The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-01
The Case ii George H. Psndlsion.


Tbs case Of Mr., George II. Pendleton,
Of Ohio, presents rather faFbidding as
pset He admits that While acting as
President Of the Kensacky Central Rail-
road and as guardian 81 minor children
who were heirs "a 4 large amount d stock
in said road, he succeeded 10 obtaining
from Belknap claim Of this road against
the government amounting to Sl50,000
and that Of this amount he received for
his personal services and pocketed the sum
Of $50, 000 Nos, admitting that eOlla-
sion between Pendletoa and Belknap has
not been established, still We think il fair
y inferable that Peadleton has either
wronged the railroad Of which he was
President or the minors Of whom he was
guardian, or both, by appropriating to
himself the lions share Of claim which
he was bound as a fidueiary agent to have
collected fora fair per ceatuDt.
Gen- B. f. Butler, Of infamous notOrie-
~, has testified before the Committee on
Expenditures of the War Department, that
$4,000 Of this money may be traced to
ms Belkuap, having passed through the
hands Of two other persons before reach
ing her But his testimony was only
hearsay. He has given 10 the Committee
the names Of the parties who have been
subpenaed. and the matter will be further
investigated. The n. Y. Sua makes this
allusion to the case
BUTLER's CONSPIRACY UsELEss.-
Whatever may have been the relations of
Mr.. George H. Pendleton To the Belknap
family, and however spicy the disclosures
ABOUT the Kentucky Central Railroad, VIC
don't think they can be made to answer
the political purpose contemplated BY Gen,
Benjamin 2. Butler.
Butler went TO Washington With Mr..
B. G. JAYNE as his chief Of STAFF, and Mrs.
Benton and Mrs. Coles as the right aud
left wings Of his forces. No doubt those
two ladies, if they were to make clean
breast Of It, could report a great deal Of
scandal, descending from Republicans ike
Grant and Democrats like Pendleton down
to gentlemen in the lower strata Of speeu-
lAtion and adventure. But that Is not a
business with which the public can now
be permanently occupied; there is more Sc
ricus work on hand
very likely Butler is inspired BY per-
scnal malice against Pendleton; but his
great object is to divert attention from
Grantism, aud to turn the committee from
investigating further into the rascalities Of
the Republican Administration, He is
following up the attacks on Mr.. Clymer,
the charges in regard to Marsh's flight,
and the dramatic exhibitions Of Mr. Blaine
and his associates in the House. They
hope in this way to divert the Indignation
excited by the corruption in the War
Ofice aud in other executive departments,
and to FIX the public eye elsewhere. But
this cannot be.
Mr.. PendletOn is private citizen hold
ing no Office, and no party Is responsible
for him. If he were guilty Of all the
crimes forbidden BY the decalogue, his
guilt would not palIiate the frauds and
rObberies Of the Republicans in the War
Department, the Interior Department, the
Navy Department, the Office Of the Attor-
ney- General, and elsewhere.
To these departments the Republican
party appointed the men who have com
mitted these crimes, and ii has kept them
there after their guilt had become public
and notorious. They have got rich by
plumber of the Treasury, and no scandals
about private citizens, no matter how re-
putable they may hitherto have been,
ought to cheek the exposure and punish
ment of their Official misdeeds.
The history of the Kentucky Central
Railroad raferred to in connection with the
Pendleton case IS interesting and sheds
some light on that matter. This road was
built mainly BY Coyington, Cincinnati, and
interested counties. X. B. Bowler was
its President The road became embar-
rassed, and was sold for its debts. RIB.
Bowler bought it. The interest of Cow
ingtOn was large Vim. Ernst, who gave
his testimony before the committee last
week, was President of her council Bow
lew formed new company, composed
mainly Of himself, Ernst, Senator Steven
sou, and few others. The transportation
for the Government during the war made
them all rich.
A weak but persistent combination
fought the Bowler party in the courts.
They could have been bought of for SIS.
600, but it was not thought worth while
Adverse decisions and delays we're con-
slant till they got to the Court of Appeals,
which court in 1872 decided that Bowler
was swindler and the sale void. Bow
Ter had died just before. Pendleton held
stock himself, and represented the heirs
Of Bowler, his brother-in-law. That de-
eision was a terrible shock to Pendleton
and the rest. They got delays in the ex-
ecution Of the judgment, and showed the
utmost anxiety that the books of the road
should never be made public. Last year
the Bowler party compromised with the
opposing attorneys, who were largely in-
terested in their claim. Covington re-
sisted, but finally took s250,O00 for their
claim.
The Bowler party, in compromising,
gave up at least half the value Of the road;
but their books we're never made public.
Rumor has it that those books for the
years covered by the war are very inter-
esting.
Colorado Land Frauds.
A special disnateh from W,sh;ao.,.,, -,