The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-10-16
STEALING A BRIDGE.
THE STATE TO BE ROB-
BED BY CONTRACT.
Swee!-Scented Developments.
Nice Conspiracy to Plunder.
A Radical State Senator a Party
Secretary Of State Involved.
The Governor Acquiesces,
Proof Positive of Loyalty. "
West Virginia Patriots Try
TO Steal n Bridge.
West Virginia Patriots Try
10 Steal n Bridge.

We present herewith some testimony
in relation to u splendid "leyap swim
die attempted last winter. The "swin-
dlcD was to consist in the almost gratui-
tous transfer of certain bridge property
belonging to the State Of West Virginia
to certain "loyal" gentlemen, among
whom we may name one JOHN s.
WITCHER, Secretary of State, n Radical
State Senator named WRIGHT, and an
other "Ieyalist" named MCGINNIs, from
Cahell county.
The circumstances are briefly these
The stock in the Suspension Bridge over
the Guyandotte river, at its mouth, is
owned, partly by the State and partly by
private stockholders, the formers inter
est amounting to three-ffths of tho en-
tire stock. Last winter some of the
leading 'loyalists' of that region con-
ceived the idea of getting possession OF
the States interest in this Bridge as
donation. The mode of operation was
as follows: The Bridge was in debt
about $500. Tho parties desiring the
transfer proposed TO pay off this debt,
provided the Legislature would make
over to them the States interest. The
proposition was brought before the Leg
islature in the shape of Senate bill No.
II. In order to insure its passage, they
drew up a contract, by the terms OF
which the parties thereto, "Te'e to De
equal partners in any erpense or oenchf
that might accrue from the passage Of Sen
ate Bill No. r." The names embodied
in the contract were those of JOHN 5
WIrCuER, Secretary of State, Senator
E. d. WRIGHT, b. ID. McGINSIs, w. o.
WRIGHT and J. II. HYsELL- " Il BLANK
,cds left for other Names" and the contract
seas placed IN the hands Of JOHN 5
WIrCHER, notc Secretary Of State, for the
purpose of taking il to Wheeli"g ana
submitting it TO other parties there to sign
It, WHO WERE TO HIVE AN EQUAL INTER,
EST ON THEIR ADVOCATING ITS PAS
SAGE" .-r 20
The Bridge is now worth about sl5,-
900, making the States interest S9,oOo'
In addition to this the parties "under'
stood (see HYsELL's afidavit.) "that
there were between ten thousand and
thirteen thousand dollars due from the
Government tothe Bridge Company, fol-
the passage of troops and their supplies
over the Bridge during the war" The
claims against the Bridge, as before
stated, amounted to but 81 500. In this
view of the case, the enterprise was
quite promising. While this swindle
was in progress, Governor BoREMAN'
sr o1cio member of the Board of Public
Works, and obliged by his oath to look
after the interests of the State, acqui-
esced, by his silence, in the proposed
fraud. From the fact that his name
does not appear in the contract, 1T is
fair to presume that it was not to be IN
serted until the consummation OF the
viliainy. The omission of his name
was clearly intentional and for pruden-
tial reasons.
The circumstances that led to the
exposure of this fraud are these. AT
the close of the war the Bridge owed
about $1,000. In 1865 it borrowed oi
JOHN L. JoHsNoN $500, for the pur-
poses of repair, and gave q trust deed
to secure the money. JOHNSON lately
moved on his trust deed, to sell the
Bridge. Governor FOREMAN, who has
not been bought by JOHNSON, wakes up
from the indifference he manifested
when the "swindle" before mentioned
was in progress; wITcHER also becomes
vigilant in behalf of the State for whose
interest he had previously contracted,
and between these two worthless they
caused an injunction to be procured
against the sale. The depOsitions ap'
pended were taken in the case.
The Dspositios Of john s, Hiteher are
mothers, faken before vac, a Commissioner
is Jckancefy for the Circs!t Court q
CabeU County, BY consent o. fRe pdrne'