The Republican journal., 1876-04-27
Frauds that Touch the White House,
and Assail the Rights Of Citizens.
Great excitement has pervaded the co,

80 VI
the Investigations OF Il committee of Con-
gress having struck trail of fraud which
leads directly to the door of the Presiden-
tial mansion, The election outrages in
New York city in 1870 and subsequently,
under cclor of Il law Of Congress, will be
remembered. 1t proves that the money
voted ostensibly to prevent election frauds,
were placed by the Presidents order in
the hands Oh notorious partizan, and
| really expended to further the interests of
the Republican party. We copy from the
| special despatch Of the New York World
| Important and trustworthy evidence directly i'm
plicatlng the President of the United States in an IL
legal and corrupt use Of the public money taken
to-day before the Committee on the Department OF
| Justice and comes from no less person than an eX
| member of his Cabinet, eNAttorney General George
| II. Williams, and who, in fact, shields his illegal con
duct behind the written order of the President. In
| word it involves the payment out OF the Secret
Service fund, by order OF Grant, of $32 900 to aid in
carrying the elections in the city OF New ork in the
years OF 1871, ~, and 70. All of this money paid
! to the notorious John l. Davenport, who Chief
supervisor under the Enforcement act, but who does
not receipt for it in single instance officer OF
the Government, but simply as 'Johnl. Davenport"
In one instance he merely gives his own due bill for
payment. The payments made to him in his official
| ca pacitv all duly recepted and audited in the
Treasury, and correct, and form legal account
This corruption fund for election purposes was COB
bled from the Secret Service fund. Attorne eneral
! Williams says he was first called upon pay Daven-
port $4,000 i'll 1871. He hesitated to the public
money i'll that way and called upon the President,
who, after bret conversation, ordered Its payment
by written order IN the fall of 1872 when the last
| Presidential election held S20,UoO was ordered
to be paid Davenport, the Attorney General testify
ing that IN each Instance he received the verbal
der OF the President before turning over the money
| La Williams h.,It
! demonstrated against the largest payment for the
election in 49, when Grant ran against Greeley, the
| President said: "Davenport is engaged in great
| work up there He must have the money" When
pressed by the Committee the corrupt and illegal
use OF this fund the Attorney General evaded and
| dodged and seemed reluctant to tell though not SO
willing after all to protect the President This
ruption fund was paid on the order OF the President
to Whitley, and by the latter to Davenport Whitley
produced to-day to the Committee Davenports
vouchers for every cent, and Williams corroborated
| hu i'll that and il other respects.
| The World gives the following account
| Of Davenports manner of operating under
| the inspiration of the White House, in the
| execution Of the law and the expenditure
! of the remarkable fund
| From the New York World, April Il.
Nobody who visited the old Federal building in the
fall Of $50 and saw John Davenport seated in his
oifce, clothed with all the authority of temporary
master Of New York, with his crowd OF suborainates
around him, can forget the An insignificant,
oysh looking fellow, with pale, face, little
dull gray eyes, piping voice and an immense unlt
cigar held perpetually between his thin lips he sat
composedly behind his desk i'll a small dark in
the OF the office OF the United States District
Attorney This office had been fitted up specially for
him after his appointment Chief Federal Super
visor OF Elections in this city. Among his constant
attendants and advisers George ii. sharpe,
then United States Marshal; Decoy Bliss United
States District Attorney; Charlie Spencer, 1heo. AL
len, Kit Burns and few other political FOUNDERS"
and behind them all u ltcu States trOOps
These advisers OF Davenport were the only persous
who allowed pass the railing that d., id
ed the r00m and when a private consult .tion
wanted. Davenport vacated his seat and took them
into little dark hole opening oil from the "oitice.'
The tilst lot of ELECTION Super! laors that
before Davenport to offer their services and get
their orders-tney having been appointed by Judge
" Woodruff, who was required 10 do that work by
the act OF Congress - numbered 500 They
the oil securing Of the city's population A great
many Ut them were negroes, and among them were
many convicted THE, es, burglars, and street
bulIics Of both coloIs. 1t took all day and a good
part of the evening to swear them all i'll and make
ont their certificates OF appointment. Ten Of them
were admitted at time into the little office, and
every time the door opened for batch to go in
there WAS tremendous rush, and many times they
packed the entrance so full that it long time
before Dayenporrs Deputy Marshals. sent BY Sharpe
to do that work could close the door again and keep
the surgng crowd from rushing in pell nell and
breaking down the iron railing. During the after
noon the writer, who witness 10 the dis.
graceful scene two lawyers come out of one of
the Court rooms and approached the crowd.
here" said one the other.
'Why don't You know? They Davehport's and
Shapes Election Supervisors"
"W ell" said the other, 'f these are the guardians
OF the peoples rights, what must the criminals them
selves look like:'
just after this one of Davenport's advisers who
was passing through the crowd stopped by a
"superysor. ''See here said the Supervisor, 81
want your opinion II point of law, Can a fellow
arrest man right on the spot without Il warrant:
''Of course you You have lll the power of a
United States Deputy Marshal"
"Well, s'pose the man demands me to show a war
rant what can II teer say" asked the new hedged
Federal officer.
"Why d-n 1t, tell YOU you don't want no war
rant ut all. Your business is 10 take your right
in and go back after more That's what you're APP
pointed for"
Numerous arrests were made by Daycnports gang
on the first registration day, and Davenport "held
Court all the time to be ready to deal with the vic
Tins. Among the prisoners brought in was Justice |
Hartman, OF the Fourth District Civil Court. Many
had been brought in ahead OF him, and "Johnuy''
bad dealt summary Justice" in their Seeing
how indignant Justice Hartman at what he de |
nounced as a gross outrage. Davenport, probably |
more out OF fear than anything else, said "Well.
the circumstances OF this cast are rather mltg eating
| will let the prisoner OFT on $1,000 bail"
While Davenport was swearing III the extra 200 TO |
fill the places OF those Supervisors who failed TO car
ny his orders, gentleman accosted one of the
best dressed men in the crowd, who happened TO be
negro, saying: 81 suppose you are 81 the new
Election Supervisors, aren't youE'
Yes sab" said the darky; II jess come down IL |
get de papers"
~ hat part of the city do you live I'M"
''LlurenS street, de lit 'SemblY District"
DO you expect TO have to fight election tty
81 dunno dat. Alisser Davenport he say Ne put |
ZEN down anyhow"
They Say you are 10 be armed with lnusket- l. |
that so ?" |
81 dunno; guess So"
AT this one of the negro's comrades stepped up |
sdewse and opening his coat showed the Lutt vi Il |
huge pistol, saying 'Dats my musket."
The work of registration went on, although the |
Mayor through the Courts, tried to put stop TO il |
until the citizens could be secured in their rights At
the same time the Supervisors making nulner |
Gus arrests and Ludlow Street Jail was fast filling
up, while hundreds of timid FOREIGNERS were kenf |
away from the registry places through fear OF being
arrested and loo ed up on suspicion of attempting to
violate the law some of the shster political LAWYERS
who hung around Davenport were reaping a rich |
harvest. They advised the supervising gang how to |
capture voters. and when the victims were brought
i'll they offered their services counsel.
Not a few of the lawless set of men who had been
imposed upon Judge Woodruff for appointment as
Election Supervisors got into trouble and were sent
to the penitentary before they had chance TO
draw their pay from the Federal Treasury. One in
particular, was arrested for highway robbery One
OF the ringleaders arrested for perjury another
for homicide and others required to leave the
Federal service Tor reasons that obvious to the
police.
operate with Davenport. He had from eight thou
sand TO ten thousand special Deputy NIarsIals an
pointed to act in unison with Davenports Supervi-
sors. For two weeks prior to the election the CITY
was greatly excited. Federal soldiers were arriving
from various parts of the country, and taking up
their quarters near New ork. 1t was the intention
OF the Federal authorities march these soldiers
right into the city the day of election which was
the 9Th OF November, and assign company bat,
talon to each Assembly District, to be held there
subject to the call of the Captain Marshal" OF the
district Several Of the prisoners who had been ar.
rested had already been indicted and when they
were brought up for trial the leading LAWYERS of the
city, who appeared as their counsel, contended that
the act OF Congress under which they were held was
unconstitutional. Long arguments made be.
tore Judge Woodruff and Benedict the former stand
ing up stiffly for the Federal power, while Judge
Benedict inclined to be cautious in the enforce
ment OF law the COustitutOnality of icL
doubted by such high authority. The prisoners were
convicted however, and several of them spent cleo
ton day in prison.
From the Portland Transcript
The following letter was written to q
party in this city by G. 2. Kimball, Esq,
of the Executive Committee of the Cen
tennial Commission, in reply to an appli-
cation for situation at Philadelphia, in
.cQnnacti0n " ith tho a..l;L;tic., .iLs !