Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-07
TIRE EXPOSURE OF VILLAINS.

The exposures made at Washington
BY the various investigating commit
tees, causes . glow Of shame to pass
over the face Of many an honest Rsdi-
cal, who did not believe half that was
told him, The crimes committed by
the leaders Of the party in power has
driven thousands of their friends out
of the ranks. Some of their leading
newspaper organs are 'in sweat, "
while others are scolding like fish
woman.
Read what tho Pittsburg Chronicle
has to say about the greatest and mean
est swindle ever perpetrated in this
country by its party friends. Hear
the editor in question;
"Making due allowance for the po-
litical complexion of the committee ap-
pointed by the House Of Representa-
tives TO investigate tho affairs Of the
Freedman's Bank, tho report submit
ted portrays q phase Of human nature
from which fair minded mon revolt.
The entire operations as revealed in
this report shows that the concern was
manipulated by jeremiah Diddlers,
ian incorporate body Of false prctens-
es, erected upon the credulity Of the
black man. Whether tho men who
swindled the depostors may be liken-
cd to goats or wolves, the result is all
tho same to tho depositors, who have
been shorn like sheep. All doubt as TO
improper conduct Of the officers and
agents of the bank is removed. 1t is
shown that few men divided up
among themselves and their friends all
tho money at their disposal. Under
the guiso of friendship, and sympathy
for the black man, few men managed
TO fix themselves on the Finance Com
mittce, and once in that position, they
put the earnings entrusted to their
keeping where they thought they
would do them the most good. In one
instance they loaned money on securi'
ties which were known to be worth
less. Here is specimen of their trans.
actions. The Actuary of the bank ac-
cepted q half interest in 100000
contract. He put no money in the en-
prise, ran absolutely no risks, assumed
no responsibilities, but he shared half
the profits. OF course the contractors
paper was not sorutinized when sub
mitted to the Board. The contractor
still owes the bank sl4i,00O. The
worst feature in the wholesale swindle
perpetrated, perhaps is called the SEN
eca Sandstone swindle, by which the
bank was robbed of s62, 900.
In a word, the management of the
bank was simply stupendous conf
denee operation, but as the operators
occupied position in society, and
had influential friends at their
side, instead of being compelled to re-
place the money they parceled out
among themselves and their friends, or
failing in that to be prosecuted and
sent to prison, they are permitted to
go scott free.
A peculiar featurein this Freedman's
Bank swindle is the odor Of sanctity
and smiling piety that pervaded the
management. The piety was not very
deep; it was surface piety the kind
that heralds religious convictions loud
ly, as thin as veneer say about twen.
ty sheets to the inch. Like Mr.. Ham
ilton Venoering, they absorbed all the
money that came near them. Their
piety seems to have been OF the sly,
mysterious, filmy pattern. Our read
ers may remember that everything
that belonged to the Veneerings was
bran new, even to the furniture, so
new that the surface smelt little too
much of the workshop and was trife
sticky The principal difference
between the Veneerings and the
managers of the Freedman's Bank APP
pears to lie in the fact that the belong
ings of the latter were more than
trihe sticky, since the money entrust-
ed to them was borne off impercepti-
bly,, as Industrious bees carry off the
sweets of flowers.
The record is most shameful one,
and the strenuous efforts that have
been and are still made to saddle this
iniquity upos the Republican party,
should not and will not prevent re-
spectacle men from denouncing IL in