The sun., 1872-08-23
GRANTISM IN BALTIMORE.
-xsyztTSy IN THE BALTIMORE
CISTOM HOUSE.

of PincLncy Mhytc-Sclling the Mayor'~ |
Approval Frauds OF Extraordinary BoiS- !
s,.s OCciRl AmdRNits- Interview with
stnvor hup-an and Ur. Primc.
WAsut~GToV Aug 22.-A Mr.. Wiimm
r Prime of ralihnore, Nd.. has lately made ,er-
tam revelations concerning the manner IN which
tnc Rcpuhlicf,r state Convention in Maryland
WIS packed in the intcrcst " the Administra-
ttcn. As ono oc tho active agents in This work
w. John l.. Thomas, Cuilt ctCr of thr Port ci
baltimore, I will giNe a portion OF his private
history, as well as an recount Of so'uc Of his
Transactions -iuco he was appointed - this re-
sponsiblc position ~ Gen Grant.
raomas wac born In Cumi crland Aneghnnv
county, Ma-ylapd and at about ,hc age OF II
wua approached 60 a tubacconist a. learn The
gtof making drms. After he had served his
time he Wa Art up in Il small business by hh
mother. and cont uucd making cisirs until he
arrived at years % maturity. Whcn he migrated
g. paltlu,rc A. oldccl 'hor uaUcd Ned had
preceded him =, This point, lrd was doing pretty
well "a small 'radc-man aud ward politician.
Tur oiGAn TAKEH IuUN LtvYfR
il,,c John / foraook the ciear bu.ir,ss and
read Nv, ard vaf finally admitted to thc bar
l.c wa. 90 ahrowi .el,ow. riltcd with Fab. hut ry
ro mcars ta"1f,d. lie never sttaiEed any
Standing a. tse bcr, and prior t. the late civil
v.r cA,d ouLa iivihg 10y aIctty practice before
o. %
BE- cam, t. the surface. Milton whitney madc
MN Assistant District Attorney, to act as d
s.r,ytr,r iu dr, wing up Indictments at hi, dcta-
tun: .ud whom John ice Cha man was Mayor
,t the civ he appo.u'c ed h III CT! solicitor, To
i".N after petty cases before magistrates. IL
was simply impossible at that time 10 yet men
4 ability In the lie, ublran party in Baltimore
touct In aUch raIacity, ard hence both whitney
and chapman took hold of Thomas. This, at
least IL thei- statcment now. but Il is altogether
I.,ly that both John L. and his brother Ned
had a large following Of huiHucrs IN their wards.
rna u was io secure their political strength that
t.s promotion took place.
GotNG ron ms PiCKt>Gs.
while John l.. Thomas was city Surveyor I'M
der mayor Chapman he nccccd NT. iinrkncy
Npyte, now Governor ~ Marl land out Of sl0OUu.
and I have called ON Mr.. Chapman To- obtain
triic history " this piece - business Mr. Char
man Ia now Surveyor Of the Port ~ baltimore,
Custom House who can he called an honest
man. As Mayor Of Baltimore ho was recognized
A. Jealous l1yalist 10y the Coy. rnmcht at
Washington. found MIR. Chapman In his oflcc
In the Custom House and made known to him
the object Of nay visit. discovered that he was
when told him had obtained from Others a
version " the facts, and only called upon him
ia order thai might get the true history aud
thereby do no Injury 20 any one, he at once
agreed TO be Interviewed.
Mr. Chapman Is a large, fine. intellectual old
r'ntlcman, With kindly eAprc son hcaming
from his countCnauce, and no one who could
have seen lltti NI1iln ne was laiIN lnE Tie laftf
w""li li W,'' ac,.', 80 ' him of benz anya;t rs aiy
spitcfm or maleyolent feelings toward Mr..
IT, Sid. after ul,'c Introductory talk on hi.
administration while Mayor ~ baltimore. tht;
ii water ior tl" city had been rcitatcd and It
L'd been finally sctlod that the only source
fiom which they could draw this in,retscd vol
u'ne of water was the Great Gunr owdcr iiyer
The city Council had instructed him TO take
ntasurcs TO purchase the land Ing along ih.-
"a n "A e.
fum Wm. finrkney Whyte. who was Prns dent
Oi tle Copper Company whose works WIRE To-
Gated n that strogm. that they were willing 10
dispose u their property TO the city, and also
Q a. Mr.. Whyte had secured the option ~ rur-
tlt-e irem the uroprictor- ~ the Howard prop
t.fy aud Joppa Muls, also l. Gated N thai iGyor
uatig al sore i4lo acse~ ~ land-coverns
ftom yght to ten miles along the Great Gun
powder, with all It's wnter rights fir m Mine run
g. the mouth Of the river. \ bargain was made
sG %NIS dS fSe Se SS S p{PSy ,TF 'sS & sySr OF
lhnpmrn IA message 90 the Councils informed
tin"., this propoLty has been purchased, aud On
The Fl of April l,,5. the purchase wac finally
nsumstcd.
LEARNING THE Ant or DIVISION.
Mr.. Chapman stated that at tina, time aud TN
til -ome time after he went out of ~ 'e. hc did
not know ans thius OF IElma-'s ug ratipus uA
the Mayoraliy two gentlemen, while N conyer
tation with him near Mr. Whyte'o once, spoke
very positively about Whyte having to share
with Thomas before he could get the money aI-
propratcd 10y the Council 20 pay for this proper
ty. ." at once determined tu see WHITE" said
had a tonyersation with him. told him frank
~ what had just heard, and that he must be
under the impression that had been party 10
Thomas operations fog after the money had
been Appropriated It only required my approval
Ter him to draw II. Ke tlid that Thomas came
20 him and rrprescntfd that tho money could
not be had that the Mayor would veto the act
q appropriation, unless ne tNhyte came down
Hc thought Thomas must have some influence
with me, and he had therefore paid him Sl0tOi.
He also stated that lac had paid both John l..
IL t1tar NOD
up"n similar representations, ! then declsted
% nm that un'i that dHy rag been i9 enurc
Thomas; that | had not been aTprunc he'd hy
'sither OF them On the subject thot had always
my infucn,e to carry II through that cnnsid-
eied II bargain TO the city. and that he did not
get dollar more than il was worth.
NICE PAIR or BROTnEPs.
then left and hunted up John /. Thomas.
and when met him / said ''Well. Nr Thomas.
yOn levied blac cknail on whyte In that Gun-
macH confused and wanted TO Know who had
"a ne. I replied Mr. Whytc has Just told me
al about It. lie then stammetsd cat, lie
h.dn'l received The money, his brother Ned got
u ! replied that Whyte said - he had pail
b'ih you aud Ned money, but that you came 10
L.n NAcu the act appruIrlatins the msHcy had
T.. -ed, and told him that unless Lee ,aye you
.i,.ad f'r iue would veto the act"
trrusp pendent W nat did Thomas say {! that
Nr Chapman He did not deny Il. | told uim
t., w. dirty scogndrel, and lgit him.
turreop opnucent Did you see Ned Thomas also 2
Mr. tLl. man Yes, did not rest until found
u ton. When | met him charged him with
tIc saule dirty piece ~ work, aud told him
had lutl learned all the particulars. lie IL a
bttlrn, iWputcnt fellow, who Will not blush
zen char Ell with any Tascality. lie rather
~ ro- !l u. In this cast lac laughed, and said,
"tFfttuly ! got some of the money. ] didn't
COM t. otcr you any, for knew damned wtl
th0t II I did you would break my head with
your cane ! told him he was u villain. and
nom that dav 10 this have refused tO hold any
ultf'nurs" with either Of them.
GnriSc 1910 rmE CUSTOM HOUSE.
Correspondent. Well, Mr.. Chapman, how are
uiug- conducted la the Custom Housel
hr. Chapman i-haking his head | would
r'urr not talk on that subject. | have spoken
NJ mind freely 1n II to the prop er parties, ard
nave received 40 thanks Tor my pains
tprrrspo After the New \ oTk Custom
Z, 'n Washington. hut the puzzle ought to
9W whether our officials are honest or not.
.lr. Chapman PuI not In position here TO
t"'-ar'e much that lsoes on but kEOw thHt we
ne stopped some Ugly pieces OF business as
uss we're going tLro. lh our ofiiCe.
iiettrpOnout~ Does he'd Thomas have any
thiiis - do with the Cqstom HOussf
AlT 'hapman- John J.. uses him 10 20 all the
dlrJ work. II there IL any knaycrY going on,
Ned elsiueers II aud diy1dcs with John L.
NDrfh, yundcnt have understood that "A man
med blly Caliow has : fat thing about the
t..tum jiDusef
hr. Cbaaman- Yes believe he has. He Is II
gfrf scu' 'c3dr,l aud have 10 DOUBT that they
90 q great detl OF bad work brre.