The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-16
9iol1em 4 @e1lrofrat
S AIN T p A UL.
]. H. BAKER, THE OHIO DEFAULTER.
HIS Suppression and Garbling OF EVi-
dence In his Speech AT. the The"ter.

HIS suppression anu OaTOAhS % AAVA
dence in his Speech at. the Theater.
In commenting upon the speech OF JAMES
H. BAKER, the Republican candidate for
Secretary of State, delivered at the Theatre
in this city, on Thursday, September LIST, we
stated that the evidence read by BAKER, to
acquit himself of the charge of bribery and
rascality, was the testimony of his associates
in the commission of the disgraceful acts
with which he stands charged. We believed
at the time BAKER made his speech, that
the testimony be produced, was either
garbled, or material portions of it suppress
ed, to suit the exigencies of his situation.
We are now prepared to prove the truth of
this statement.
We received yesterday, from Columbus,
the evidence taken by the Treasury Investi-
eating Committee. 1t is ponderous
volume of 900 pages, and contains COM
plete exposure of the defalcations of BREs-
LIN and GIBSON, and the purchase of
BAKER, by the Wall Street brokers. The
investigation in regard to BAKERS conduct,
was made by CHARLES REMEL1N, the Re-
publican member of the Committee, who
visited New York for that purpose.
BAKER GARBLEs TESTIMONY TO SCREEN HIM.
SELF.
In the report of BAKERS speech in the
Times, he is reported as follows, in speaking
of the charge of bribery:
WE'LL now, there is just two men who
can know the truth of this thing, whose testi-
mony we have. One is H. A. Johnson, to
whose bid the award was made. He testiies as
follows:
"That he made the bid for the Ohio Loan, of
1856, alone. and on his own hOOk--that he had
no partner before it was awarded him, that he
ascertained in his own way, without getting
any information from the Fund Commissioner,
&C., also that he never paid Auditor
Wright or Secretary Baker anything for getting
the loan, that he had no agreement, or under
standing or even conversation with either of
them, and was introduced to them only after
the award was made" &c. Long and loud
applause.
Now, in presenting the above testimony,
Mr.. BAKER deliberately attempted to gull,
hoodwink, and deceive the people of St.
Paul; for following the above quotation
comes the very pith and marrow of JOHN
SONS evidence-that which convicts BAKER
of corruption aud bribery, and stamps him
as a scoundrel Immediately after the
closing words, the " a1card qcas made," and
in the same sentence, we have the following
testimony:
"That LUDLOW (JoHNsTON's agent in bribing
BAKERY had told him afterwards once, that
these western officers always came poor, AND
WANTED MONEY, AND THAT HE HAD
LENT Two OF THE FUND COMMISSION.
ERS (BAKER AND WRIGHT) SAY 81, 600!
That when told of this, he (JoHNsoN) expressed
to LUDLOW or some one else at the time, that
LUDLOW WAS TOO OFTEN FOOL ENOUGH
TO GREASE THE WHEELS WHEN 1T WAS
NOT NEEDED."- page 5o4 of the testi-
m0ny.
Had BAKER read the entire sentence, he
would have been driven from the stage by
the excavations of the people, instead Of
being greeted with cloud and long ap
pause." The evidence shows that to in
duce JAMES H. BAKER to betray the inte-
rests of his State-league himself with
public robbers and violate his oath of
ofice-it was only necessary to GREASE
him tn the extent of 81 00O
And yet, this infamous and disgraced
scoundrel-this refugee from Ohio-prates
of the honesty of Democratic officials, who
have gained reputation for probity by
long years of faithful public service.
WHAT BECAME OF THE GREASE"
Mr.. WRIGHT, Auditor of State, testi6es
that he received none of it-that BAKER
monopolized the entire amount. for purposes
of speculation in western lands. The note
given by BAKER is now in the possession Of
the assignees of the Ohio Life and Trust
Company f; it is endorsed by EDWIN Lup-
LOW" the agent of JOHNSTON. The as
signees testified before the commission that
they did not even know whether the note
had been paid. 1t was found among the
papers of the company in Cincinnati.
MORE TESTIMONY OVERLOOKED BY BAKER.
Among the testimony contained in the
volume, and overlooked by Mr.. BAKER, is
that of Hon. STANLEY MATTHEWS, at pres
ent United States District Attorney for
the Southern District of Ohio. 1t is really
unfortunate that Mr.. BAKER should have
overlooked this evidence. 1t throws great
deal of light on the "grease." We quote
from Judge Ms testimony:
"In February, 1858, was again in New
York, in company with Judge Wright, having
gone there at the request of the assignees
Among other things, Judge Wright and myself
determined to make an examination of each
particular branch of assets. with the view to
compare them with the inventories that had
been taken; and in doing so, we found bun.
die of papers marked E. Ludlow's private pa.
pers;' and having learned from F. A. Lane,
who had possession of all assets as deputy
sheriff, that they were valuable, we inspected
them, and found, among other securities, a
| promissory note signed by F. NJ. Wright and ].
Raker dated in Octnhpr 1894 navahle nm