Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-09-14
CHARGES AGAINST GEN. HART.
RANFT.
AND HIS COMPLETE vtNDtCAT1ON

Gen. lIartranft was pursuing that deiaul-
ter with all the means which the law af-
forded the Evans ring or certain members
of it, in order to force the Auditor General
and State treasure to compromise the
claim OF the State against Evans, caused
the publication of two letters in the
New York Tribune and the other in the
New York Sun, of the issues of February
2Sth- making specific charges against Cen
eral Iartranft, as follows
FirSt-That Gen. Hartranft had illegally
used the money of the Commonwealth in
applying the same in carrying on various
operations in stock, to the extent of several
millions of dollars, and TO the payment of
his private debts.
Second-That Gen. Uartranft had used
the money of the Commonwealth in the
purchase of State bonds for his own benefit
particularly the purchase of SlS9.500 of
the five per cent. loan, and S31.050 of the
six per cent. loan-and the sale of the same
to the sinking fund at q profit to himself Of
S2,700.
7hird-That Gen. Hartranft had cor
ruptly received the sum of $1,000 from c.
O. Evans, the State Agent.
The above are the charges then and there
made against Gen Hartranft, and it will
be seen that they are as specific as words
aud figures can make them. Let us see
how they were met. On the day imme-
diately succeeding their publication and at
the request of the officer accused, Senator
Harry White presented to the Senate then
in session, preamble and resolution, en-
bodying these accusations in full, and pro.
viding for the appointment of a committee,
by the Speaker of the Senate, to investigate
the charges said committee to have full
power TO send for persons and papers,
After debate the whole matter was referred
to the Evans Investigation Committee,
which had all the power with which it was
proposed to clothc the special committee.
Charges so direct and detinate, one would
suppose, would be easily investigated. The
committee, armed with plenary power,
could lay its Hand upon any person or thing
necessary to establish the truth or falsity
Of the accusations. There was upon that
committee the distinguished Democratic
Senator, William y. Wallace, n prospec-
tive and possible candidate for Governor,
and the party accused of these oflenses was,
in the language of the writer who prepared
the slander, 'the eXpectant candidate for
the Governors chair. Had there been one
iota Of truth in them-even the shadow or
scmblanCe of truth-would not Mr.. Wal
lace have taken advantage of it? Had
there been even ground for suspicion, would
not that fact have been set forth by Mr..
Wallace? ? That alone would have been
sufficient to stain an unsullied reputation,
and would have in some measure tended to
excuse the assailents of Gen. lIartrauft.-
But mark the result. After careful inquiry,
and an examination Of all the witnesses
whose testimony was likely TO throw any
light upon the charges, the committee,
upon evidence elected under oath. pro-
nounCed these specific charges wholly un-
true. The report is brief, but quite us di-
rect and positive as are the charges. 1t
was not only signed but written by Senator
Wallace, and is in the words following:
ION the 29th day of February, 1872,
resolution and preamble in reference to
communication in the New York Tribune
of the preceding day, were referred to this
committee. In that communication GER
tain resolutions were quoted which reflect
ed on John +. llartrantt, Auditor General,
and Robert W. Mackey, State Treasurer,
and made specific charges against them, in
their Official capacity. 1t was made our
duty to investigate these charges ana asccr-
tain the facts attending the attempted in
PRODUCTION of said resolutions and the pub
lcation of the same. We have ascertaincd
that the results referred to in the commu-
nication to the Tribune were prepared by
Strahan, counsel for Evans, Evans him
self or DR.. William Payne, one Of his bail,
and that they jointly attempted to procure
their introduction into and passage by the
the Senate and House of Representatives
! THAT THE FACTS CHARGED IN
/ TIE RESOLUTIONS RECITED IN
/ THAT COMMUNICATION ARE UN-
/ TRUE, and that in pursuance of this in
quiry we called before us all the witnesses
whose testimony seemed likely to throw
any light upon the transactions charged !;
that several communications have appear
ed in the New York Tribune and New
! York Slul rejecting upon the officials above
named, and other persons IN private ca
/ lacity; that these have been based upon
data furnished by DR.. William Payne, or
some other friend Of O. Evans, and that
/ \ ESSES UNDER OATH, WE FIND
| THAT THE SPECIFIC CHARGES
MADE IN SAID COMMUNICATIONS
/ ARE NOT TkUE.n
JAMES /. GRAHAM, q
WILLIAM a. WALLACE,
/ HARRY WHITE,
Commute on the part Of the Senate.
! ID. N. WHITE,
\. &. MOVES,
b. l.. HEwETT,
d. ID. HANCOCK,
II. y. MCCONNELL,
Committee on the part Of the House.
| [Of the above joint committee there were
Democrats, namely VIM. A. Wallace, of
the Senate, and \. G. Noyes and II. A.
Mcconnell of the House.
This acquittal is as complete as any ever
rendered by Il court of justice. Each count
in the indictment was carefully passed upon
and square verdict Of not guilty endors-
ed thereon.
First.-H is not true that Gen. Hartranft
ever Illegally used a dollar of the public
funds.
Second.---H is not true that General
Hartrantt purchased and sold State bonds
for his own benefit and emolument.
Third.-H is not true that Gen. Hart
rantt corruptly received money from Geo.
o. Evans.
H.. -. Al.