Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-22
The Fall of PendIeton.

"'o u nc hSHt' HdclS nave come tC
the surface which wreck him as com.
pletely as Belknap is stranded. The
whole case is not known, but enou. h
is indisputable to stamp upon him the
triple crime of defrauding the Govern.
mont, violating breach Of trust as
President Of corporation, and cheat
Ing certain heirs Of whom he was the
legal guardian. We give the facts as
they come out before al investigator 9
committee Of Congress yesterday.
The Kentucky Central Railroad pre-
sented a claim to the War Department
tor the extra cost of traasp porting Gov
efnmeut supplies during the war, and
Tor damage to the road by the rebels
the demand amounting to large sum,
OF money. At that time a Mr. Bow
Ter, a brother-jn-law of Pendleton,
owned three-fifths of the stock of the
corporation. The claim was rejected
by Secretary Stanton. Mr.. Bowler
would have gladly sold it for 5 per
cent. on a dollar. The Auditor of the
road, A. Fl. Ransom, prepared the
claim aud did what be could to press
it. Having boen rejected, it was Civ
en- up by the stockholders as lest
cause, until 1870. In the meanwhile
Bowler had died, and Pendleton bad
been appointed guardian Of his infant
children, and had charge Of the estate
foI the widow and other heirs. He
was also the President Of the Ken
lucky Central, receiving therefor a
salary of $4,000 a year. The claim
had run the gantlet Of investigation
by the proper authorities once, if not
twice, and been pronounced spurious.
1t should never have been revived. If,
however, Pendleton thought it just
claim, he was bound as President OF
the road, administrator Of the estate,
and guardian Of the infant heirs, to
do all in his power to collect it. Had
he acted in the discharge of bis trust
to the corporation, estate and heirs in
question, he could have claimed credit
for discharging what he supposed to
be his duty. But before taking any
steps in the matter, he made contract
with himself by which he was to have
50 per cent. of the amount realized
from the Government. AS President,
administrator and guardian he had the
power to make such contract; at least
all the money would pas through his
hands, and he could retain half of it
IT he saw fit. AS the parties In inter-
est had given up the idea of getting
anything, they looked upon all they
got as SO much clear gain, aud have
never made any fuss about it, The
amount realized by Pendleton, as his
personal share Of the "swag," was
about $4,000. Auditor Ramson,
who had done only what be was bound
to do as Auditor Of the corporation,
but who could have make trouble for
them, was CREASED" with $4,000
Pendleton swore yesterday that be
never paid cent Of bis moiety to Bel
KNAPP, Mrs. Bowers, or any other per
son. He claims to have got the claim
allowed without bribing anybody. OF
course this is very improbable. In all
likelihood somebody had to be paid for
the allowance Of claim so fraudulent
and large. But it matters little to the
intamy of PendIeton whether he kept
all that money or not. At the best,
he stands convicted Of glarng and
peculiarly disreputable breach Of fdu-
clary trust
Cincinnati has two Democrats of
great wealth and aristocratic preten-
sions who have figured before the
country as Presidential aspirants and
been held up as conspicuous specimens
Of the better class of the Democracy
We allude to Messrs. Groesback and
Pendleton. Neither would 20 to the
United States Senate at the time Thur
man was elected for fear Of weakening
his Presidential chances. Both are
now In disgrace. Groesback was CON
victed some time ago Of bribing the
Cincinnati Common Council Cor trying
TO III the interest Or some real estate
which he owned, and now Pendleton
has fallen still lower (for the robbery
Of widows aud orphans is worse than
tampering with municipal officials. J
In all the party there were no other
two men who stood SO high in talent
and reputation for honor as they, and
now they grovei in the mire with the
Belknaps ami Tweeds The Democrats
possess only d little political power,
but their use OF that little is such as to
warn the people against trusting them
with any more Chicago Journal.
GEN. PILLoW's ESTATE. .-MEM.
pHIs, Tenn, March l5.-The resi-.
dence Of General Gideon Pillow was
sold at bankrupt sale yesterday There
was no competition in the bidding, and
| the residence, worth probably SS 600
was bought by a gentleman for S26