Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-06-24
EfttleHeIu.

The New York World publishes a tele-
gram from live responsible citizens of
Florida, and letter from al able lawyer
of that State warning the capitalists against
purchasing the Florida State bonds which
have just been issued for railroad pur-
poses. The letter states the amount Of
these bonds, exposes their fraudulent
character and narrates the methods by
which this corrupt swindIe was perpetra-
ted.
Littlefeld, or LittIefeId, the ineyi-
cable Littletield-the most magnificent and
accomplished rascal that Southern recon
struction has nurtured, is the President
of the Company for the benefit of which
the bonds have been issued. viz: The
Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Rail-
road Company. The Governor of Florida
has issued within the last few days about
four millions Of dollars of bonds in favor
of this Company.
The Worlds correspondent thus refers
to the well-grounded suspicion that their
issue was the result of corrupt executive
and legislative action:
letter from George W. Swepson, of North
Carolina, confederate of Littletield, sent by
Littlefed's hands to Governor Reed, has come
to light, from which the following are extracts:
VI regret my inability to go in your city during
the extra session of the Legislature. General
LIttleiield has the bills. &C., and VIII fully ex-
plain everything to you. You Will re
member when in New York our agreement wGe
tins: You were to call the Legislature together
and uee your int0ence to have bills passed
as drawn by US, and if you were successful in
this you were to be paid SIC, 500 in cash, &c.'
The Legislature was accordingly convened in
extra session only about three months after it's
regular session, and did not pass the railroad
bills required OF them. But the ma ority not then
being thoroughly corrupted, clause Was insert
ed IN the act authorizing the issue of the bonds
after severe struggle, requiring the railroad
company to give to the State mortgage security
for its protection. This clause though nOtOri-
ously adopted by both branches of the Legisla-
tUre, was found to have mysteriously disappear
cd from the set as signed by the Governor among
the rolls OF the Secretary of State A bill in chan
Gerry was thereupon filed to enjOin the issue Of the
bonds, on the ground that the act authorizing
their issue had been fraUdulcntly changed by Lit
tletteld and his associates, or by their procure
ment. and for their benefit. The Injunction was
granted by the court, and no motion ever made
by the parties to have it dissolved At tho next
| session Of the Legislature, held in January last
the operations of the rail ring, thus arrested by
the court, were renewed at the capital And q
bill was actually prepared by these shameless
parties, introduced and passed, whereby validity
was given to the law pronounced void by the
court for fraudulent alteration of it, 1ojL dusbOrt
cation for the issue Of bonds in immensely aug
mented quantities. 1t is not necessary to say by
what methods this was brought about. The bill
on It's passage was characterized well and aptly
by Mr.. walker, q Republican member, az " a bill
to legallze fraud and pay premium to rascality."
Littletield, with his family, passed.
through our city en- route North, and re-
NAMED over Sunday. We suppose his