The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-26

ratner SLOW. Inc colonel informed me That AFTER
christmas ne would be ready to put things through
In lively manner and wished me 60 be on hand for
business the first OF the holiday week. called on
account or sickness, did but little in the matter.
After New Year ne began TO recover, when again
operations 9esoesI saw ms sm oc 5e
In the Ere Building. lie said he wanted
me to Keep the HERALD from saying anything
against the road or the officials, put 10 get IN all the
ARTICLES possible In their favor. The plan he laid
out was somewhat as Iollows:In the tirst place he
down as much as possible. He believed that ny
having the IDEA Kept before the puolic that they
the Deneht u the American stocKnolders, II would
be OF great service to them He also wanted
articles written pralsing the condition , ana
attention to the fact as ne expressed
1t, tnat the company had spent vast sums on the
they had also bunt large aud expensive ferrvDOats,
ana In other ways expended vast sums for the pur-
pose Of bene6ying the travelling pubic. He also
inlorned me that they also intended getting up a
large number OF public meetings along the line OF
the road, 70 make appear tnat the people through
whose section oil country the Erie passed were
greatly pleased with It's managementand desired
the continuance IN offlce OF us present managers
These meetings he desired to written up fully
as possible. This, IN substance was his scheme so
Tar as this city was concerned. Albany they wanted
presume ne meant the Erie a Ring, desired me to
see the Albany correspondents of The HERALD, and
endeavor TO buy them up, SO that they would over-
LOOK" as they termed IT, the bills or reports favora-
bic To their interests, and write much as possible
IN their favor. l. OF course, promised to DO what
could Tor him. He c0mpalned somewhat OF my not
having procured the insertion or anything to help
them lately. He Said things were getting rather
warm AT Albany. and desired me to get Ill an article
lavorng their side vi the question as strongly as
possible. This latter saw al once should have
to DO In order to keep the confidence or the Ring.
the city editor with all the elOquence could COM
mand, beng careful, however, not TO arouse his
Insertion OF an article IN tue interest OF NV clients
! succeeded III impressing him with the idea that
the Erie people were not so bad az they were
SAID about them at Albany and elsewhere.
Finally. obtained his consent to write a
half column on the subject OF Erie, which appeared
In the HERALD on the 6;h of January last, the day
upon which Colonel Fisk was shot. The article was
headed .ihe Erie WARTIME Strategic Position OF
the Erie Onicials-Actlon OF American Stock
holders The article set forth that the Erie officials
were 'ubilant." Tor the reason that Mr.. Gould had
Just declared dividend on his annual report, be-
cause they were ''ail right" at Albany and because
further the people along the line OF the
and would do all in their power to perpe uate 1t.
The resolutions oil the American stockholders were
but partially 10 favor Of the Ere Ring but they We're
tackled on TO the article to divert suspicion from
real object.
JAY GOULD TAKES COMMAND OF THE OPERATIONS
THE sPY'S GRAFTON OVER THE DEAD PRINCE OF
The curtain now falls on the acts OF Mr.. Fisk In
the Ere drama mad seen Su MIN upon the subject
had completed his career upon earth, and
James Jam, Fisk, IT., would be seen IN the
wee PfesdenpD cnair AZ the Erie ONCE M
gy Tic' upon the virtues Of the deceased. -
had seen much OF HIM, and, while had discovered
schemers that PROBABLY ever existed, l had als'
found him man OF KIND heart and o most cneerlu
companion. but his death put temporary stol
to the carrying out Of my scheme to discover some
OF the vilanles OF the Erie Ring, ana therefore
Old nothing further for nearly two weeks alter n
one morning concluded to visit the Erie Offices
0stensiby 10 ascertain whether there were any
items regarding the future action q the direct
be picked up: Accordingly ! paid my
respects to Mr.. Flsk's late private secretary, pre-
tiuns would be renewed. Nor was diappolnted, as
the sequel Will show. After cOnverslng with him
few moments, remarked that II Mr.. Gould were
some matters which he would like TO communicate
to the press. Possibly he would like TO renew the
old negotiations. The ex-secretary returned with
the remark that Mr.. Gould was busy for q few mo-
ments but he suggested that see MI Archer, the
place Of the late Mr.. Fisk. rhe ex-secre-
tary had few minutes private conversation
wnh Mr.. Archer, when he brought him 10 where
stood and introduced me, remarking that Mr..
Archer would be glad to carry out the ideas Of the
late MT. FISK. Mr.. Archer then insisted upon my
seeing Mir. Gould, being apparently greatly pleased
late az NJ Eppf F.s IN mcent NM Afcner, Mr. Mr.
Goud ana myself had our heads close together II
conversation. Mr.. Gould informed me That Mr.
Fisk had conversed with MIN regarding the "busi
ness'' / was dong Tor him anu that he had ap
! proved OF 1t. He was very anxious tina
the articles particularly the ednorials-or whlc
| Mr.. FISK had negotiated should be secured. lie
! thought they would be OF immense benefit TO them
| He would have me some ''polnts''@prcpared, and i
would call on Wednesday ut was then Monday
the ARTICLES desired would be more lully discussed.
| ERIE WRITES ''HERALD EDITORIAL"
| Happy In the knowledge that my scheme was
again promisnSy 1nder way entered the once
light heart MY frequent ana apparently welcome
visits mai secured me the enree Of the ONCE without
the formality OF sending In my card, 80 walked
In unannOunCed, and seeing q smile and
good morning. IRON Mr.. Could sat down to avail
hands cordially. and announced that Mr.. Lane
would prepare SAID ARTICLES for me- which would he
ready on the following morning. Mi. Lane now
oined us. found him a courteous and social man
In few minutes ne became CONFIDENTIAL He was
quite certain that Mchenry & Co. were pack OF
the purpose OF furtherlng their own schemes tC
make money. He assured me that the classification
law was necessity; tnas n ex,Sed IN Eng
further produced a pamphlet containing copies OF
the laws. He was sure he mad the whole subject al
his finger ends. Mr.. Gould suggested that ne trs
prepare an editorial giving the history OF classi
1cation laws. Mr.. Lane amended Mr.. Gouli's mo-
tlon by adding that such an article would do pro
ylded a little pun Tor themselves could be tackled
on the end Of IL. The amendment was accepted by
MIR. Gould, who thought that they could then go on
with other articles denouncng the attempt tC
repeal The Classification ACT and sgmatiZine
the proposed law allowing the Attorney General
pleasure as an outrage. rhe interview ended with
an assurance IRON Mr.. Lane tnat the first article
would be ready Tor me at Twelve O'CLOCK on the fOl
lowing day, ct which hour Was to call for II.
+. A. LANE ASSUMES AN IMPORTANT COMMAND.
was there on time and so were Messrs Lane and
Gould. now began to look upon tle former as the
party with whom was to do my business, for HI
seemed to have been constituted committee u
bribe the press probably because as he afterwards
told me, "he mad been thirty years IN the business
and understood 1t perfectly" Mr.. Lane backed me
up in one Of the large easy chairs belonging
to the offices In O corner at the end OF MI GOuld
desk rhen ne put himself in another directly II
front OF me. HIS next move was TO produce M
editorial headed the "Direct0rs' classification Act,
which he desired me 10 read. 1t was well writer
article embracing extracts favorable to their cause
OF all the classification acts that were passed
and ended with the assertion that after ALL the Er
Classification act not new thing, aud raised
question as TO the practlcabllity OF repeating 1t a
| all. I complimeuted Mr.. Lane on MS edltorla
| effort and put the article In my pocket
to have 1t inserted at the first favorable opportu
| nifty. or course knew that the HERALD woult
never permit such article to appear Its edltO
rial page; but Mr.. Lane did not, so he was easily
deceived.
HOW THE SPY BEGUILED FIELD-MARsHAL LANE.
At this stage OF M narrative 1t Is necessary q
state that l was then foollng Lane very nicely
| This Is how did II. On my FIRST interview with
NATL mad nf