The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-07-06
The Case of Leet.
From the Chicago Tribune.l

Inelo WAS OnCo d UOg WOlAcu III d
telegraph Office in Pittsburgh, and
showed no signs of future greatness.
In 1861, when the Rebellion broke
out, he entered vigorously into the
task of suppressing it. He is still en-
gagged in that high and holy work.
Up to the Inauguration of his beloved
chief as President in 1869, he was un-
known, as far as the general public
was concerned. Since that time he
has emerged from his obscurity.
Shortly after General Grant was
elected, this nice young man cOnyersed
with him about the General Order
business of New York City, and ex-
pressed a strong desire to get it. He
was at this time, and for many moths
thereafter, in Il mess with Generals
Porter and Babcock, both of whom
knew that he hoped to get this par
ticular place. After Grant was inaug
urated, he gave Leet a letter to Grin
nell, whom he had decided to appoint
| Collector of New York, and who
would therefore have the Generator
der business in his gift. The Fidus
Achates was on such intimate terms
with his patron Ulysses that he knew
of the selection of Grinnell before any
one else, and, in fact, was the first to
tell Grinnell himself of it. He then
demanded the General Order business,
claiming that Grants letter was an
order for it. The new Collector Of
fered Achates $4,000 a year to give
up his claim. Achates declined, and
| soon after sold the influence of the
letter to one Lindsay, who gave him
annual pension of s., 900 therefor, and
obtained from Grinnen enough of the
coveted business to amply remunerate
himself. Leet's appetite for loot grew
with what it fed upon. He demanded
the whole business for himself, threat
ening Grinnell with removal if he re-
fused. The rash Collector refused,
and was duly removed, in July, 1870.
Tom Murphy succeeded him. Up to
this time-that is, from April, 1868,
to July, 1870 Grant, Porter and Bah
cock claim to have been in utter ig-
norance of the fact that their friend
had anything whatever to do with
the New York Custom House, not
withstanding his conversations ON the
subject with all three of them, and
his constant companionship with the
two latter. When Murphy gave to
him and to Stocking the whole Gen
eral-Order business on the North Riv-
er, making it, for the first time a
monopoly, Generals Grant, Porter and
Babcock became aware of the fact
that their friend George was in Gov
ernment office. Almost Immediately
after, they became aware, by the bit
ter complaints of New York mer-
chants, backed up by the Secretary OF
the Treasury, that their friend George
was black mailing American com
meree in a very thorough and system
attic manner. TO all this Ulysses
turned a deaf car. A. L. Stewart
complained personally to the Presi-
dent more than once, and said of Leet
that he [Stewart) would not trust hin
: in his store without detective tt
! watch him and prevent his stealing
nything. Since Grant still refused
to interfere with the swindle of hi.
pet, Congress, after bitter struggle
with Grants friends, ordered an in.
, vestigation. The published testimony
before the committee was so damnine
that it was straightway authoritative
ly announced from the military head.
quarters in the White House that
, Leet was to be removed. Variou!
, portentious orders were issued to blint
the public, which finally, however
perceived that Leet and Stocking hat
been violently despoiled of exactly
one tenth of their tributaries, whicl
involved loss of about one fftieth o.
their tribute. This is the sum total o
punishment for over three years OF
gain. The rebellion i'll New York
has been thoroughly suppressed, ant
the rebels, bound hand and foot, de.
liyered over to the tender mercies Of
a grasping, corrupt monopoly. Fidu'
. Achates has now taken Il little yaca-
ton from the cares of plumber, ant
has sailed for the Holy Land. He
will, doubtless, return to new Oppor.
, ,tunities for robbery, unless the Amer.
lean people shall give, also, his chie1
"a little vacation.
I