The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-04
JOHN r. HARpER,s DEFALCArroM
A Revenue Oncer who Took a104,000 81
the Governments Money.


WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-In the examine
tion OF Bluford Wilson, last evening, the Chair.
man (Mr. Cochraue) touched upon the subject
OF the defalcation of John T. Harper, Collector
of Springfield, Ill.,. Internal Revenue District.
Mr. Wilson did not seem disposed to go into this
subject, and the Republican member Of the
committee objected to the examination, and
quite a heated discussion spranR up between
him and Mr.. Cochrane. MT. plaisted objected
to Wilson going into this subject, claiming That
II was beyond the jurisdiction OF the commit
tee, as It was not connected with the whiskey
prosecutions at 81. Louis or elsewhere. or
course this objection was not sound. but by
general consent the whole matter was left out
OF the record. The SUNS stenosrapber, how
ever, included this part OF the examination In
his notes, and II IA riven below;
g Sey M Cochrsael1 ask Yen ss member o. the
STAT nov 70 ths scnn,s,se in order 70 oets%ns
case wat you Know in reference 70 lcston Of
Collector Harper u nc sprinsneld district Al, u
iBs the time that was Dstrct Attorney before came
%niie was ,oicitof of the Treasury by Albert smith
and HI. counsel Mr. Leonard wet astrprne, snd that
abatement by Mr.. Smith, accompanied oy gre many
nd s ws wa e ms ese ess 900 wh5 he
Responsible OF the once. was submitiod 10 me
Of smith tMr. sweep tue secretary anc the Attorney
saes s SiI aSs" Via Ss ,h
he was no. ssrcoptea me tsc, woms not
staest evidence on consultation rth the District
Attorney a. sprnrhed 1s sprsT snd alter ne Looked
inlony not wanted. and therefore the matter iea
state to tfe committee any single fact which either
Smith or SWEET gave to me without breach Of conn.
that would be OF ny interest or advantage TO the
Q-Who was Harper? A-llarpcr was a Collector of
Internal Revenue, TOOK tio4oO clean ano clear
hi fsl great disappoiatmeht 10 all OF his riends
V.-whai was the extent OF the drfalcauona A.--one
hundred and four thousand collars. about In round
o-who were the bondsmen Of Hsrper2 A.-Ihat
cann0t kiye-a number oi gentlemen residing In Wood
Q.-Mho was smith A.-Aoert Smith wss harper's
Of the ofre aud aided Harper largely IN covering up
and carr ing on hls transaction; Money was iost
dered In directions. which not at all credit
no nn p and s @ IN sS wnch
by certain p,pers which caused 70 be seized, showed
Pekn whi'key Rang, which nj in between Chirago snd
a T Win VIE Se Sy iaa su AZ st. Su
nQ-were there any pspers scz,d ~ springfield A.
from nenry .,westefman. ieadns dstllsr at Pekn.
,.Q:-Mhs, were those pspers 1.-The, were Mr..
Meseru'ane and Nj smith. private letter. aud teie;
what was going On
The secrets which Mr.. Wilson, for seemingly
very good reasons, declined to unfold last night,
would take the roofs on many houses In spring
aeld II they were let loose. Harper was an ao-
tive and influential politician, aud played a
prominent part In the election Of john Logan
to the United States Senate. and generally ma
nipulated the Congressional nominating con.
yentions in the Springfield district. The Pekin
Whiskey Ring was second only IN importance 10
those OF St. Louis, Chic. go, and Milwaukee. 1t
was as wilson describes u, the connecting LINK
between st. Louis and Chicago. Last winter,
when WAS 10 Springfield writing up the whs.
Key war, was promised by gentle man for
merly connected with the Pekin Hing COM
| plete expose OF all Its operations, but about
| the time he was ready to divtf1ge. the present
Ring got wind Of the threatened revelations, aud
| put "A stopper la the leaky vessel |. however
| obtained sufficient data to satisfy me that IN
| the election of 1872 the Pekn Ring furnished
SDVuO Tor campaign purposes To the Republican
| party managers. but at the same time they sup
poi ted with ali their money ana innuence John
| Robinson. the Democratic candidate for Con-
1 gress. The secret OF this was that tue Republi.
| can candidate of the Ring WAS beaten by Col
Merriam. the present Collector OF Internal Reeve
| nue.. Tine Ring candidate on the Republcau
side was SeiDy NJ. Cuom, the present candidate
OF the Republican party for Governor There
are many oI tho facts wnich Mr.. wilson declined
| TO give TO the committee last night very well
| known III Springfield. 1t 10 undeniabie that
| Cullom was All endorser OF Harper's notes and
liable Tor large amount OF money which the
| defsulting Collector lost IN Chicago by specula-
tions In grain. These notes were held by Cool
| baugh OF Chicago. They were paid when theS
| fell due OS Harper anu Albert Smith says that
the money 60 lift them was taken from tnt
| Government funds which Harper mad deposited
IN Culon's bank at Springfield. This was done
At midnight, according TO smiths revelations
| Cullom and iarper going TO the bank AZ thai
hour.