New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-10-01
WORTHLESSNESS OF YERKES'S STATEMENT.
ITS EMISSIONS AND ADMISSIONS WHAT THE
LEADING GRANT PAPER OF TIE STATE
THINKS ABOUT IT.

LEADING GRANT PAPER OF TIE STATE
THINKS ABOUT IT.
The following article from The Philadelphia
Press be the most clear and connected state
ment Of the last desperate move of the corrupt Grant
Cameron Ring in Pennsylvania 10 shows conclusiyely
that Yerkes's the ufment of a bargain,
and clearly sets forth the evasion and incomplete char
acter of the whole transaction
If an angel had come down from Heaven on purpose
to testify in favor OF Gen. Hartranft, his adheren
could not be more elated than they were Saturday
over Mr. YeTbess statement. Yet Mr.. Yerkes is not
really angel, and he did not come from Heaven, but
from the penitentlary. UnquestiOnably, however he
permitted TO come thence for the express purpose
Si vi Dea OF wU hat a e a
doning OF this man and the giving out OF
ward was ie'1 WeIe the fament OF distinct
bargain. No one acquainted with al the facts and
doubts the existence OF such bargain Indeed there 10
evidence the nature of which We are not at liberty now
to explain, showing that All agreement Of this kind be-
tween the Ring and their tool and scapegoat Yerbes
partly concluded some two months but owing
certain difficulty then fell through. Now it has sue
ceeded, and. consequence the yiruOus champions Of
Mr. Hartrantt rejoice IN new Witness whom they seem
TO value highly, and, TO judge by their eation APP
parently imagine that eredulous public Will believe
implicitly.
TAoCF IIIAT HIS STATEMENT WAS THE PRICE OF HIS
FREEDOM
1t WIN be noticed that MI. Yerkes's statement bears
internal evidence OF having been prepared long before
wrong construction be placed my motives. that this
acton my part is without consultation with, or
promise from, Gng one; rthou any inducements he'd
ont 10 me, and without fear favor" he would not
have used the words We have italicized If he had been
writing after the promised pardon had been given him.
after the "induoement5" had been fulfilled and the
favor granted, through the ara and influence % ms
powerful partners at Harrisburg. lie would have
simply said supposng, OF course, the same DISREGARD
for the truthtat his pardon had been granted without
condition, leaving him free TO tell LIS story; that
though under obligation TO Gen. Harranft for his
releases, he had never harDored any luminosity toward
that official and Mackey for making him their victim
and scapegoat at the tine OF the exposure winch led to
the conviction OF himself and Marcer aud therefore me-
felt 1t TO be the square thing To come forward now az lis
first opportunity and do all IN his power TO save them
from the impendlng judgment OF the people. snoh
preface Of his statement would al least not have shown
that IL written in his cell beforehand. or
by somebody for him, In prepayment Tor pafd0n
Furthermore the statement Is an elaborate document
covering letters, and certlucates and subsatements
from other parties Inc preparation OF II must nave ne
gun at least two weeks ago. Indeed OF the letters
Included IL is Gated Sept l9 Yet before Yerkes had
Harranfrs private attorney, who was chiefly instrg-
mental IN procuring the PARDON grove III ,H
his Honor Mayor sOhey Done OF the Newspaper oHcts
where he produced this elaborate and complex docu
ment, with the signature OF feIkes duy aIpende9
Does any need any further evidence That II was All
WHAT ms DENIAL is WORTH
But as to the statement itself II rather ngeniously
prepared and though full Of misstatements J. fuller OF
clever evasons. Mr.. Yerkes denies that the signatures
Gates OF certain bank officers TO the effect. Never
originals OF the andayits-in fact that nc actually die
tated them-havng specific purpose TO serve IA max
lug and depOsung them with an acquaintance before his
conviction, 20 DO used IN possible contingency; and
IL Is equally certain that he started in a car
aud swear 10 then ana GttIMId Drought theI 10 sIu
acquaintance with the Signature of himself and Alder
man Dougherty appended, aud acknowledged them TO
be his own With view TO future denial II II should he
found necessary, lie may have cTafy varied his sigma
conhdentiai broker and depostary of least three
State Treasers, according 70 his own statement and s
assertions cannot otherwise be reeOnclled with
such undeniable facts as the testimony OF Alderman
DOugherty that he knows Yerkes and remembers tad
ministering the oath 10 him in these We never
heard of these sihdayits III some three mouths ago,
long while after we had been convinced by album
dance OF other evidence that Gen Hartranft too in
eEnOr However " e have never doubted for a moment
their authenticity since being informed of the facts con-
cernpg them and above allwhch is the really import
ant materhave corroboratye evidence as to the nam
facts which they affirm.
These main facts, TO which the afidavits testify let II
be especially noted, Mr. Yerkes does not now deny He
Of having kept accounts with Mackey and Hartranft
in cabaisc manner, and produces letter from John
S. Hopkins Mr.. Ierkes's boOkReeper-the same man
who did not know anything nor remember anything al
all TO the prejudice Of the Ring, when examined by an
investigating committee last spring-saying that they
not kept in mysterious manner, but under
clear letterhesding II is said that MI feIkes kept
maniiesty he kept them IN too mysterious manner Tor
the comprehension OF the very innocent OF else very
Mr. Yerkes takes all this pains to dsprove point OF no
particular importance and denies ge9eIay Una. mart ne
crafty eyades the naia charges For instance about
of the most rascaly transactions yet brought out
against the Treasury officials, and one which
is incidentally corrObOrated by tbs testimony
OF Mr.. Edwin NJ. Lewis before the Evans
committee, he is significantly silent Again he says
guardedy mr. Mackey never gave me an order to buy
any stock his any other account " but makes no
such denial regarding Harranft This equivalent 10
admitting that Harranf given him such orders,
indeed his books of accounts and the ditOrGencTas
published letters fully establish IL Is nsxim OF the
law eTDreSsO ts eIc!s0 dlterfus 'Hartranft not
Mackey the candidate who Is tral before the
pie, but TO the aters part of the stockjobbng opera
tons II has out through other sources that 1erBes
had sort Of carte blanche from him, and bought and
sold for him without particular orders.
WORTHLEssGEss or THE TESTIMONY.
The general denial that Hartranft party to
speculaons with the State moneys Is 70 be discredtod
because made fuhllment OF n bargain, and virtually
under duress, since there other indictments still