The Indiana State sentinel., 1875-07-29
THE PERSUASIVE PISTOL.


| loWA-A MATTER OF DEFALCATIoN-THE
OWNER OF THE PISTOL CLAIMS TO
HAVE KILLED TWO MEN IN INDIANA.
The following scandalous story is told by
the Des Moines Register: So many different
statements have been made concerning the
| reported attempt, or threat, OF assassination
made by Isaac Brandt against Gov. Carpen-
ter, Auditor Russell and others, az the time
OF the expose of the Rankin defalcation, and
the Registsr has been so frequently accused
of publishing f8lseor colored statements con-
corning the transaction, that the
public mind is keenly alive To
anything connected with the matter.
An obscure newspaper, partially owned and
wholly controlled by Mr. Brandt, has made
frequent denials of the truth of the pub
lished statements that have been made Of
the unfortunate affair. Ii viii be reInenl-
bered that publicity of the occurrence was
not first given by the Register. This paper
has been in possession OF all these iac;s since
year ago last fall-or about election time
but they were sacredly concealed within tbe
breasts of those that learned them until
after Mr. Brandt's trial was concluded, and
then they found their way into the public
prints through agencies remote from the
Register Office. That fOrbesTaucs has been
not only denied, bnt it has been sbaInt-
lessly deTided; and, calculating upoB II
too far, Mr.. Brand:'s organ has dared
the Register to the proof Desiring To state
the exact facts, and preferring TO trust 20 the
memory OF Gov. Carpenter rather fhan onr
own, we detailed reporter 10 interview MS
excellency on the subjsct. The governor, in
response TO the reporters inquiry. stated
that he had recently received a letter from a
friend of Mr.. Brandt, requesting d complete
statement of the facts in the case. anc II
though he regretted that circumstances
compelled him to appear in The matter. ne
wOnl6 iN6 in n
holding the facts from the public. ard stated
them TO the reporter in the form Of be Jet
ter referred TO, as follows, q copy OF portion
of which letter we requested for pu tlIcation.
and give it in literal quotation belo /:
upon my return from Fort Dodge l rs-
ceived your letter inquiripg az 70 tue trnsb-
fulness OF story which has found its way
into the newspapers respecting
a FOOLISH SCENE
between Isaac Brandt and myself. AS Won
inquire about this, suppose for your own
personal satisfaction, l will state, as briefly
as possible, all 1 can remember in regard to
it, and just as it occurred. In the first place,
short time after it came to my knowledge
that Major Rankin was likely to be q de-
faulter in his accounts as treasurer of the
board of trustees of the Agricultural college,
and whilst was engaged in assisting u G
board in their endeavor to secure the fu nds
of the college, so far as possible, from she
property OF the Major, Mr.. Clarkson caIne
to my office one afternoon, accompanied by
Mr.. Brandt, and asked me TO give
him the facts respecting the de-
falcation, as it was being rumOred
on the street that be (Rankin) was de-
faulter, and that he had decided his prop
erty to the college, L said to him that
could give him such information at / had
respecting it, but that 1 would prefer that
he should go directly to the major for the
facts. He said he doubted whether the
major would tell him, and asked me to 90
with him to the majors house, and did So
In this interview L told the major that his
trouble could not be kept from the public,
and that wanted him to tell Mr.. Clarkson
all the facts concerning it, SO that the people
might know the exact truth. After some
hesitation and remOnstrance (as he still be-
lieved he could in some way secure the
money! he agreed TO do so. i then returned
to my Office, leaving him and Mr.. Clarkson
by themselves. The next morning (Which
L think was New Years morning
of 1879 the account OF the dafsl-
cation appeared in the Daily Regis
ter. The closing paragraph, as 1 renem-
ber it now, was in substance as follows:
"Isa3c Brandt, the deputy state treasurer. is
in no sense responsible for the defalcation,
as he did not handle the college funds, and
owned no stock in the school-desk factory"
In the afternoon of the day of this pub,ica-
tion was alone in my Office, and there were
but few persons about the state house, as IL
was holiday, when Brandt came in greatly
excited, in fact he was pale with rage, and
coming up 70 the desk at which was writ
ing, he said: "If anyone drags my name into
this Rankin scandal, intend to shoot bim
as l would dog / have been all the fore
noon cleaning up and loading my revolver,
and I'll be Cd id if i don't use il.
killed
TWO MEN IN INDIANA,
and 1 guess I can defend my reputation
here.' 1 asked him what he meant. He re-
piled, Damn you, mean yoi.' l told him
L was not used to being talked to in that
manner, and that when he could talk to me
decently l would hear him. He then said:
You and Clarkson fixed up that article in
the Register about the defalcation aud VOC
could have prevented that allusion to me-
AS he had now cooled somewhat, 1 saio TO
him that di il not see the article, and knew
nothing OF what Mr.. Clarksou had writtsn
until / read it in the morning paper; that
was not in the habit of going about editors
10 inspire their editorials and, further, that
all the allusion / saw to him in the
article seemed to be commendatory and to
his credit" 'O' said he, 'I'm not such a
id fool that can't see the point in that
article. My name was just lugged in there
to set inquiry on foot in regard to me, and
for the purpose of connecting my name
with Major Rankin's in the public mind
WELL 1 replied, 'ifthst is TIE interpre a.ion
you put upon it, you can see a conclusion
entirely too remote for my comprehension
aud l said further that whatever grievance
he might have he must settle il with the
editor of that paper and not with me. He
then said he would go and settle Clerkson,'
and started out of the Capitol and down the
street toward the west city. This is the
whole thing as nearly as 1 can remember.
/ OF course do not give the exact words
nor all that was said, especially all
the profanity, but it is the substance.
In the course of the conversation the gov
ernor stated that during the interview be-
tween himself and. Mr.. Brandt, the latter
kept his hand on his pistol nearly all the
time. His manner was that of q man per-
fectly frantic with rage. The governor also