The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-17
THE ALASKA rJnsnlsz MONEY.

Moro About tho Charges OF Bribery Against
the Washington Lobby and Newspaper Corr
respondents.
From the Worcester Spy, editorial Hon. Mr.. Bald
wins 0rganl Dec. Isl
Our washington correspondent by his statement
IN recent letter OF the rumors current In that city
In regard to the manner In which some Of the Alaska
pnr n money was appropra.sd mas made some
York Eoent0 Post considers Mr.. Baldwin the author
OF these stories and demands Congressional inves
tgaOn, at which he shall be called upon to disclose
the sources OF MS Information. IL Is 5omen hat sim
guar that the spy should have oil the credit OF put
ting these reports ia circulation, when they very
similar ones, perhaps little less definite had ap-
pea1ed In several newspapers and been common
subject OF conversation for more than week before
our correspondent, observer thought 1t best to
mention them. He was careful speak OF them
then as merely rumors and to disavow any personal
knowledge as to their truth or falsity.
There were reasons sufficiently obvious for believ-
Ing that the reports, as he gave them, were incorrect
among which Is the improbabity Of the transactions
being conducted with 30 little secrecy as would APP
pear from these rumors to nave been the case. The
drafts on the Treasury alleged to have been issued
allow she whole affair to be disclosed on the most
cursory examination. II would be difficult also to
SPINNER and MI sy ns M hanSc % sne
to organize o gigantic fraud upon our own govern.
ment and that Of Russia.
The whole story probably grew out Of the fact that
remittance OF million pounds sterling 1885, OO0, 0OO)
was made from London to St Petersburg some time
sS9 Ssas vas moi ns
money 1t Is not strange that some seeker after know
ledge should be curious to know what had become Of
whose long practice at Investigations into everything
movable has qualified them to answer any question
not be allowed to go about asking in vain Tor
response. The temptation to make sensational
story full Of attractive scandal was too great, and
the ingenuity required was really very little II was
only necessary to think OF somebody who would be
willing to accept handsome sum or money, II
offered without returning an equivalent and persons
Of that character, We suppose, are more rare In
Washington than elsewhere As soon as one name
was mentioned in connection with the AFFAIR Others
story rapidly assumed Its present definite and COM
plete proportions. We do not mean to attribute to
our correspondent any share in inventlng these
reports. He probably heard them, as others did
and when they had assumed form and substance
and become general subject or conversation in the
city he transmitted them to us, other correspond
ents had previously done to the papers they repre-
sent.
The House OF Representatives have, It seems, so
far acted upon the Ecenio Posts suggestion as to
adopt resolution, on motion Of Fernando Wood,
for committee OF investigation on these statements
which appeared In our columns. This Is not the
first time that the Spy has figured In Congressional
proceedings, and on the last occasion OF the kind
il was shown on explanation to have rendered tna
country substantial service. We have no fears
that we shall not emerge from the present investi
The New YORK Times Of yesterday has an article
on the subject In which, after designating Mr. Bald
win as the writer OF the letter in question II pro-
ceeds to make some statements which, II true as
they probably are since the writer speaks as II he
mad personal knowledge OF the factS, put an entirely
different face upon the matter by removing the fou-
dation Of all the sensational rumors which have been
In circulation in reference 10 the Alaska money.
The Times says that the S5,oC0,010 remittance to
st. Petersburg had nothing to do with the Alaska
purchase, but related TO recent Russian railway
$4,000 900 advanced by the Barngs to the Rus
sian government last spring. on the faith OF the
Alaska negotiation, when IL was supposed that the ap
preparation might not be voted IN Congress until the
present session; and that early In August the war
rant or the Treasury for the whole sum OF 900
was drawn to Baron Stoeckl, the Russian Minister at
Washington, on the New York Sub-Treasury and
the whole amount paid over IN gold his order to
). 9. and y. Z. Ward, the New York agents OF the
Earrings.
This statement by proving the incorrectness OF
the starting point OF the obnoxious runors Will we
presume, be fatal TO the whole story and the Con-
gressiona investigation will probably elicit nothing
to sustain the anonymous charges against journalists
or members OF Congress. AT any rate, 1t Will not be
likely to obtain any valuable Information on the sub
ect from Mr.. Baldwin, who, 1t Is unnecessary to say
TO readers, did not write the letter in question,
and IL less In the way or knowing about jobs OF the
kind supposed than Mr.. Wood himself, whose virtu-
Gus indignation at the bare suggestion that any
member OF Congress could be thought liable TO be
Influenced by pecuniary considerations Is very graft
Tying II genuine
Has the Money Gone Ont OF the C0unirye
From the Hartford Times, Dec To-
As to the purchase money for Alaska "a pretty dear
whistle at any price, that has long since been all
paid over. Early last August the warrant of the
treasury FOR the whole sum OF ST. 200 900 drawn
to Baron Stoekl the Russian Minister at Washing
amount paid over, in gold, his order, to Messrs.
;. g. Il G.. Z. Ward, the New York agents OF the Bar
ings IL IL has been taken out OF the country (and
do not know that Ii has) IL must have been done
against the nrst intention or the Russian govern
ment, which was as we have reason for believing,
Ia hermit the eyueudtturp the whole amount I'M