Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-03-27
Letter from Harrisburg.
Harrisburg, March 25, ]

Ahe light let lnto tue I'ahs-A "i"'
swindle on Wednesday night last At thu
meeting of the committee. has complete
" vindicated General Hartranft and Mr.
Mackey, and placed the whole matter be
fore the public in its true position. Boil
of these gentlemen appeared before the
committee at that time, aud testified thai
neither of them had any completely ir
the Evans business other than an earnest
desire to obtain for the people a large
sum of money that they seemed in q
fair way to lie swindled out of by a
pack of thieves, peTurers and scoun'
drels neither had received cent of the
money collected by Evans, either direct
ly or indirectly, and there is not man
here of either party who does not be-
leve the truth of this testimony 1t
would be strange indeed if General Hart
ranft and Mr.. Mackey, the accounting
officers of the State. had been parties to
this nefarious scheme of plunder from
the Treasury of the Commonwealth, that
they should bring suit against their
partners. Their action towards the be
lieved guilty parties should shield them
from any such unfair imputations as have
been basely insinuated by their enemies,
In regard to the charge made againt
General Hartranft of using his knowledge
as one of the Commissioners Of the Sink
ing Fund to speculate with the State
funds deposited with Ycrkes. Phila-
delphia broker, all these are explained
by his testimony, the books and cores
pondence of the Board Of Commission,
and the testimony of Mr.. 4. NJ. Lewis,
President of the Farmers and Mechanics
National Bank of Philadelphia. in April,
1870. The Legislature authorized the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund to
redeem a half millicn of the over due
loan, with a surplus of that amour: of
money then in the State Treasury. In
accordance with that authority on the
very day after it was approved by the
Governor. the Board composed of Col.
f. Jordan, Hon. R. NJ Mackey and
Gen. uartranft, held meeting to consider
what course they should pursue in view
of the power vested in them by the Leg
islature After full consideration Of the
subject resolution was offered by Col
Jordan, '.that the bonds and certificates
of Indebtedness of the Commonwealth
to the amount of half million of dollars
be purchased with as little delay as prac-
ticable and that the Auditor General be
authorized to carry out the provision of
this resolution" Gen. Hartranft soon
after called on Mr.. Lewis, president Of
the above mentioned bank, thst has for
years been the financial agent of the
State, made so by law and informed
him of the action of tie Sinking Fund
Commissioners, and asked him to suggest
some mode of procedure whereby the
said bonds could be purchased at as little
expense TO the State, in the way of pre-
miums, as possible General Hartranft
reported in writing to the Board the re.
suit Of this interview with Mr. Lewis
The suggestions made by Mr.. Lewis
were adopted. The correspondence
further shows that the Bank employed
Mr.. Yerkes as its broker without the
knowledge of any of the Commissioners
also where and of whom all the above
bonds were bought, and the premium
paid for each class and lot, and that Gen
Hartranft's name only appears on
Yerkes books at the time in connection
with the purchase of the State bonds by
virtue of the resolution of the Board of
Commissioners. All this testimony and
correspondence will soon he published,
and the public will be able to see for
themselves upon wnat slight foundation
these tales of scandal have been founded.
and how basely the character and repu-
tation of faithful and honest official
have been assailed and sought to be
dragged into the ruin of corruption, aid
ed by gang of emheszlers. political
enemies, puUurers, black-mailers and
penitentiary convicts.
The committee appointed by the Sen
ate to investigate the sale of medica
diplomas, several times referred to by
your correspondent. reported last week
and terrible showing up it was of the
manner in which DR.. Paine, the Dean of
the Philadelphia University. has peddled
the degrees Of that institution round, not
only in this country but in Europe, sell
ing lisense to practice medicine to cart
men, BARRIERS, and men who never read
medical work in their lives, or attenoed
medical school Think of the vast
amount of suffering that must have been
created by these bungling butchers of NJ.
D. The committee reported two bills
the charters of both the institu
tions over which the old fend presided.
This is the amount of punishment inflict.
ed upon him 1t is strange our Jaws are
so lame. Are there no stones in heaven
but those used for thunder2
On last Friday morning the State
Journal which has all along been con-
sidered strong State administration
Journal, and therefore for Jordan for
Governor, came out in a lengthy and