The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-11


Mr.. Buckley, 'the distinguished gentle
man," as Mr.. District Attorney Courtney
politely or sarcastically calls him. who came
on from Washington some two weeks ago,
and, without having the courtesy to inform Mr.
Courtney or any member of his Office of what
he was doing, obtained afidavits on his own
motion and caused them to be issued for the
arrest of certain parties, has at length been
bowed out of the case of the United States
vs.. Commissioner Rollins ct al. Mr.. Courtney
had waived this discourtesy on account of the
magnitude of the interests involved in the
investigation. He went into it with all his
power and with the assistance of all the
members of his department in the endeavor to
ferret out the charges, whatever they were,
but he found it 'like drawing eye teeth out Of
this gentleman to ascertain what line of con-
duct was to be adopted, what pursued, what
testimony could be procured, what evidence
he had obtained or upon what basis or theory
he intended to prosecute this case" He dis
covered that Mr.. Buckley had sort Of
rambling idea that the Southern District of
New York had jurisdiction over all the
United States. A contemporary has printed
in letter from Washington an amusing
account of an interview at the Astor House
between the District Attorney and the
Solicitor of the Internal Revenue. Ac-
cording to this story Mr.. Buckley asked
Mr.. Courtney (which side he had made up
his mind to appear for in the investigation
before Commissioner Gutman." Mr.. Court
ney told Mr.. Buckley that he could not talk
with him upon that subject, and Immediately
arose to depart. Mr.. Buckley undertook to
prevent Mr. Courtney from leaving the room
by closing the door. In doing 30 he pinched
Mr.. Courtney's fingers in the door, whereupon
Mr.. Courtney turned, and, striking out from
the shoulder, got in such a blow between Mr..
Binckley's eyes as to send him in hurried
and confused manner to the sofa. After the
PROSTATE Solicitor of the Internal Revenue had
been sufficiently pounded he cried loudly for
quarter, and two Deputy United States Mar
shals who happened to be passing came to his
relief Mr.. Buckley said nothing further
about which side Mr.. Courtney should take,
and the latter retired flushed with victory.
We published yesterday full report of the
proceedings in the United States Commission
ers' Court, in the course of which the valorous
Mr.. Buckley ''defied everything that New
York could bring against him 5" and after Mr..
Courtney had read the telegraphic disavowal
by the Acting Attorney General of any right
of Mr.. Buckley to participate in the prosecu-
ton, except by sufferance on the part of Mr..
Courtney, the District Attorney declared that
his manhood and selfrespect forbade any fur
Their association with Mr.. Buckley. Mr.. Binck-
ley then took his hat and cane, and, shaking the
dust off his feet, solemnly announced, 81 will
appear again in New York" This prediction
seems little likely to be fulfilled. The case, 80
far at least as he is concerned with it, appears
to have collapsed. The general opinion now
is that of all the developments of the Internal
Revenue imbroglio the Buckley affair is the
richest farce. The question is agitated, who
is this Buckley? Is he the Head Centre of
the Ku Klux Klanp Is he the founder of the
Knights of the Golden Circle? Is he the
father of the Sons of Liberty? Whoever he
may be, he must be convinced by this time
that he got hold of the wrong customer
when he tried to browbeat Mr.. Courtney and
ventured to intimidate him by threats of politi-
cal decapitation. He may have succeeded in
fooling Andrew Johnson, but, Notwithstanding
his big, swelling words of vanity, the public
can look upon him only as scalawag and a
carpet-bagger. He has gone back to Wash
ington, and we cannot advise him to ''appear
again in New York" as volunteer representa-
tive of the United States government