The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-14

we DOaF0, lalDOLL o. 20. PAID over
through one of their number, 81 ,00l
to buy off the fair competition of tn,
lower bid of Dunlap, by which ths
State actually lost, as the prepOnder
ance of evidence shows, $50, O93 80.
The contract of Talbot & Co.
having thus been obtained by fraud
ulent and unfair means, and at exhor-
bltantly high prices, as the evidence
shows, and much higher than another
responsible bidder, and that, too, by
the acts of Talbot & Co., preventing
fair competition in the bidding, legally
is not binding on the State, and in
justice should be avoided.
1t IS true that part of the Board,
whose duty it was to faithfully repre-
sent the interest of the State, con
trlbuted to the fraud, but the law
clearly prescribes their duty, which
was known to Talbot & Co.. and is no
excuse to them to practice a fraud
upon the State because her agents had
been unfaithful in the discharge of
their duty VS.
The distinct charge contained fn
this report is that Mr.. TaIbott oh
tanned the contract by fraud; that
he obtained the contract by paving a
bride of 81 ,0G0Sand that the State was
sWindled in the Arrangement out of
the sum of 500, O93 80. I am informed.
and believe, that a paper was signed
by most of the members of the Com
mittee generating Mr.. Costigan from
participation in the fraud, and in fact
the evidence shows that the affair was
conducted by Mr.. Talbot. The Com
mlttee. In thelrreport, further declare
that the contract was void, because of
the fraud, and recommended that it is.
taken from Mr.. Talbot by the Legis-
lature. Mr.. Talbot, however, did
not wait for further saction, but in
order to hush the matter up, fastened
to surrender his contract, asking moth
ing for his profits only to be paid for
the actual cost of the work done. and
the tools on the premises. There are
some other. features connected with
this affair which / shall comment on.
at another time, and for the present
shall pass to the consideration of the
late gambling operations of Talbot in
the city of New York.
VI
OF THE PEOPLES MONEY.
In 1868, as President of the Sink
ing Fund, he deposited in the bank
ing house of Ell. J. Lyons & Co., in
the city of New York, the sum of
$133, 281 IA. This house had Just
been established, and had for its mem
bers Mr.. Ricketts,, the President of
the Jeffersonville Railroad Company.
and one of the Sinking Fund Com
missioners, and H. j. Lyons, who, it
is said, had formerly been Mr.. Rick
ett's book-keeper at Louisville. There
may have been other parties in the
concern, but, if there were, have not
heard their names. The business of
the house was chiefly dealing in gold, |
and 1t was known in New York as
: bull in the market-that is, a house
engaged in putting up the price Of
gold.
Soon after its establishment in New
York, it became known as rebel bank |
ing house, and its patrons were almost
rebels and rebel sympa-
thizers, and it was generally reputed |
to be the financial agent through |
which rebel refugees in Canada con-
Quoted their business. AS the house |
was doing its business upon the prin-
ciple that the price of gold would go
up, it was obvious that the success of
the house depended upon the result
of the rebellion; that the failure of |
the rebellion necessarily involved the
failure of the house; and so itturned |
out, for early in the spring of 1865,
after Sherman's march to the Sea-
had proved great success, and it be- |
came apparent that the rebellion could |
last but few days longer, the house
of III. j. Lyons & Co. suddenly ex-
ploded, and involved in its ruins many
persons in all parts Of the country I
and swallowing up the So, 28l ii +
which belonged to the school children |
of Indiana. It was new house, and
had no esta blished reputation. Tt was
engaged in the dangerous business of
in gold, and its business,
like most of its patrons, was disloyal |
in its character. No man of common +
prudence could select it as a place Of |
deposit of public money, unless there
was some selfish or sinister purpose to
be gained by it. What was the extent
Of Mr.. Talbott's gold operations in
this bank, / do not know, but have
heard, and do not doubt, that he lost
to large amount, and that he was Sc
curity to the bank for John Talbot
and Aquilla Jones, of this city, in
their gold gambling operations.
On the first of January last, Mr..
Talbot submitted to His Excellency.
Governor Baker, report in which he
refers to this transaction in the fol-
lowing language 61lL
$ The sinking fund had on deposit
with Henry j Lyons & Co., of New
York City, at the time of their sus-
pension, S133,281 IA, on which we