The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-07
CR,0OKED COTTON CLAIMS.
The Extent Of One, and an Expose Of
Inside Secrets Showing Huge Ef-
forts to Smother 1t.
The Efforts ~ Bring to Light Names OF
Prominent Officials and Go
Straight into the White
House ut WASH
ingtOn.

duainted with the celebrated Beiucq, N0bl0m d
Co. cotton claims case, which has had more
prominence, perhaps, than any single case in the
United States courts, but as yet few, If any, out
side OF
SMALL CIRCLE
know Of the intimate connection between that case
and prominent OK federal officials and the manner
in which they have used parties connected with it
to secure the removal from office OF some OF those
occupying federal positions who stood in their
way.
fhe claim was for something like 1896, 900 and
was paid by the United States government after
a deoision by the Court of Claims, secured by the
lavish expenditure OF money in securing influence
HIGH OFFICIAL QUARTERS
at the time The principal character in the case
WIS the principal attorney, George Taylor, of
Washington, d. O who, 80 to speak, won the
case and the money.
Last summer the Department Of Justice and
the Treasury Department Gent out agents to hunt
up the facts In the Gaze, and the result was few
indictments by the United States grand jury,
Taylor, Shannon and others being named in those
indictments. The whisky trials occupied the at
tention OF the court for some time, and since
that the
CROOKED COTTON CASES
have scarcely been heard Of except by an ocea-
sional paragraph in some OF the city papers.
Since the indictments were found, Taylor, the
Washington attorney, man possessing unlimited
wealth, has made every imaginable effort to have
them dismissed, and how near he comes to ac-
complishing this result will be shown. He knew
that with Beekwith occupying the office OF United
states District Attorney here he could not ac-
oomplish that result. consequently he set bis
wits to work to have him removed, and with other
influences secured his removal.
First, he secured here what purported to be
charges against Beckwith's character, his official
conduct. ETC., and laid them before the then
JIn;tnd Etahna Attornav Genaraf pIarreDOut. but
somehow Pierreport was fond OF Beckwith and
delayed action until he retired and
MIR. TAFT WAS APPOINTED.
The raid was begun again with renewed yigor,
Tay lor urging everything in his power to get
Beckwith out Of the way, even going SO FAR as to
send q private detective here to work up the
| case.
The matter was even taken into the cabinet,
where q strong pressure was brought to bear in
| support Of the removal, and where, pending the
discussion OF the subject; the Attorney General
produced and read letter written by q man
named Irwin and addressed to ex-collector
James r. Casey and ex-senator J. Rodman
West, then, in Washington, informing them that
he, Irwin, had just seen Taylor and that he was
willing to pay $4,000 if they could secure Beck
| with's removal.
This put stop to proceedings for time, and
subsequently MIR. Taft stated in Washington that
Irwin sent it TO Casey at Willard's Hotel, and
subsequently copy WAS sent to this city.
| The Cabinet with Grant) refused to remove
| Beckwith then, but two or three days before
Grants term Of Office expired Beekwiths official
head fell and the present incumbent was ap-
pointed by 1t ia said, the kitchen influence at the
White House.
When the present Attorney General Devens
assumed the auties Of his Office, the facts con-
nected with the removal were laid before him,
and soon thereafter some Of the Western papers,
the Cincinnati Commercial included, through
their Washington correspondents, limited strong
lyat
| WHITE HOUSE CnooKEDNEss
in the case. but none OF them obtained the facts
| as above stated, although the Commercials
correspondent stated that Beck with WAS in pos
session Of information that would make Casey's
| term Of Office very short should he present IL,
nent personages to the penitentiary ii he desired
to take revenge upon those who had secured his
! removal.
Since that time Attorney General Devsns Or
dered thorough investigation into the affair,
and directed Mr.. Lacey, the present United
States District Attorney, to make, In connection
with it, q complete report upon the Bellocq-
Noblom case. in which Taylor, Shannon and
others were indicted. Special Assistant United
States District Attorney Jno. II. New was as
signed the duty Of preparing the report, and
completed it several days ago. just what il con-
tains is not definitely known, but 1t Is known
that it embraces
/ COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Of the Bellocq- Noblom case, covering one hun
dred or more pages, and made from the United Unite.
ments against Taylor, Shannon and others, also
letters written by Taylor to parties in this city
during the years 187l-2-3, and those written by
Lowell, another attorney prosecuting the case be-
Efore the Court Of Claims. In one OF whiei,
dated May 81, 1871, giving instructions, ETC., how
testimony should be taken before Il. II. Shannon,
United States Commissioner, he remarks: "H
,oo,dd only prejudice the case to make me promi-
fIod To 10
Justice as Team effect more bypuAi,sg the ,ores." J"
Again. he SAYS, zone thing is certain, Taylor is
good manager; he spends his money freely and
wins all his casee; whereas Corwine through his
stingness loses ell OF his"
In another letter, which is also part OF the rec
ord Taylor writes in 1871 before the testimony in
the Bellocq- -Noblom case was taken, that he had
eeen Shannon, and thought it best that he should
be consulted with, privately, In order that he,
Taylor, and Shannon could work together"
Il In another letter, Lowell encloses notices to
take depositone, and says, 'sYou will ses that
Taylor means business. BY this notice you will
see that it ia granted on more favorable terms
THAN EVER KNOWN BEFORE"
Originally the judgment in the case gave the
amount, 1896 600, to the claimants, and to pre-
vent an appeal General Dent, Grants father-in-
law, was interested in the case to the tune OF
s5G00 when he, 1t is said, used his influence to
prevent an appeal being taken.
The Treasury Department. and Department OF
JuSIlC6 AE6 luLy duNtsSa W bLsS sAhh0 vi OH VIE
facts in the case, and motion has been made to
annul the judgment This becoming known,
Taylor is more anxious than ever to have the in-
dictments here dismissed, and it is claimed that
! An agreement has been made whereby they were
to be noHe pressed, but in all probability, after
this meets the eye OF United States District At
torney Lacey, he will hesitate before making
such motion.
A new character appears iu the field at Wash
ington in the person OF Ben Butler, who will soon
make motion i'm the Court of Claims to disba r
Taylor from further practice in that court, and
will also move that Shannon be disbarred from
further acting as o commissioner to that court.
Butler has
AN OLD GRUDGE
against Taylor for the rough manner in which the
latter handled him in his brief before the Court
of Claims the Of DR.. syme OF this city, whom
Butler robbed OF everything he had while in com
mand here, and who subsequently brought suit
through Taylor, in the Court OF Claims to recover
from the government what Butler had confscated
Taylor's brief-s copy OF which is in the posses
sion Of the writer-handIes Butler without gloves,