Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-02
The Rrench Arms Ring.

The French Arms Ring.
The sale of arms question, which the senate
has allowed itself to debate in quarrelsone
way, for about three weeks, can not be clearly
understood until one knows what it signifies as
French question. 1t has been raised by
French ring of swindlers,-meaning by swim
oilers a company of men headed by NJ. Place, the
French consul at New York, who combined to
cheat the French government. The French Off
cials had made Mr. Remington their agent, and
sought to do all their business through him;
but NJ. Place, through a ring which he organ
lied in New York, interfered coverty, bid against
those with whom Remington is supposed to haye
dealt, and obtained large quantities of arms
which were sold TO the French government at
high prices French official documents show
that Remington did not attempt to deraud his
employers. The cheating was done by NJ. Place
and his ring, who appear to have had faithful
representative at Washington, near the French
legation. This connection with the French le-
cation is shown in this way: The French gov
eminent found that its communications with
Remington, through its consulate at New York
were tampered with, and therefore sent them in
cipher through the legation at Washington; but
ii soon appeared that SOMEBODY so near the lega-
ton as TO be able TO get possession of its secrets
sent copies of the dispatches to the rascally New
York consul. VINO did this? Probably NJ.
Chambrun can tell If he can not, he will do
well to find out.
Finally, when it became possible to give due
attention to such matters NJ. Place was called
h1n3 and put on trial for his misconduct
Most of us remember, what an outcry was
raise1 in his favor, by interested parties in this
country, and how extensively the newspapers
and telegraph wires were used to circulate as
ssrti0ns Of his innocence. A letter of his "act-
ing' successor, together with unstinted and
from his assistant "ring," succeeded to make
the first legal proceedings against hin inefect-
i've. Then followed complete investigation of
the whole matter. The villany of NJ. Place was
fully exposed, and the convicted felon is now
undergoing deserved punishment 1t is certain
" remarkable that this discredted letter of NJ.
Places acting successor and eager friend, has
lately been reproduced at Washington and in
some of the journals as something new and i'm.
portant. Its character and purpose had been
so fully exposed in the French courts, that no
NV
use it as evidence for any purpose would be like
using letter of some "dear friend" of Tweed to
establish the innocence of Tweeu's Tammany
ring.
This letter was directed against Mr.. .Reming-
ton. The whole aim of NJ. Places ring has
been to save him by making it appear that Rem
ingtou was the swindler We have neither in.
terest nor disposition to defend any of the parties
TO this quarrel; therefore, we will only record
the fact that Mr.. Remington has been fully
indicated by the French government, after
very thorough aud complete investigation of all
the representations made against him; and that
the proof of NJ. Places rascality has appeared TO
be so abundant and conclusive as to overwhelm
all efforts of his "ring" to save him. But the
agents and friends of this ring have not discon-
tinued their activity. Their latest attempt in
his behalf led TO the "sale of arms' debate
in the senate. They have insinuated that
the cheating must have been done by
somebody connected with our war depart
ment, and sought TO have this insinuation made
important by an Investigation. They have not
expected 10 prove anything; but it might aid
the convicted swindler, NJ Place, if the French
government could be brought to entertain
suspicion OF the fraud insinuated by their I'M.
scrupulous sympathy with the villanies of the
ring. 1t is noteworthy, that the person most
active in this matter, is NJ. Chambrun, still an
dttdcte of the French legation Whether he
Is moved by pers onal interest in NJ. Place, or
merely used by others more inscriptions, we
can not say. But he has busted himself in the
matter, at the war department and among the
senators; and he is chiefly responsible for the
introduction of the matter into the senate.
In another place, we copy from the Independ-
ent short article on the subject, which states
some of the facts precisely as careful inquiry
has shown them to us. Our suspicion of what
NJ. Chambrun may know of the treacherous
treatment of cipher dispatches from his govern
ment, appears to be a suspicion of the Iudepend-
ent also; but it has not been proved that Cham
Drum was an accomplice of NJ. Place; all that
can be said is that he has lately been very ac-
tive in attempting to find something that might
ad the convicted consul. 1t is surprising thai
he has been able 10 influence the Judgment of
any senator; but this may be explained by SUD-
posing oneOr two senators to be not remarkably
- JN-o'i7 ihiN"' Voo Houeot themselves
to detect smooth rogues readily, habitually
very civil to persons connected with the
foreign Legations, and not disnclined TO make a
point against the administration. Chambrun
appears to have worked diligently for some time
before he succeeded in moving anybody. The
secretary of war would have investigated the
matter, if this Ffenchman could have made or
even suggested specific charges against any
BODY; but he could not do this. He ad no ma
teriai for such charges, and was merely hunting
ior something that might aid his purpose. He
nnally succeeded in moving certain senators;
but this part of his hunt will do no more than
any other part of it to help his rascally friend.
M. Place. For the rest, it is not likely to do
much credit to anybody connected with it.