The Placer herald., 1872-09-28
CONGRESSIONAL BRIBERY.
Infamous History of the Credit
WObi!ier.
How the Union Pacific Railroad was Robbed
and Who shared the thunder.

How the Union Pacific Railroad was Robbed
and Who shared the tlunder.
The New York Sun, of the 4h inst. pub
fishes all the testimony in the case of Henry
). McComb VS.. the Credit Mohiler of
America, Sidney Dillon, John b. Alley,
Rowland G.. Hazard, Charles NJ. Griskev
Oliver w. Barnes, Thomas Rowland, Paul
Rohl, Jr., Oakes Ames, Charles Nelson
Thomas G. Dur,nt, James NJ. S. Wilson,
Benedict Stewart, John Duff and Ch,rles
NJ. Hall, on trial at Philadelphia. The bur
den of Of this evidence goes to prove that
many of the most important Republican
members of Congress were engaged in
fraud Of the most gigantic proportions, and
that Henry Wilson, Schuyler Colfax, George
5. Boutwell,, John A. Bingham, James A.
Garfield, the Pat,ersons, Elliott of Massa-
chusetts, George NJ Brooks, Henry l..
! Dawes and James G. Blaine received from
1000 to 3 900 shares each for forwarding
The schemes Of the organization known as
the Credit Mobier of America. The Sun
says:
GA half a dozen men, by buying up a
| Pennsy lvana Fiscal Agency and changing
It's nlne to the Credit Mobilier of America,
sot control of the Union Pacific Railroad,
md IN ,de millions of dollars in building
and equipping it. They still control it, ard,
Us Mr. McComb says below, the stockhold-
eos outside the Credit Mobilier of America
have not and never will receive a cent of
| dividend The history Of the suit, which
Ia the means of giving this exposure to the
public, is somewhat curious. 1t seems that
Henry S. McComh, who filed bill in equity
in the Supreme Court of PENNSYLVANIA
against the Credit Mobilier, was one of the
original corporators of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company, as well as one of the
few who got into the inside ring. He was
IN active manipulation of both the railroad
company and the credit mobiier, and, as
will be seen by his testimony, he made piles
of money out of both. But some of his good
friends, it seems, were not willing that he
should have all that rightfuIly belonged TO
him He had subscribed for $50 shares
$3.50 eco worth-of the stock of the Credit
Mobiier of America for one ii. G.. Faut
then Of Richmond, Virginia, nov of Wash
ington, d. 9. He gave his draft on Faul
to the Treasurer Of the company in payment
of this stock; but Faut flrd TO honor the
said draft, and thus threw the load on Me
Comb. Mr.. McComb knew there was
, big thing in it, and he had the cash to
%yare, so he agreed to take Faut's stock
But there was some difficulty ut the time
bout an imperfect power Of attorney from
Faut, and when that was corrected the pres
,dent was out West and there was no GER
cifcate signed. Before the president re-
turned he had been deposed by another fac
on, headed by Ames, and the stock had
become so valuable that they determined
to cheat McComb out of his stock IL
demanded it time and again, but the Ames
faction would not let him have it. lie then
threatened to bring suit. This made them
tremble and promise fair, but never brought
hem to terms. They explained TO him thai
it had been necessary to use all of his 25O
shar. 8, and great deal more, to keep GER
tain members of Congress right, and told
him that be had been benefited thereby and
ought to bear lis proportion of the loss.
This explanation seems only to have Increased
McComb's determin ltion to force them to
,ettle with him. He had adrotly drawn
two letters and several verbal statements from
Oakes Ames, explaining how he had dis
tributed the stock among the prominent
members of Congress, and he determined to
use this information to bring Ames and his
faction, who are still controlling the com
pny, to terms. Accordingly, in 1869, he
lied his bill in equity in the SHpreme Coul
Of Pennsylvania. After great deal OF
manouvering, the counsel fer McComb APP
oiled for IN examiner to take testimony III
The case. A Wilson Norris, Of Philadelphia
was appointed, and the testimony of Me
Comb has thus far been taken"
McComb, after giving an immense volume
of testimony concerning the conception and
nef,rious prosecution of the scheme, comes
Town o the point by producing the follow
ng letter from Oakes Ames;
WASHINGTON, January 30, 1868.
II. S. McCoMB-DEAR SIR:--lours OF
he 2Srh it at hand inclosing copy of letter
rom or rather to Mr.. King. | don't feai
nv investigation here. What some OF Du-
rants friends may do in New York can't be
be counted on with any certainty. You do
not understand by yonr letter what | have
done and am to do with my sales of stock.
You say more to New York. have placed
some with New York, Or have agreed to.
You must remember that it was all placed
rs YOU saw on the list in New York, and
there was b,t 6 or 8 NJ for me to place. !
could not give all they wanted or might
want out of that You would not want me
10 offer less than 900 (M) to any one. We
allowed Durant to place some $4,000 to
some three or four of his friends or keep il
10 himself. hare used this caere Il miH
produce most good 10 as, Ihinh In view
Of Kings letter aud Washburn's move here,
| 90 in tor making one bond dividend in full.
Ne can do it with perfect safety under
staod that the opposition to it comes from
Alau lie il on the Einauce Committee,