The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-04
THE HARTRANFT SCANDAL.
A CLEAR IND CONNECTED HISTORY
OF TIE YERKES~P4RDON.
Tho Death Struggle OF the Pennsylvn-
MIA Ring.

hka EIInSs
Charles T. Yerkes, Jr., was q banKer IN
Philadelphia, John F. Hartranft Is auditor
general of the State of Pennsylvania, and
Robert W. Mackey is State treasurer. Har-
tranft and Mackey made Yerkes's banking
house a depository of the State funds. Their
object was the use of these funds for their prI-
vate stock operations. The funds were 80
used. This Is proved from Yerkes's books.
The books show that neither Hartranft nor
Mackey had put UP a penny for margins, the
State bonds alone being used for that pur-
pose. Everything was going on swimmlngly
when the Chicago fire startled the country.
| stocks vent down like lead. The State
bonds 10 Yerkes's hands were used up In fill
Ing Hartranft's and Mackey's margins. Yerkes
was tied up. He hardly knew where to turn.
He had no time to get money from Hartrantt
or Mackey. In this dilemma he went to Mar
Ger, the city treasurer of Philadelphia, aud
made an arrangement for the use of three
| hundred thousand dollars of the olty's funds.
He got the money Immediately, and put 1t up
on Hartranft's and Mackey'5 margins. This
amount made Yerkes perfectly easy. The
stock market, however, Was pauloky, and con.
tinued to 60 down. Marcer's friends became
aware of his arrangement with Yerkes, and
advised him 10 get out OF 1t. On the spur of
the moment, without any intimalion to
Yerkes, Marcer drew his check on him for
three hundred thousand dollars. Yerkes was
unable 10 pay this check, and his concern
went down like a ship In a whirlpool.
The people of Philadelphia were lncensed,
| and the authorities, who would gladly have.
protected Yerkes and Marcer If they had
dared, were compelled to Institute criminal
prosecutions. The grand jury Indicted both
of them.
When these criminal proceedings were first
proposed, Hartranft and Mackey were terri
bly, alarmed. They knew that Yerkes had
documentary evidence duplicating them. Both
fed the State. They sent friends to Yerkes,
imploring him to conceal the evidences OF
their completely. Yerkes replied that he
would not go to prison to save them. They
then brought him an autograph pledge from
Governor Geary, promising to lnterpose exc
cutive clemency In case of conviction. This
satisfied Yerkes. He shielded them. He did
not put In defence his authority from Hart
rant and Mackey to use the State money.
Both Yerkes and Msrcer were convicted, and
sentenced to two years and nine months In
State prison.
But after Governor Geary's pledge was
made, Yerkes went before Alderman Dough-
erty and made affidavit that Hartranft caused
the funds of the State to be deposited with him
for the express purpose Of stock operations In
which Hsrtranfr and Mackey were interested,
and that he had paid Hartranft various sums OF
money az the profit of said stock operations.
He also swore that he used The State money
In the purchase of loans Of the Commonwealth,
which loans were sold to The State sinking
fund at a large profit, Hartranft receiving a
large share of said profits. Yerkes further
more swore that on other State deposits he,
had paid Hsrtraufr and Mackey interest at the
rate of six per cent aud that said money had
never been accounted for to the people. This
affidavit Yerkes placed 10 the hands OF q con-
fdentIal friend.
The evidence against Yerkes was 80 strong
that Governor Geary did not dare to pardon
him. He was immured In prison. Hartranft
aiterward became candidate for Governor.
The affidavit of Yerkes was scattered broad.
cast over the State, and had a most damaging
effect on HsrtranfLs prospects. He could
make no reply, for the proofs were over.
whelming. He had but one hope. That was
to force a denial from Yerkes Of the authen-
tlclty of the Affidavit. For a month past,
Yerkes has virtually been In solitary confne-
men,, the members of the Pennsylvania Ring
alone being allowed to see him. 1t would ap.
pear that q pardon was persistently held out
10 him as the price of his denial of the afa du-
Wit. At the same time the Ring apparently
experienced some trouble with Governor
Geary. He seemed to dread public sentiment,
and, while he quailed before the Cameron
Ring, he would not be driven by 1t.
At this Juncturs, on September 26, the Presi-
dent of the Unlted States went to Philadelphia
at the request Of the Ring, and was privately
closeted In the Continental Hotel for four
hours, with Simon Cameron, District Attorney
swope, and similar politicians. The result of
this caucus ls shown in Governor Geary's p0r.
don. On the following day, swope, who Is
United States district attorney for the West.
ern District of Pennsylvania, Colonel Lee, the
private secretary of Governor Geary, Mayor
stokely, OF Philadelphia, ]. L. Hill, William
Baldwin, Thomas Price aud Alexander Irwin.
Jr., visited the Cherry Hill prison. swope and
Lee went into Yerkes's cell, and, after nearly
an hours conversation, the warden entered
with Governor Geary's pardon. Mayor Stoke
ly and swope then rode through the street
with Yerkes up to the Grant headquarters.
What followed? Within a halt hour after
his release an unsworn statement signed by
Yerkes appeared, declaring HarlranfL's limo.
cence of the charges preferred against him,
and asserting that the affidavit made before
Alderman Dougherty is a forgery-that he had
been represented before the alderman by
another man. He also named five men, ap.
parently respectable, whs declared that they
had no hesitation In saying that the signature
TO the affidavit ia not that of Yerkes's. This
uusworn statement is now being strewn over
all the counties OF Pennsylvania, In the vain
hone that it will stem the tide that threatens
to engult the Ring.
Tho o,atement on is face Is false. In II