Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-19
TI8E ALASKA PURCHASE AND
BRIBERY,

COiuc SSHOIdi.
TI2E ALASKA PURCHASE AND
BRIBERY.
The Worcester Mass.) Spy,
whose editor is Republican mem
Der of Congress, stated some time
since that 50, 200, 600 of the Alaska
purchase money went into the
pockets of the lobby and certain
Radical newspaper editors as
bribery to secure the passage by
Congress of the bill making the
appropriation to pay for Alaska.
The Spy went so far as to designate
parties to whom the money had
been paid. These revelations Gre
ated no little scandal, and after re-
peated demands from the press OF
the country, Congress ordered an
investigation of the matter. The
committee charged with the inyesti-
CATION, examined Mr.. F. E. Spinner,
the United States Treasurer, on the
18th inst. He testified that the
whole amount of the s7,2OO,0OO
paid for the new territory was
drawn from the Treasury in gold
drafts, payable to the order OF b.
Riggs, the banker, one draft being
for 100000 and the other for
| 100000. There was at one time,
he thought, some talk OF taking
the last sum in currency, but
| it was finally drawn out in
gold, and, so far as his books show,
the whole amount of purchase
money went into the hands OF
Riggs. The next witness was Riggs
| himself. He testified that the
money was drawn in two gold
drafts, that $4,000 was paid to
| Robert j. Walker, and the entire
remainder direct to NJ. De Stoeckle,
| the Russian Minister, or on his
order to the New York agents OF
the house of Barring Bros. On the
18th inst. Hon. Robert ]. Walker
was examined. His testimony bore
out substantially previous state
ments that he had received a fee
from the Russian government eX-
ceeding $4,000 for services rem
dered in connection with the Alaska
| treaty as, counsel, which services
were principally directed to setting
forth the advantages ofthe purchase
and the constitutional requirement
on the part of the House to pay fol
Fl the same after the treaty had been
ratified. 1t did appear that Mr.
Walker had paid for the publication
of certain articles on Alaska
, but not to any newspaper cor
) | respondent or reporter in TIM
or any other city. Mr.. Walker
| however, testified that after the ap
, preparation had been made he ad
= vised the Russian Minister to offei
/. Col. Forney three thousand dollars
| / in coin for services rendered in pub
4 | fishing Walkers letters in thu
| Washington Chronicle. Col. Forneey
declined to take it, on the ground
/ that he was an officer Of the Senate
| ! 1t was then rendered to ID & For
A ney, the publisher of the Chronicle
, who, after hesitating, took tn
J.. money. Mr.. Walker further test
: fed that he did not know that any
e money was paid to any other news
e paper men. Mr.. W. W. Warden
$ assistant private secretary to tn
a. President and correspondent OF tn
! Philadelphia Ledger, testified tina
{ he was never offered nor ever re
Q ceived a cent, and krfew OF no ex
G penditures in the premises one wa.
d or the other. 1t thus appears tina
9 although Col. Forney declined t.
r take the money offered him, on tn
q ground that he was an officer OF tn
n Senate, the publisher of one OF hi
|! papers, and who is relative OF his
s actually took the $4,000 in gold TO
services rendered. Let the investl
g CATION be pushed on; it will likel.
o show that other parties are as badl.
I involved in this Alaska swindle a
r the publisher of Forney's Chronicle
J The story is a disgraceful one, ant
{ if it is not true, its falsehood ough
# to be exposed, for the credit to GU
h government; while if it is true, tn
9 persons who have been guilty 0
G such corruption and thieving ough
t to be arrested, and made to disgorg'
V their unlawful gains.