The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-22
GRANTS CORRUPTION FUND.
THE SECRET SERVICE MONEY
USED FOR ELECTION PUR-
POSES.
Fifty Thousand Dollars Paid 70 Little
Johnny Davenport by Order Of the
Precedent Whence Came the
Enormous Fund that Helped
TO Elect Grant foe the
Second Term.

WAsHISGToS, April ut has long
been surmlsed that the administration
used large sums Of the public money for
election purposes, but the positive proof
Of this malfeasance has never been oh
tainable until to-day IL was quite
generally believed that in 1872 vast sum
Of money was used 10 perpetrate election
frauds in North Carolina, whereby the
Grant party controlled that state, and thus
gave the first sensible check 10 the Greeley
tide which was until that time sweeping
everything before IT, Subsequently it was
Just az well understood that the Radical
party saved Pennsylvania in October by
the most lavish expenditure Of money.
With the multiplied federal officeholdng
element, at least sixty thousand strong,
assessed ten per cent on their salaries,
vast commission fund would result there.
from but even this, with the addition Of
the assessment Of Belknaps post traders,
would not have afforded one. half the
money spentin Pennsylvania alone in 1872.
Whence came the balance Of the enormous
election fund annually disbursed by the
Radical managers2 In New York city,
for instance, it has been patent for years
that Johnny Davenport, as Ben Buffers
INSCRIPTIONS pimp IN Familiarity known,
had tens Of thousands Of dollars 10 disburse
at every important campaign, and the
bold and desperate manner IN which he
welded the vast power Of chief Of the
supervisors Of elections in known Of all
men 10 New York city; but il was always
mystery whence came the money neces-
sary 10 the execution Of his gigantic cleo.
ton schemes 10 the interest OF the admins
tratioD. This mystery il at length made
clear, and the revelation discloses the fact
that from the president Of the United
States, through the attorney general, down
10 the chief Of the secret service division,
came the orders to pay over 10 Davenport
the peoples money IN order that ballot
boxes might be- stuffed aud gang Of re-
peaters hired 10 aid the plug uglies Of
Philadelphia 20 roll mp enormous MAORI
ties for Grantism and Kcmblcism 10 the
City of Brotherly Love.
col. wmTLEYs DISCLOSURES.
On Thursday last, April l3, Col. II. G..
Whitley was called before the committee
on expenditures in the department Of JUS.
tlce and examined in regard to the use
made Of the money annually appropriated
since 1871 10 be expended under the
direction OF the attorney general for the
detection and prosecution OF crime against
the United States. lie sought ut first 10
cvade the questions which were PIT TO
him, aud manifested II strong desire to
shield his supcriors, under whose orders
he had actca lie, however. soon dis.
covered that the committee were in poses
sion Of sufficient date 10 render il impossi
BILE To- truthfully withhold all the fact,
from them. lie denied most emphatcal
~ nj that time that he had made any cor
rupt use of tho money which he disburscd
under the order Of the attorney. general
aud his subsequent disclosures make il
apparent that he told the truth. When
he wac asked by the chairman Of the com.
mittee il he had not, in point Of fact, paid
large sum Of money from the secret
service fund 10 a we'll known New York
politician, be admitted that he had, and
then asked that he might have an oppOr
tguety 10 consult counsel aud examine
his papers at bis home in Cambridge
Mass, before being called upon to give
details 10 regard 10 his transaction. The
committee, after consultation, agreed tC
grant him the asked for delay, and Col
Whitley at once left for Boston. He re
turned TO this city this morning, and wa
to-day examined at length.
MONEY PAID TO JOHN /. DAVENPORT
He said in substance that it was hi
desire TO keep back nothing touching hi
late official connection with the department
Of justice. He had consulted his counse
in relation to the subject matter of whicI
the committee was inquiring, and he tol,
him that the only safe course Tor him +
pursue was to make a clean breast Of it,
To enable Inn to do this, Whitley said h
had in the short time at his disposal over
hauled his papers as thoroughly as h
could, and found vouchers for $2j, 90
paid to John |. Davenport during tn
years 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874 1t wa
his impression that he had paid mol
money than this, but he had been unabl
to find receipt for any more than tn
amount above stated. He was still in
clined to believe that ne paid Davenpor
IN all about $4,000 and he thought tina
with further search he would be able t
find the vouchers for TINT amount or some
thing near it, Every dollar of this none
he testified was paid upon the order Of tn
attorney general, who always assured hir
that he was acting upon the orders of tn
president. These payments first began i
1871, just before the election OF that year
and regularly every year thereafter u
long as Col. Whitley was chief of tn
secret service division. just before a
election Davenport wanted large sums {
money. At various times Whitley object
cd % handing oyer the money, and th
percnptory orders would be given 10 pa
II. lie was not satisfied with verba
orders. lie wanted written instructions I
that effect, and so he refused TO pay
Then Davenport wrote letter that he ha
just had cord from Horace Porter tina
the president wanted the money paid an
he had instructed the attorney-gener I
order It paid. Sure enough the orde
came. The first instructions he had
writing came from Attorney Gener,
Alderman and are as follows:
THE MONEY ORDERED TO RE PAID
DEPARTMENT CT JUSTICE
.. WASHINGTON, Aug. IL, 1871 (
Cot, H. e. valley, 80 Hescksr street Nelg yoyk
SIR: In addition TO the sum which vou hnv
already been authorized to spend under the amir,
priatiOn for the detection prosecution of Grim,
against the United states, the sum of $500 will
placed Ia your hands, to be used IN the furtheran,
oi Tue object OF the appropriation in the city
NeW YORK. Mr.. John |. Davenport, u ). comni
soner has been In conference with the preside
on me subject, and will acquaint you with Il
particular work In view. You will of course, 81
that none oI tins money Is applied to any -purpo
put that Oh the appropriation, and mt proper Tin
you wiz put the department. either orally or
writing, as may then seem expedient, in possessi,
OF the details OF the expenditures III you will ser
your receipt IN the usual form the money will
promptly remltted Very respectfully,
A. T. AkERMAN, Attorney g me raj.