The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-24
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TuE CHARGES AGAINST Mr.. BLAINE,

THE CHARGES AGAINST Mr., BLAME
Thewellsburg Herald regards the charge
against Mr.. Blaine, coming as they d
lust at this particular time, as at leas
suspicious, and says that the countr!
should be slow to convict him on the un
supported evidence Of Mr.. Harrison.
The Herald may rest assured that Mr.
Blaine will not be convicted on anybody's
unsupported evidence. It remains Tor
him to clear himself; that is, to explain
the Arkansas bond business. II seems by
the Cincinnati Commercial Of Saturday last
that Mr.. MediIl, Of the Chicago Tribune,
came over to Cincinnati the other day to
hear and examine into that business.
According to the Commercial, he met with
evidence that was painfully precise
Both Mr.. Smith, OF the Cincinnati Gazette,
and Mr.. Medill, OF the Tribune, looked
upon it as extremely serious" and as
supported by documents and details OF
circumstances" that demanded immediate
attention from Mr.. Blaine. Accordingly
they wrote.to..Mr. Blaine and laid the case
before him. Whether he has replied to
them has not transpired. Meanwhile the
Springfield Republican takes up the case
for examination, and discusses not only
the Arkansas bonds but other alleged
transactions. From its remarks in re.
gard to the former we quote the follow.
ing: ..-..
His transactions in Fort Smith and
Little Rock (Arkansas) Railroad bonds
occupy leading place in the current
revelations. That road came TO Congress
in 1859, for essential legislation, and,
again, in 1870, 1t sought and obtained i'm.
p0rtant favorable action at the Capitol.
At or about these times Mr.. Blaine seems
to have come into possession OF large
amount Of bonds Of the road, some ac-
counts say Sl50,O0O, and others Sl75,0O0
and 100000 in them. At frat they
promised. to be very valuable, Soon,
however, they became nearly or quite
valuelesS; certainly they had no real
market value. OF these bonds, taking
the different stories that have gotten into
print, Mr.. Blaine would seem to have sold
$4,000 in nominal value to the Union
Pacific Railroad, in 1870 or 1877 for S64,-
900 cash. The transAction was made
through Tom Scott, then President Of the
Union Pacific, and began first by Scott
raising the money on his own personal
note, with the bonds as nominal security,
and then, when this note became
due, the railroad paid it and took
the bonds. 1t il. the record OF this
transaction on the Union Pacific books
that attracted the attention Of Govern
ment Director John S. c. Harrison, Of ln-
dianapolls, 4 respectable person, who in
auired what il meant, and was told by f.
il. Rollins,of New Hampshire, the Treas
nrer Of the Company, that Blaine got the
money. He and his. associate Govern
ment Director, x-Cougressman james s.
Wilson, OF Iowa, appear to have satisfied
themselves at that time that this was the
true explanation Of the transaction. Mr..
Harrison, who is supporter Of Senator
Morton for the Presidency, seems 10 have
kept silence about the matter until with
in Sfew months. Heis now talking OF it
freely, and apparently was the means OF
Editors MediIl, Of the Chicago Tribune,
and Smith, OF the Cincinnati GG:slte,
coming to their unwelcome knowl'
edge in the premises, as also the oc.
casion Of its frat publication in Che Dem
oCratic newspaper at indianapolis. MIR.
Wilson has not yet spoken publicly on the
matter, but we believe that II Is true that
the distinguished Republican editors we
have named are satisfied that he confirms
Mr.. Hurrisons story: =