The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-15
HOW THEY WON ELECTIONS.
THE SECRET SERVIOB FUND USED
ron PANTY PURPOSES.
Col. WIN. y. Woods Testimony Before Caul-
heid's Committee -DSvenport's ORIGINAL
NIelhed OF MakinR Political A Appointments.

Col WIN. p. Woods Testimony Before Ceui-
heid's Committee -DHvenport's Original
nietbed OF Making Political Appointments.
WASHINGTON, June IA very impor-
taut session Of Caulnelds Committee on Ex-
penditures in the w r Department was held
yesterday. WIN. p. Wood Of this city Chief Of
the Secret Service during Jincoln's and Joan
sons Administrations, and Geo. s. Thompson
Of New York cry, were before 1t to testify re-
garding the use OF the secret service fund in
carrying the elections in New York. Wood,
although acknowledging himself 10 be q Hepub-
hcan Of unquestioned standing tacitiy admitted
that the secret service was made use OF In New
York for the sole purpose Of intmidAting voters.
Wood organized the secret service division In
1885, Mt the instance OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury, the sole purpose being to prevent and
suppress the cOunterfeiting OF national securi-
ties. lie was succeeded In this position bv Col.
Whitley, and, according to Woods testimony,
whitley's manner OF keeping the accounts of
money expended In that sevice was very loose
and unbusinesslise, Justifylng the suspicion
that money may have been improperly made use
Of. While wood rendered an account of every
cent Of money belonging to the Government in
his possession, Whitley admits that he was never
required to render any account.
In his testimony to-day Wood said he sup
posed there always has been money In the varI-
Gus departments, including the Attorney Gei-
erals department, set apart for the use Of
the secret service. The emergency OF
the war had required that each department
should have some disposition Of this money.
He said he might have had occasion to use tho
secret service fund In the inds OF tue Attorney
General In his time. but n he did he had
vouchers for every cent be paid out. II lis office
had been ~ arranged that II vas not possible
Tor any fraud To he committed without CONF
binttion among officers. lie illustrated how the
misappromiation Of this fund was prevented.
In his ufiice was "A financial clerk, who. though
acting according to his Instructions. was COM
PEELED TO make rerort To superior officers
instruction. to render strict account Of every
cent OF money In the hands OF the chief ot the
division az though he were ooing the business
OF private individual. Every individual was
required to swear to his account anu show the
purposes for which II was ordered or used.
Every month general report was made TO The
superior officers in the Treasury department
and every six months there was balancing OF
books aud special report to show ea h item,
Tor what tt was ordered, with all the vouchers OF
individuals with whom tue division had trans
actions. II was therefore very dificult for OH
GERS In the division TO misuse money, except by
ageneral com oination. THIS state of affairs, as
Is shown by testimony ken 10y tue committee,
4 quite different from that existing while
whitley had charge OF the bureau. There was
no such exactness, or rromptness IN rendering
fraud, without an equal Liability to detection.
DESPERATE REPEATERs.
Wood testified that he was frequently called
upon while chief Of the secret service TO NEEDLE
with political matter, but he generally declined
aad when the money Of the Government in his
Keeping was requested he positively declined to
written iIe e to m York ne sp sr nat he
sstaDce to prevent repeating. A committee
from that city came to W shingtOn to see Mr..
Jordon, = llicitOr Of the Treasury regarding this
matter. Wood was called upon, and he Volun-
teered TO help expose the frauds so Ions as II
did not conflict with hts duties. though he re-
gtrded IL as rather Il desperate undertaking, ow-
ing to the wicked character OF repeaters.
United states Marshal Murray mad reportcd to
the Union League IN New York CITY that Wood
wasthe only man inthe United States who could
Undertake to handle these repeAters. They uc-
cordingli wrote to him and visited him asking
hin To undertake the business ia semi ffict 4
capacity. TO this he objected. though he was
aware that there a law thai might be inter
preted ss giving him aut hurity to do so. He re-
guded the spirit of the law as against his
using the secret service money for election pur-
poses He was furthermore invited To- do what
he did do In the Interest Of the Republican
party. He denied that there WIS any improper
tnducement cid out to MIN, tho IN he adj
mitted that partisan friends were the ouus who
applied to him. He went to New YORK. and ar
so called lie said that the Union League Club
agreed To Rise money to pay for this business
use the money Of the Government. for that pur-
pose. lie reulied that there was no written re-
quest In regard 10 that. out that wac discussed
among them. lie told them that the money
must be raised hy private subscription GU side
OF ihc Government. Robert urray said he uad
ueen IN consultation witt officers OF the Mon
League ia the city OF New York and they agreed
10 nut uD money Tor TIE purpose Of exposing the
repeaters. He asked wood what amount would
be requisite. wood repled thBt " could not be
Done for less than S5,OD1 aud that as buiiiical
parties were a little torsctfui Of Their promises,
he had better manage to get them t. put up
mon"v before they went INTO H. They were
urling Wood to come on at once, as there was
nc Time Ia lose. and assuring hin that Murray
would pat up money himself anu he would get
some from the Union League. v God told Muir
ray That inns was a bad Investment Tor
him pecuLluiiN. Heiug assured, however,
tuat tue union League would pay the
al a.. ~.
Wood further testified that knowing a.
he did the go Iiremens of sucn work. Daven-
port ought not 10 nave used more than $1,000
q accomplish what ne claims he IL whereas,
II appears that he used not less than 5000.
AN INSTRUCTORS TESTIMONY.
lhompsOn, who also testified before the com
Mite, II an attorney al law in NV YORK city.
lie was al one time one Of four inspectors Of
elections appointed under the state law. Ihese
INSPECTORS were composed oil Two Democrats
and t"O Republicans. THOMPSON was one of
the Democrats. lnis was wnen Davenport was
Supervisor Of Elections in ls72 aud 1873. lhom,-
son testified that there was AN overbsaring and
naughty disposition shown by davenport
through HIS orders &c his subQruinHtes that
came TO be aimos intolerable. He made every
effort To assume control over state officers, and
became so dictatortal hat Democra ic election
orhcials had determined To resist 1t, at least 80
isr as hi- own pr.cinct was concerned. rhe
person apponted by Davenport as register Of
voters wac SO inrolent as to become almost I'M
endurrole To persons going before MIN to be
registered. Democrats bee 80 indignant
thlt they compelled him 10 become more genital
In his manners and language. TINS appolntee of
DayonpOrts IN lS12 was james DAVIS. VINO con-
trOlied the eutire registration. Under
the law Davenport appointed Demo-
cratic supervisor and Republican SUI
pervsor. He Invariably appointed incompetent
snd inexperienced persons on the Democratic
side, anu having appointed Intelligent Repupli-
cans well initiated in ths ways that are darx,
tue elections were always controlled and ma
nipulated according TO his wishes. Whep the
Tegstri ton WAS over each day, the kepublicans
Kept "A copy OF The registration and visited me
pl ces where the voters registered from, ana
such persons ar they could mad tault with a. TO
the mode of registering they made II au excuse
for lntim dating and nindeTing from going
to the POLLS 10 vote, and Ia many Cases actually
arrested tuem.
INTIMIDATION.
Thompson said that the effect Of all this was
To intimidate Neak-mindGd persons from gong
To the polls. In his part Of tue city the Demo-
Gratis recommended by Davenport for super
vlsors were not known at ALL and had but little
OF no education They were mule to read and
wrte. but not with any degree Of intelligence
Davenport had made the charge that the census
Ia the city OF New YORK was Improperly taken
lie (lhomDson) was selected on the Democratic
side Ia make proper rrvisiOns. lie accordingly
proceeded 10 Albany, ana called upon the sec
ret .ry OF state, VINO was making up the report.
H0 called attention to what had been done, and
asked 70 see the york. lie found that the Sec
rotary had reported the proper nun, Der Of names,
but had deducted 5000 aliens more than were
N.N.