The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-09
Complete Smash-up Of the
Georgia Ring.
Arrest Of Foster Blodgett and
the Attorney General.
\ MAGIEARY CAR COMPANY.
How Blodgett Worked the Warrington Chroni-
Gle at Georgia's Expense Hardware for Fam
lily Use-An Exciting Scene in Court
Southern Blood at Fever Hsat-Pis-
tolls Drawn and Hard knocks Civ
on-Will There be q Duoli
ATLANTA. Sent. 81, 1871.

ATLANTA, Sept 81, 1871.
PROSECUTING THE PROSECUTORS.
on Saturday morning last the State OF Georgia. for
the first time, actively engaged IN prosecuting
frauds But funniy enough, the very drst man that
the regularly constituted authorities arrested was
MAJOR McCalla, the late bo0kkeeper OF the road.
through whose fundamentally all the previous ar.
rests were made. The belief is general that this &C
ton on the part OF the State ocers Is for the pur
pose OF crushing McCna AMI preventing further ex.
posures by him. But be that as II may, he Is
charged with having received money due the road
and not credlting the amounts on the hooks. Attic
outset Of the examination, however, McCalas coun.
eel have checknated the prosecution The amount
Is quite small, 50 far as can learn; but McCalla at
once acknowledged having received II. He states
that soon after the railroad turned over to the
company which hao leased II a check was drawn on
Isaac p. Harris, the treasurer, and that II was
returned unpaid with the Information that there
were no funds In the Treasury. AS Harris was
known to have q balance OF $4,000 at the time OF
the transfer tho non-payment OF the check was
thought 10 be singular piece OF business Blodgett,
McCalla alleges, instructed him not to pay over any
money to Harris, but to deposit all he received
In some bank, In his own name, which he did. In
proof or his assertion he further states that he paid
Blodge,t and Attorney General Farrow money out Of
amoun paid them. By advice OF his counsel he
would not pay over the balance to the Treasurer or
Superintendent OF the road; but he declares him.
selI ready to give check for the total amount TO
any person designated by the Legislature. This
confession OF having received the money ana OF
holding it for the state destroys the charge OF swim
ding, because it IL necessary TO prove that he ap
proprated 1t TO his private use before swinde can
FALsIFYING RECORDS.
Another charge against McCalla is that Of his
falsiiying his books. This has broaght about am
other remarkable exposure. The defonce assert
that last OCTOBER Governor Bullock inttmafed de-
sire that report OF tho financial condition OF the
road be prepared Tor publication, In compliance
with the law. Blodgett accordingly instructed NC
Gala to prepare balance sheet ne set 70 work on
mace the road debtor To Harris. the Treasurer, IN
the sum OF $l5i,Ooo McCalla TOOK the document to
Bodgett and Bullock, and explained that II was I'M
possible Harris to be 80 largely CREDITOR as the
monthly returns showed that he mad balance OF
saw that the figures looked bad. and that their pub
iicaton would excite inquiry, ana they finally de-
was pu1i,shed the law violated, and the afialr
kent secret. Some time after Harris called on Mo
Gala who had MED swy me r c" n mall IN
Si54 900 with '.pls PAYABLE" McCalla rephed that
he could aud would, lne vouchers we've given him
These Harris could not give. whereupon McCalla
positively refused to comply with his request Sub
seq,ently Harris called upon nm AGAIN aud asked
McCal,a gave it to MIN and has seen 1t since.
whether ne made errors in 1t, or whether, being
written In pencil it mas been tamDered with, has
NV WV. - PUBLIC OPINION.
There are very few persons mere VINO believe NC
Gaia nuiity OF the charges brought against MN. and
il IS scarcely rational u believe HIM DINER tnan IN
nocent. hehas been the sole agent N the EXPOSURES
ALREADY made and upon MS afldavts all the parties
Implicated have been arrested. It Is not
reasonable to imagine that he had been
been 40 active and energetic IN the prosecution
OF the other swindiers. True enough, rogues
doupt if h,s is the case In this instance Previous
to the TRANSFER or The railroad McCalia mad been IN
time enough TO engage largely IN stealing. BESIDES
II has only been since January last that he has had
the handling OF the money.
STATE OFFICIALS FRIGHTENED.
There are now two sets OF public prosecutors
Bob ToomDs. together win other lawyers OF repu.
tatlon, representing what may term the popular
side. Governor Bullock, who has oeen absent from
the State Tor nine weeks has appointed Ben Hill
Tarrow, TO represent the state. The arrest OF NC.
Calls indicates That o bitter personal ngnt is on
Gals arc scared nearly Death and desire to put
st0p to the exposures. because II The investigations
arc continued the entire government OF Georgia Will
SHORTY be under bonds TO answer charges OF swim
ding 1t Is alleged that Bullock anu Blodgett anl
even the Attorney General himself are implicated
VI lew days or weeks. -
UNRAvELLiNa A cHArN OF swINpLEs.
Heaven only knows what the extent or the
swindles are. They seem to form cham OF great
length, which Is coming to view link by lax. NJ
s,"n gives clue to another What was originally
supposed to be only lew thousands has swelled "a
haf million, sand the CRY Is, still they come
Is It any wonder we read OF the Ku Klux Klans and
| their oepredati0ns when to pay the taxes saddled
on the people 10y these swinues planters are com
PEELED to pay two or three per cent per mouth iOT
borrowed moneyY
| General Tconsb- In Atianfn-T,is views--Ar.
rest Of Foster Eisdsei;-Payinz for Car.
| Never Furnishee-A Bogus Corporation
| Manipulating Foraey's Papcrs-Hardware
| fur Family Use-che Examinations.
ATLANTA Sept. 2s, 1871.
The excitement over the exposures OF the swndles
pcrpetrated upon the people of Georgia has, after
brief luli, broken out again, and with greater VIC
cnce than ever. Last week Bob Toombs arrived In
Atlanta and had several long interviews with the
gentlemen engaged IN the prosecution at the head
OF which he now formally stands. He returned to
Washington tGeorgial saturday last, but Is daily
expected back.
BOB TONES DESIRE.
on announcing tnat he would take part In the In.
vesusations and in prosecuting the thieves General
Toonbs declared that he intended to act free,
gratis, for nothing" his motive being to aid Ia
resculng the state from the hands OF dishonest men,
lie Is also sad 70 have expressed desire that every
precauton he taken TO keep the prosecution free
from politics, ana was especially anxious nat
nothing be done likely TO giveiE q partisan appear.
ance.
ARREST or FOSTER BLoDGRTT.
Yesterday evening the great event, long looked
for, whispered about and expected, took place.
Foster Bodgott superintendent OF the Western and
Atlantic Railroad AMI claimant OF seat In the
United states Senate, was arrested on charge OF
.cbeating and swindIlngh the road. The announce
ment that he had actually been arrested created
much excitement when II was made known TINS
morning Mr. Blodgett was az his residence wnen
the warrant was served upon him. and was per-
mitted, on his own recognzance, TO remain there
until this morning, when the preliminary eaami
nation Of his case began
PAYING FOR CARS NEVER FURNISHED
There arc three counts In the charge against
Bodgett. me FIRST Is mat 'tnc said Foster Blodgct
IN SAID county, ON the - days OF September
October, November and December, 1870, did
az SUPERINTENDENT OF the Western and Atlantic