long before
aoy charges were made against him
(Robinson). Captain Robinson has in
his possession a numberof bills of items
covering this period, in account with J.
C. Dent & Cos. and their successors, J.
S. Evans & Cos., military and Indian
traders at Fort Sill. An idea of the
prices may be formed by citing a few
items, as follows :
Two bushels of potatoes $lO 00
Five gallons of coal oil 10 00
Two pounds of cheese 80
Six boxes of matches 75
A bottle of soothing syrup 1 50
Abroom 1 00
Flat irons, per pound 35
A tin pan 1 50
A half bushel of potatoes 3 25
A paper of needles 25
Two pounds of crackers 1 20
In regard to the charges made against
him, Captain Robinson says the princi
pal charge was for drawing what is
known as “longevity pay,” being 10 per
cent, of the officers’ salary after a ser
vice of five years, and 20 per cent, for
ten years' service. Captain Robinson
says that he joined the * ifty-sixth Regi
ment Pennsylvania Volunteers at Har
risburg September 9, 1861, which can be
proved, he says, by his commission and
mueter-in-roll, now in the hands of his
attorney, General Henkle, at Washing
ton, and also by a certificate from Gen
eral Hoffman, of Philadelphia, of the
same regiment. The official army reg
ister credits him with service only from
February 26, 1862. He claimed and
drew “longevity pay” from the first date
and was notified of its stoppage by the
Paymaster-General, September 15,1874,
and immediately returned the disputed
surplus, $553, to Assistant Paymaster
Brown, at New York, for whioh he holds
the receipt. The other charges against
him, he says, were purchasing goods
from post-traders and not paying for
them, and also not paying a doctor’s
bill and condnet unbecoming an officer
and gentleman. $e claims to have paid
both. 5e was placed under arrest Sep
tember 12, 18?4, and without ]}eing fur
nished a copy of the charges was tried
at the St. Louis Barracks, October 19th
following, without counsel. Mr. Eaton,
of St. Louis, a lawyer, would have rep
resented him, but he was called to
Washington on very important business,
and called on Secretary Belknap to re
quest a postponement qf the case until
his retqw, The Secretary refused, and
is represented a* baying added: “If
that Court don't convict biR3. by G—,
I’ll find one that wilL” Captain Robin
son says that the Court was not com
posed of his peers, as required by law,
but with one exception underrated him.
There were several officers wh° ranked
him in St. Lonis, be says, at the time,
and a competent Court could have been
summoned. Sentence, as before giyen,
was rendered April 15,1875, The pro
ceedings and findings were approved by
Judge Advocate General Holt, with ex
ceptions.
Robinson was not released until May
3, 1875. He bqs since entered suit in the
Court of Claims for tb* Iqngeyity pay he
refunded, and has taken steps to be re
instated.' _ '
Mr. T. JS. Speight, of Clay county,
arrested on bi£ plantation the negro,
Sam Fillman, who murdered a Mr. Mns
frrove, in Baker county, last January.
The Governor had offered two hundred
dollars reward for his capture, and Mr.
Speight has taken him to the Sheriff of
Baker,
They have some very bad citizens in
Walker WoiLitj. The Rome Commer
cial Bays that; las* weag, three young
men, who live on Duck Creek, got
drunk, went to a lady*B house and at- i
tempted to commit a crime on her per
son, bnt failed to carry ont their hellish ■
designs. They then left, and after i
creating quite an excitement and getting
into innumerable difficulties, were in
duced to go home. Their parents are i
highly respected citizens of Walker
oonuty. One of the young men was be- |
fore Judge Underwood last year for dis
turbing publio worship. 1
THE CROOKED PAPERS.
THE BRIBERY CHARGES AGAINST
THE STATE ROAD LESSEES.
The Testimony Before the Investigation
Committee of the Legislature—The Facts
as Developed Coder Oath—What Money
was Expended by the Lessees—How Much
and to Whom Paid.
| From the Atlanta Constitution. 1
Atlanta, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 1876 1
Capitol, at 3, p. m , )
The committee met pursuant to ad
journment.
Wm. S. Thompson, sworn: Examin
ed oy Mr. McDaniel, Chairman. Q
Have you ever received any money from
the Western and Atlantic Railroad
Company in connection with the pas
sage of a resolution through the Legis
lature of 1872, to endorse the lease ? A.
Gov. Brown paid the firm of .Lester &
Thompson SI,OOO. He retained us for
the purpose of defending the lease and
alsO expected us, I presume to use our
legal knowledge in convincing any mem
ber of the Legislature of the propriety
of sustaining the lease: Gov. Brown
said that it was the intention of the com
pany, if certain legislation occurred,
to fight it in the Courts. We were re
tained for the whole purpose, and for
which we were paid SI,OOO as a retaining
fee. We were retained in June, 1872,
and in September, 1872 received the
money. At least my books show the
transaction in that way. Q. To what
purpose was that money applied ? A.
It was a fee recived by Lester & Thomp
son. Q. Was any portion of it used by
the members of the firm in payment to
other persons in furtherance of that pur
pose ? A. No, sir; it was never expect
ed that it would be used in that way.
Gov. Brown talked more particularly
with Col. Lester. He did not talk much
to me, as I was a young lawyer and not
supposed to have much influence out
side. But, the whole tenor of Governor
Browns conversation was that no improp
er use was to be made of it. He simply
considered our services worth SI,OOO.
Of course he expected us to use all prop
er arguments to prevent improper leg
islation, but if it was had, then to de
fend the matter in th'e Courts. Q. Did
any portion of that money ever go into
the hands of a member of the Legisla
ture ? A. Not one cent, sir. Q. It was
wholly applied to the purpose of the
members of the firm? A. That is all the
use made of it, sir. Q. (By Gov. Brown.)
You have already stated that as you
were a young lawyer at that time and
Col. Lester was a distinguished member
of the bar, that I looked to him for the
service to be 'rendered, that my inter
view was with him and the contract with
him; that is the receipt he gave me and
it is in his own name? (showing the re
ceipt to witness) A. Yes, sir; that is
correct. I know that is his own hand
writing. Q. Col. Lester says, in a state
ment that has been presented here tp the
committee, that I paid him SSOO down
and SSOO afterwards; do you know how
that is? A. My books show that the
entry was made on the 7th of September.
I told Col. Lester that my recollection
wao that at the time you paid the first
SSOO he just retained it and no charg.
was made, except as to the retainer, and
amount was not put down until after all
of it was paid. Q. The entry is on the
7th of September, corresponding with
this receipt? A. Yes, sir. Q. This was
all that I paid you ? A. Yes, sir.
Jotn C. Hendrix, sworn: Examined
by Mr. MoDaniel, Chairman. Q. Were
you an officer ef the Legislature of 1870.
A. Yes, sir. I was Assistant Secretary
of the Senate in 1870. Q, Do you know
any members of the Legislature of 1871-
’72? A. I suppose, sir, I might, by
referring to the long term Senators. I
believe the odd districts went out in
1870 and the even ones held over to 1872.
Some of them I would know by the
districts and others I would have to
think of what districts they were from.
Q. Do you know of any money having
been paid, either by the lease company
or by any person for them, or in their
interest, or otherwise for their benefit,
to any member of the Legistature of
1870 who held over and was a member of
the Legislature of 1871-2? A. No, sir.
I do not know directly of any member
who received anything out of those from
any of the districts that held over. As
to who composed the Legislature of
1871-2, I do not know. Q. Did you
ever hear of such a thing ? A. Nothing
definite. Just as you and other persons
I have heard rumors and insinuations,
but I have never heard anything of the
kind from those parties or the members
of the lease company. Q. Do you’know
any members of the lease company, or
any one acting for them, .having used
money in any way upon a member of
the Legislature of 1870. A. Ido not
think that comes within the scope of the
authority of that resolution. It don’t
come within the oath that I took—it
refers to corruption of the Legislature
of 1871-2. Therefore, under my oath, I
cannot answer that question. Q. You
have had your attention called to all
those members who held over, and I
repeat the question: Do you know of
any money, directly or indireotly, hav
ing been paid to any of them upon the
part of the lease company to influence
the votes in the Legislature, or other
wise ? A. No, sir. Ido not know any
thing of my own knowledge. Q. You
still decline to answer as to other mem
bers of that Legislature (1870) ? A. Of
1870 I do, simply from the fact that it
does not come under the oath admin
istered to me. That resolution under
which you are acting does not require it.
The oath and the subpoaua both state
1872. Q. (By Mr. Peeples ) Do you
know of any money having been paid to
members of the General Assembly of
1870 who were members in 1872, either
of the House or Senate ? A. No, sir. I
answer that question that I do not recol
lect of any and know nothing of the
sort. Q. You were asked if you knew
of any money paid by the lessees; do
you know of any being paid by any one
else ? A. No, sir. Ido not know any
thing in answer to that question. Q.
(By Mr. Walsh.) Your answers are con
fined exclusively to the Legislature of
1871-2 ? A. That is all that is required
by my oath and the resolution you are
acting under.
1 Atlanta, Thursday, Feb. 17, 1876.
The committee met in the room of the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
at the Capitol, at 3, p. m.
E. W. Cole, sworn: Examined by Mr.
McDaniel, Chairman: Q. Col. Cole,
were you present at any meeting of the
lease company in the Fall of 1872? A
I cannot answer that directly, sir, but I
suppose the minutes of the Board will
show. It is likely that I was there, if it
was a regular meeting of the Board of
Directors. lam in the habit of attend
ing all the regular meetings of the board,
but at some time I may not have done
so. Q. How often were those meetings
held? A. They are ordered I believe
by the by-laws to be held onee every
three months. Sometimes, however,
they are not held because there is no
quorum present. Whether I was at the
special meeting you refer to I cannot
say. I undertook to attend to such
meetings regularly. Q. In 1872 did you
hold any office connected with the oom-.
pany ? A. I did, sir. Q. What office?
A. I was denominated General Super
intendent, but with the distinct under
standing, as I understood it, with the
other officers and the directors, that my
connection with the company as an
officer was to look after and try to regu
late through rates and connections west
of Chattanooga. Q. Did you have any
control over, or knowledge of, the ex
pense account of the road? A. Well, I
had some general knowledge, but I did
not undertake to manage the details.
That was not expected of me, as I under
stood it. and I did'not so understand my
relation to the company- Q- How was
your knowledge derived? A. From the
statements of the officers to the Board
of Directors chiefly. Q. How often were
the statements made? A. I think, sir,
at every meeting we had some statement
from the officers. Q. What would these
statements show? A. They would show
the receipts and expenses of the
road. Q. Would they show the
items of expense? A. In a condensed
form, they would. Q. Will you illus
trate what you mean by condensed
forms? A. Yes, sir. The statements
furnished would show the earnings from
passengers, freight and mails. These
would be the earnings. The expenses
would be maintenance of way, motive
power, maintenance of cars, conducting
transportation and general expense ac
count, lawyers’ fees. Court costs and so
on. Q. Do you remember any item in
such reports in 1872 which shows the
payment of lawyers’ fees and other out
side expenses? A. Ido not remember
any particular item in those reports Q
Do you remember ever having a conver
sation with Mi. E- 5. Walker on the sub
ject of the proportion of the gross receipts
expenses? A. I do not remember any to
the special conversation. j suppose | talk
ed with Mr. Walk e F, a® T did with
other officers of the road when J was
here. I was here seldom, and generally
I talked with all of them about the
business of the road. Q. Do you re
member any conversation that occurred
in his office after the adjournment of a
meeting of the Board of Directors, in
which the expenses of the road was
spoked of? A. In 1872? Q. Either in
1872, or at the next meeting thereafter?
A. No, sir; I have no recollection of
any special conversation with him. Q.
Did you ever have and conversation
with Mr. Morrill on the subject Of the ex
pense of the road in that year? A. I
may have done so, but I do not remem
ber that I did! I have just stated that
I was in the habit of talKing with all of
the offioerg upon the subject. Ido not
remember any special conversation,
however. (Report of conversation as con
tained in Golohel Alston’s testimony was
read in the hearing of the witness.) Q.
Do you remember any such conversa
tion? A. Ido not recollect the conversa
tion that is specially referred to as hav
ing taken place in my presence. Q.
Have you ever heard Mr. Morrill make
any such remark? A. No, sir; Ido not
remember of his ever having made
any such remark to me. Q. Did you
know the fact that a large sum of money
had been paid out to lawyers and news
papers in connection with this matter?.
A. All that I know about that I heard
from Gov. Brown. Q. At what time?
A. He spoke to me about it some time
ago. It may have been about the date
you are speaking of, but I could not say
that it was. It was to me rather indefi
nite. ‘He said something to the effect
that, in order to have the lease properly
represented before the public, “we may
have to spend some money in that way,”
or he may have said, “I will have to
spend some money for a paper or to pa
pers.” If the sum was mentioned Ido
not remember it. Q. Did you ap
prove of the expense? A. I do not
remember what reply I did make. No
doubt I thought at the time that it was
proper that the facts in regard to the
lease should be made public; and that
the defense as well as the opposition
should be heard. Q. Did you ever make
any inquiry afterwards as to how much
they did spend? A. I never did, that
I remember. Q. Did you ever know
how much was spent? A. I did not know
how much was speDt. Q. Did you have
an idea of how* much was spent? A. I
cannot say that I had. I left such mat
ters to'the officers here just as the direc
tors leave such matters to me at Nash
ville. I felt that the President would
do what was just and right. Q. Do you
know whether the other members of the
company were aware that the money was
being used in that way? A. I cannot
say what they knew. Q. Do you know
whether the sums used in this way ap
pear in the reports as having been so
used? A. I suppose they do, as with
the other expenses, if paid at all. Q.
Would the names of the persons who re
ceived the money appear? A. That is
not usual in reporting to the board of
Directors. Q. You were not in this
place during the time the resolution was
pending before the Legislature? A. If
I was, Ido not remember it. I may have
passed through or been here, as I come
down this way as often as I could con
veniently in connection with my official
relations with the Western and Atlantio
and Georgia Railroads. Q. You know
nothing of any efforts to influence mem
bers of the Legislature in their votes
upon that measure? A. Nothing at all,
sir. Q. You say you have no recollec
tion of ever having any conversation
with Mr. Morrill or Mr. Walker, in which
tl e amount of expense that had been
brought on the company by the Legis
lature was mentioned? A. I have no re
collection of any conversation - of the
kind. Q. yßv Mr. Alston.) Col. Cole,
when was the last time that you were in
Atlanta? A. The 3d of February. Ido
not think I have been here since. I know
I was here that day, as it was the day for
a meeting of the Directors of the State
Road. Q. Didn’t you leave here on the
evening of the 4th? A. No. I was here
at the time I say. The third was on
Thursday, the day of the meeting of the
Board. My recolletion is that I left here
on the 4 o’clock train on Thursday even
ing, the 3d of February. Q. Didn’t you
and Mr. Walters, Mr. Morrill, Mr.
Peters, Mr. Nutting, Mr. Johnson and
Gov. Brown dine together at the Kim
ball House on Thursday, the day that
the resolution was pending here in the
Legislature? A. I do not, remember about
the resolution, but we dined together.
Q. Did you never make any complaints
tojMr.;E. B. Walker about the extraordi
nary expenses of the road in 1872? A. I
may have done so. Q.. Did Mr. Walker
make any excuse about the necessity of
employing Mr. Sherman on the State
Road, and that if Gov. Brown would
confine himself to his own duties as
President, they oould soon reduce the
expenses of the road? A. Ido not re
collect of Mr. Walker reflecting upon
the President in that way. Q, Do yon
recollect Mr. Morrill’s coming in and
saying that they were “making a hell of
a fuss about the expenses of the road,”
but that he had examined the expense
account on the Southwertern Railroad,
and that the expenses on this road
were no’ greater than they were on Bill
Holt’s road. A. Ido not recollect. He
may have compared the expense ac
counts of the two roads, as is frequently
done between one road and another, but
Ido not remember that he did so. Q.
You do not remember such a conversa
tion ? A. No, sir. Q. Didn’t Mr. Mor
rill say, furthermore, “they forget that
we had to spend $70,000 on that damn
ed Legislature ? A. Ido not remember
of his ever making any such remark in
my presence. Q. Mr. Waiters, Mr. Pe
ters, Mr. Nutting, Mr. Johnson, Mr.
Morrill, Governor Brown and yourself
were all here on the 3d of February and
took dinner together at the Kimball
House? A. We were; it was the day
for an annual meeting of the directors;
that is the reason why I remember. I
had a notice lying on my table in Nash
ville for some weeks previous, notifying
me to attend on that day. Q. (By Mr.
Peeples.) Are you one of the iessees ?
A. I am. Q. Was there a meeting of
the board of lessees just before the meet
ing of the Legislature in August, 1872,
at which time the resolution was passed ?
A. Ido not remember. Asa fact Ido
not now remember that there was any
meeting of the Legislature at the time
you mention; there may have been. If
am asked the question if there was a
meeting of the lessees in the Summer of
1872, Ido not remember. I suppose we
had our regular quarterly meeting of
directors that Summer. Q The point
is, whether or not the lessees or Board
of Directors took any aotion in regard to
expenses, or what expenses should be
incurred in having this matter brought
before the public ? A. I remember that
there was something of that kind men
tioned in the board; I do not remember
at what meeting, and I think that it was
referred to a committee, which was to
take such action as they thought proper
or just in protecting or defending the
company in any proper manner, and my
recolleotion is that Judge King and Mr,
Hill were appointed upon that commit-
tee, Q. (By Mr. McDaniel, chairman.)
Any one else ? A. I do not remember
positively, but I think there was. I
think they were to act in conjunction
with the President, who is usually in
such companies ex officio chairman of
all committees. Q (riy Mr. Peeples.)
The whole matter was referred to
that committee without reference to what
they were to do ? A. There was no ac
tion as to what they should do, as I re
member of. Q. It was leaving the
whole matter in their discretion ? A.
Yes, sir. Q. Have you any recollection
that any report was made by them as to
what had been done ? A. I have no
recollection of any report having been
made by them. Q. (By Mr. McDaniel,
chairman.) Do you know, now, how
much money was used under that res
olution or action of the board ? A. I
do not know, sir. I only know what Gov.
Brown told me in regard to money that
had been spent with newspapers and at
torneys. Q. (By Gov. Brown.) When
the conversation took place between you
and myself, don’t you remember that I
was speaking of the formidable opposi
tion and able counsel arrayed against ns
and that the members oi the company
that opposed us lived here and were
strong in the lobby.and that to put our
case properly before the public we
might have to spend money for the pub
lication of the facts and to get attorneys ?
A. Yes, sir; you said you thought that
it was proper, just, and right that there
should be somji medium of giving the
facts and arguments iq favor of the
lease to the country and to, every body.
Q (By Mr. Alston.) Do you know of
$15,000 having been put up in the
Dollar Savingb Bank to get Ed. Blodgett
out of jail? A. I don’t know that such
deposit was made. Q. Wasn’t it charg
ed up against the lease company as ex
penses? A. I know nothing of my own
knowledge. Qov. Brown said something
to me in connection with it, but my re
collection is that it was a matter for him
or the committee. Q. That same com-
mittee of which you spoke 1 A. I can't
say that the same committee acted on it.
Q. Do you knot? that $15,000 was de
posited in that bmk by (he lease com
pany? A. It is my recollection that
something was said about a deposit of
that kind, but can not say that it was
made or where. Q. Was the money
ever repaid ? A. Ido not know, sir. Q.
(By Mr. McDaniel, ohairman.j Do you
know the object for which the deposit
was made ? A. I could not say that I
did or that it was made at all. As I say
I had always confidence in the Presi
dent and that he would do what was
just and proper. Q. I will ask you if it
was referred to as a mattter in connec
tion with the expenses brought upon the
company by the assaults made upon it
by the legislature? A. I do not re
member. (j. Do you know of any mon
ey having been paid to Foster Blodgett
in 1871 2 by the company, or any one in
its behalf ? A. No, sir; I have no per
sonal knowledge of such payment to Mr.
Blodgett. Q Have you ever heard of it
from officers of the road or the com
pany ? A. By the President. Q. Have
you ever head of any payment to'him by
the President, or any one else? A. At
what date? Q. In 1871 or 1872? A. No,
sir; I have no recollection of it, except
I understood Gov. Brown to say that he
had had transactions with Mr. Blodgett,
but I never heard bim Say he had paid
to Mr. Blodgett any mpney on account
of the lease, fie said that ha had had
individual transactions with him dating
back for years, and had received from
and let him have money. Q. (By Mr.
Alston.) I will ask you if yon knew of
the lease company having sent H. I,
Kimball, with a check for $3,000, to
South Carolina to see Blodgett when
Blodgett advertised in the Greenvill,
News that he was going to expose the
facts about the endorsement of the
State Road lease? A. No, sir. I have
no recollection of any such transaction.
Q. (By Julius Brown, Esq.) Was the
meeting held on the 30th inst. called or
influenced by any action that the Leg
islature was going to take about the
lease ? A. I stated that it was the regu
lar annual meeting of the Board of Di
rectors and gave that as the reason why
I remembered the day.
James P. Simmons, sworn. Examin
ed by Mr. McDaniel, chairman. Q. Did
you, in 1872, receive any money from the
lease company in connection with the
endorsement of the lease? A. Perhaps
I had better state that I did receive
some money from the President of the
Lease Company in 1872." I turned to my
cash book, after receiving your subpcsna,
and got the precise amount and date.
In August 7th, 1872, I received from
Gov. Brown as the representative of the
company SSOO, and on the 3d of Septem
ber, 1872, I received from Governor
Brown SSOO more. This receipt (shown
by Gov. Brown) was written by me. The
money was paid me as it is expressed in
the receipt, and it says “as a retaining
fee in any litigation that may be institut
ed to set aside the lease by the State.”
This had reference to the Courts and
not the Legislature. But perhaps it
would be as well to explain the purposes
of it and the manner in which I was ap
proached and what occurred. I will
state that before this money was paid I
was here and in the Capitol. I met Gov.
Brown and he asked me about. this
question: “Have* yeu entirely retired
from the practice of your profession ?”
I replied to him I had not; that I had
retired from general practice, but still
took special cases. He said some litiga
tion might possibly grow out of the
road matters and he would like to have
my services for the defense of the lease.
I told him they could be had, and he
proposed to pay me a retaining fee, and
if the case came up I was to have a rea
sonable fee. He asked me what would
be a reasonable retaining fee. I told
him he knew about as well as I did. He
asked me if SI,OOO was satisfactory. I
said it was and he agreed to pay me that.
How long the contract had been made
before the first money was paid I do not
remember. I looked upon it as a contract
the that would be responded to in due
time, and that when I called upon Gov.
Brown I would get the money. Ido not
remember at what time, but sometime
after I agreed to represent the lease
company before the Courts, it oocurred to
me that it would be a service to both
the company and the State to call at
tention to the lease through the press.
I wrote an article which was published
in the Constitution. It was not at the
instance of Gov. Brown, but on my own
motion. I submitted it to Gov. Brown
whether it would not be well enough to
do so, and be said “perhaps it would.”
I drew up the article but it was never
seen by him unless it was in the news
paper. That was not done for this mon
ey, but as a duty I felt to both the com
pany and the State. I wish to state that
one reason, I suppose, why Gov. Brown
applied to me was because he knew I
was a friend of that lease. He knew
that from this circumstance, that im
mediately after seeing that Mr. Ste
phens had declined taking his interest
in the lease, I wrote down and said to
Gov. Brown that I would like to take it
myself. He replied that it was promis
ed to another party, but if he did not
take it I should have it.' I had a con
versation with him afterwards in which
he told me the other party had taken
the interest. The duty I undertook in
this matter was to defend the lease in
the Courts if the contemplated suits
were brought. That is all. Q. You
used the monoy for your own purposes ?
A. The Legislature never got any of it,
and that I guarantee you, sir. I used it
in my own business. If I ever spoke to
a member of the Legislature who was
not friendly to the easo Ido not re
member it. It was not my duty to
lobby in any shape. Q. (By Mr. Alston.)
Did you ever do any service for that
money ? A. No, sir; the time has never
come for that. This was a retaining fee
and the litigation has never come to
pass. When it does I hope to be no
hand and ready. Q. (By Gov. Brown.)
Was not the litigation looked for no
the part of the State to set aside the
lease ? A. You stated that it was desir
ed by some parties to have litigation
started by the State to set aside the
lease on the ground of fraud in procur
ing it. That is the case I was to appear
in. Q. Perhaps you remember that I
remarked that we would resist in the
Courts of Georgia, Tennessee and the
Uuited States ? A. Yes, sir, I do.
GOVERNOR LETCHER.
Ex-iGovurnor John Letcher .Stricken by
Paralysis—llls Right Side Useless—His Re
covery Not Expeeted.
[Richmond Whig , March 3d.]
Night before laßt ex-Governor John
Letcher, who has been in the city all
Winter, attending the House of Dele
gates, of which he is a member, from
the county of Rockbridge, was passing
from supper in the Ballard House to his
room in the Exchange Hotel, when he
was stricken with paralysis on the bridge
across the street connecting the two
houses, and would have fallen had he
not been caught and supported by Dr.
Henry E. Smith, member of the House
of Delegates from Amherst, who was
with him at the time, and who assisted
the venerable ex-Governor to his room.
He was put to bed, and it was hoped
that the attack would be but slight and
temporary in its results, but yesterday
morning it was found that his whole
right side was partially paralysed; that
he could not use his right arm and
hand, that he could move las right leg
but little, and that he spoke with diffi
culty and indistinctly. During the day
yesterday his emdition seemed to grow
worse, although he suffered little or no
pain, and was quite conscious. At the
last accounts his condition was reported
to bfe very unfavorable, although no im
mediate fatal results were apprehended.
Ever since his prostration, Mr. Letcher
has been sedulously attended by Drs.
Hunter McGuire, of this city, Smith, of
Amherst, and John W. Lawson, Senator
from Isle of Wight, and by a multitude
of personal friends, and he has lacked
no attention that skid and friendship
can provide. The opinion of Dr. Mc-
Guire, in which the two other physicians
concur, is that the attack is due to au
effusion of blood or on the brain
or spinal marrow.
Ex-Governor Letcher is now quite
aged, being sixty-three years old, and
he has been one of the most laborious
members of the General Assembly, hav
ing constantly oocupied his seat since
the session began, never absent except
in cases of illness, and always devoting
his whole time and energy to the work
of legislation. Besides, he had been for
many years since the war quite removed
from the excitements of political life,
and has aocommodated himself to the
calm quiet of his Rockbridge home, and
his recent re-entry upon the stage of
stirring and exhausting discussion has
evidently been too much for him. For
weeks he has at times been extending
his left hand in greeting his friends,
apologizing therefor by saying that he
was suffering from rheumatism in his
right arm and hand—these indications
doubtless being the precursors of the
attack that has now followed- The med
ical opinion expressed is that if Mr.
Letcher shall ever rise from his bed, it
will be as a tottering and almost hope
less wreck of his former robust man
hood. Although there was no fear of a
speedy death last night, it was easily
understood that the ultimato recovery
of Virginia’s war Governor is not ex
peoted by his medical attendants. There
will be general sorrow at his sad and
critical situation.
At the latest hour last night there was
a change in his condition for the better.
He was moved into a larger room, and
the moving appeared to benefit bim.
His wife and family will reach the oity
to-day.
FROM NSW YORK.
Sentence of Thieve*—Cnee of Abduction—A
Schenck Canard Exploded—New* From the
Indian Country.
New York, March 9. The river
thieves, John Lowry and Charles Mey
ers, were sentenced to 15 years hard la
bor.
Senor Josef Olgeads, an eminent Span
ish gentleman, who had resided twenty
five years in Cnba, drew $25,000 from a
banking house, and was arrested by a
man showing a star. Olgeads’ com
panion ran to the Spanish Consul, but
the searoh for Olgeads has been vain.
The object of the abdnetion is supposed
to be money: not political.
The Herald’s special from London
says : “Qn the highest anthority I can
say there is no foundation for the state
ment that the British Government de
manded Gen. Schenck’s immediate re
call. The Government never even inti
mated a wish for his removal. ”
A special dispatch says that abont the
time the Indians drove off the horses at
Cnstar City, Wyoming, on the 4th, an
emigrant train near Pleasant Valley was
attacked. Every able bodied man in
that section has been enrolled, and a
mounted party of whites, sixty in nnin-'
ber, started at one in pursuit of the red
skins, who retreated in the direction of
the fijed Cloud Ageney. There is great
excitement, and trouble is anticipated
all throngh the Black Hills.
Rev. Mr. Martin, from Tennessee, has
accepted a oall to the Cumberland Pres
byterian Chnrch at Tunnel Hill.
MOTHER WOMAN IN IT.
HOW SEC BETA BY ROBESON’S
WIFE FAHMED OUT LUMBER
CONTRaC is.
And Cot a Trifle of $40,000 for the Job, to
Which le Kindly Added @O,OOO a Month—A
Laet Desperate Effort to Choke OUT Inves
tigation, Which Is Promptly Defeated in the
Democratic House.
Washington, D. 0., March 7.—These
dispatches stated Saturday night that it
could be proven that Mrs. Robeson re
ceived large sums of money frem par
ties interested in lumber supply con
tracts with the Navy liepartment. The
committee has been on track of this
matter for some time, and your corres
pondent was requested not to publish
the names for fear that it would afford
the guilty parties opportunity to get
dangerous persons aud papers out of the
way. The injuuetiou of seoreoy is now
removed and the facts may be given.
One S. P. Brown, of this city, has au
immense contract *for timber supplies.
Brown has a silent partner by the name
of Wallack. Wallack is the individual
spoken of in my dispatch of Saturday
night as the trustee of Mrs. Robeson’s
slush fund. Statements vary slightly as
to the amount of money set apart in
Wallack’s hands for Mrs. Robeson’s
benefit, but none of them put it Under
$45,000, and some plaoe it as high as
$75,000. For some time past Mr. Wal
lack has regularly, invested $5,000 every
month for Mrs. Robeson in various se
curities. Heavy investments have also
been made in the name of Judge Smith,
an uncle of Mrs. Robeson.
The committee has recently had un
der examination a Mr. Wolfe, book
keeper for S. P. Brown, and has elicited
from him considerable information as to
the nature of the contract, showing that
its profits were enormously dispropor
tionate. To-day Wolfe was asked
whether he knew of any money being
paid or promised to aDy body for the
purpose of securing the oontraet, and
whether there was any arrangement by
which the amounts paid to Mrs. Robe
son were entered on the books in cipher
or otherwise, so as to conceal that part
of the transaction. He refused to an
swer. He was therefore placed under
arrest, and will be oommitted for oon
tempt if he remains contumacious after
to-morrow.
Mrs. Robeson has been in Washington
society, and au intimate and devoted
colleague of Mrs. Belknay. She was a
widow when she married 01ie rotund
Robeson, and some strange stories were
told about her. When Grant’s gang
was at the zenith of power, Mrs. Robe
son, Mrs. Belknap and Mrs. Williams
ruled society here with a high hand.
Two of the triumvirate have stepped
down and out, and now the remaining
one is approaching the jumping-off
plaoe. All the devilment seems to be
raised by the widows. The advice of
the elder Weller should be placarded in
the Departments.
The accusations made as to Governor
Hendricks and the Gatling gun con
tracts do not seem to have any founda
tion. The worst that can be shown as
to the Governor’s aotion is that he ÜBed
his persuasive powers to assist some of
his personal friends. But tho
tee having the subject in charge said
that no proof or shadow of proofs exisßP
to show that he received any considera
tion or had any pecuniary interest,
directly or indirectly, in the transaction.
General Love has indignantly denied
the charges.
The Belknap Dado.
[Correspondence Nero York Bulletin.]
Washington, March 7,lß76.—Theßel
knap matter has assumed a strange
phase as a matter of fact. The commit
tee has gone forward upon an irregular
proceeding, and has not the slightest
evidence of any legal character against
him. The Committee on Expenditures
in the War Department took the testimo
ny of Marsh without power to adminis
ter an oath, and while ail the testimony
there is undoubtedly true, there is no tes
timony competent mXCourt of justice,
or before the Senate, as the high court
of impeachment. Still there are euough
things yet at issue and discovered to
convict Mrs. Belknap of all sorts of
peculations and dishonest transactions,
and it is thought that General Belknap
will fix the guilt, wherever guilt is
charged, against biß wife, and assume
the responsibility to himself. The Ju
diciary Committee merely wants the op
portunity to take competent testimony
aud authority to administer oaths and
send for persons and papers. It eannot
be doubted that they will get all the
evidence they want, and it is highly
probable that Gen. Belknap will be con
victed.
The witness Marsh is looked upoa
here as a consummate scoundrel, and it
is shown that he did not teil the whole
truth. It is believed that he joined
with Mrs. Belknap in deceiving her hus
band, and that he was the man who
caused the deception from the beginning
to the end. There is no sympathy here,
for him, and the case is quite distress
ing from any P oint of view. Investigar
tion now in progress will show that
Postmaster-General Jewell, while not
guilty in a criminal sense of corruption
and fraud, has perpetrated frauds that
ought to be punished beoanse they were
perpetrated by people under him with
his full knowledge and consent for
political purposes. It is probable also
that a good many doings will be dis
covered in other branohes of the service,
the details of which are sickening to
contemplate. Ido not like to go into
their enumeration because of charitable
feeling towards those implicated and
because the committees are now at work
and will have developed all they intend
within the next week, and then the
guilty persons will be called by name.
A SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
A Witness Is Brought to tho R„r And
Faints from Nervous Each miem.
Washington, March B,—A very ex
traordinary scene, painful and' melo
dramatic, occurred on the floor of the
House to-day. Mir. Elchias B. Wolf
was yesterday remanded to the custody
of the Sergeiuit-at- Arms for refusing to
answer Vserfc&in questions propounded by
the Committee on Naval Affairs, before
which oommittee he was a witness. To
day the Sergeant-at-Arms brought the
witness to the bar of the House. It was
observed as Wolf walked down the main
aisle toward the Clerk’s desk that he
was very nervous and excited. As he
stood in front of the Speaker, in full
view of the House and crowded galleries,
conscious that all eyes in the Chamber
were fixed upon him, his nervousness
beoame so great that be was forced to
step back and lean for support upon Mr.
Chittenden’s desk, which is in the
front row. The Sergeant-at-Arms,
observing his weakness, had a
chair placed in the open space
fronting the Speaker, into which
the witness sank. As Mr. Whitthorne,
Chairman of the Committee on Naval
Affairs, oommenoed to address the House
preparatory to introducing a resolution
discharging Wolf from custody, he
moved uneasily in his seat, and finally
leaned his head upon his right hand
supported by his elbow on the arm of
the chair. Mr. Whitthorne had not
spoken more than thirty words when
Wolf ottered a cry, threw up his arms,
and slid from the chair to the floor, his
form assuming the rigidity of a corpse.
This produced intense excitement upon
the floor and in the galleries. A num
ber of members rushed to the relief of
the sufferer, but by direction of the
Speaker all retired, except two or three,
who, under direction of Senator Con
over, who is a physician by profession,
and who fortunately chanced to be in
the House, continued to render the
necessary aid to the prostrate man. Be
fore it was known Senator Conover was
in the House Speaker Kerr requested
that if there was a physician present in
the galleries he would come forward.
In about five minutes the spasm passed
off, and Wolf was carried from the
Chamber to an adjoining room, where
he soon recovered, and was taken home.
NEW YORK.
Strike of Railroad Employees—Arrest of u
Forger—Failure of Tufts & Cos. Reported.
New York, March 11.—There was a
strike among the employees ot the New
York, Bayridge and Jamaica Railroad
Company, at Bayridge, yesterday. The
contractor kept back from each man ten
days wages. The police were called
upon to prevent breaches of the peace.
Frederick Revil, charged with com
mittii g forgery in Prussia, was arrested
here to-day in the steamer Klopstock
from Hamburg, and was committed for
trial.
The failure of E. O. Tufts k Cos.,
Woolen commission merchants of Boston
and 85 North street. New York, is re
ported. The liabilities are variously
estimated from $250,000 to $1,000,000.
Further Reduction of Freight Rates.
The conflict between the Virginia and
Tennessee Air Line Railroad and the
coast line of steamers is still going on
vigorously, and the rate of freights has
been again reduced this morning by the
railroad.
Bedtli of Journalists.
Boston, March 11.—Wm. B. Robert
son, journalist, of Boston, whose letters,
over the signature of “Warringtpn” are
widely known, is dead ; aged, 58.
New Haven, March 11.—James Alex
ander Merivat, editor of the Common
wealth, a Prohibition paper, is dead.
Handsome Flower.— A fine peony, in
fall bloom in the flower garden of Judge
Samuel Levy, on Centre street, attracts
much attention.