The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-08
TRYING TO SAVE robson.
a PLOTAGdTNST THE CHdTRM1N OF
THE NITiL COMMITTEE.
murfneh's Attempt to Use tho Police TO Tnjurc
Congressman Whitthornc Rob csou Be-
licved to he Implicated in the Conspiracy.

COngfcssinau NhftthOrnc KObcsOu Bee
iicvcd to he Implicated in the Conspiracy.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-Thc old adnge
"when rogues fall out honest men get their
dues" is likely to DO once moro cxempllned In
the fight which Is now Joined between two fac
tions OF the old District Ring. For reasons
heretofore given, certain of the White House
cotcre desired to wrcak vengeance upon Major
Richards, Superintendent OF the Metropolitan
Police, because he proved recroant to his ring
friendssin the famous safe burglary conspiracy.
In addition to this 1t transpres that SccOr
Robeson and one Murt igh, editor and
proprietor OF the White House kitchen
organ, and also President OF the Board Of Police
Commissioners, had reasons Of their own for
being dissatisfied with the Superintendent OF
Police. Mr.. whitthornc, Chairman Of the House
Committee on Naval Affairs, was relentlessly
pursuing the investigation of the Navy Depart
me Mt, which had been ordered by the House Of
Representatives, and had caught Murtagh In
several dishonest transactions, among others
the successful prosecution Of fraudulent
claim, the payment OF which he secured through
bis influence with Secor Robson, Secretary OF
tho Navy The connection Of Secor Robson
with the blaekmailiue operations OF A. G.
L. q. Cattell had also been conclusively demon
strated by the testimony ELECTED from Ma
thews. the New York Catharlne street mer-
chant and by the books and bookkeeper Of
A. G. Cattell < Co. Indeed. such a clear case
had been made out against )beson, that unless
something could be done to stop the investga-
tion or break the force OF the committees re-
port, the Secretary of the Navy would be hope
lessly ruined Murtagh's villainy would also he
exposed. AMI. moreover, IN the downfall OF
X Ibcson, n prolific source Of iobberv would he
cut of from the proprietor Of tue kitchen organ.
TO prevent this calamity Secor Rubeson and
| Muftagh determined 10 use the poce force to de-
- ina OH for ff M - 4q
Shepherd, Bibc)ck, and Harrington resorted 10
a conspiracy to bre TX down the District lnyesti-
| CATION IN 1873. These Two conspirators put up a
| JOB, which would. a. they hoped. work the ruin
| Of their enemy. aud save them from exposure
| and disgrace. They failed because the chief II
Police would not be used by them. 1t is true that
| he ndd not the maulin 50 TO denounce the
consp'rltors and expose their viii Amy. but II Is
| probatlc that he had too good thing as super
intendent Of Police to hazard instant dismissal.
lie, however pllled WITH the President OF the
| board OF Police Commi-s oners aud Instructed
his detectives to do nothing tut Keep up appear
| ances. Tns was found out I'm due time by Mur.
iaEh. hence his and Robes rs desire to get even
| with the mau who coui1 not be used.
OF the merits Of the charges against Major
| Richards in connection with the gamblers |
| the gamblers paid somebody Tor their pro ectlon
| % not doubt, but who they paid i the inter-
esting question. Tue investigAtion which
Muuagh instigatcd resulted In no direct imp1-
| cation Of Ri ,hards or any member OF his detec-
| tive corps. II l. true that the witnesses who
| were examined were the last persons IN the
| world who would ue likely to tell the truth
the only persons who would be Likely to know
ANYTHING ,bout il. II stauds to reason. however.
| tion they put It where Il would d. NE mos,
| good. They are not the Kind OF men to invest
| well that the Chief Of Police was the subofdi-
nate OF the Police Commissioners, elected by
| them and removable at their pleasure. lie could
not give them protection less his superiors
| winked al It. That they knew OF the existence
Of gambling houses contrary to the law Is
| beyond DOUBT. and Yet during all the time Muir
| tagh was member OF the board he did nothing
| to have them suppressed. II inferences are In
order. are they not as strong against him ana
his associates as against their subOrdnateI
In order to get the bottom facts In regard to
| Board. had Major Richards and W. \. Cook
Interviewed to-day.
William A. Cook. who was the attorney
| for the Police Commissioners. SAID that
toward the close Of the Investigation Of
NSys 9, the Mouse Of
tagh. President OF the Police Board. desired
Major Richards, supe5inteadent OF ne Metro
tectives and the police force for the purpose Of
| compelling Mr.. whit,horne. chairman OF the
Naval Committee, to modify his report against
| the Secretary OF the Navy, or not TO make any
report against him at all. MIR. Muriagn
peaiedly upon Major Richards about
| 1t, saying on some occasions tha, 1t was at the
request OF the Secretary OF the Navy that he did
SO. and went so far as TO authorize the use Of
money, declaring that whatever amount was
piled. wnen no action was taken by Major
Richards, he (Murtaeh) reproved him and MS
fore, saying that they were useless and inefh-
cient, aud that be would have TO get some out
siders to do what he wanted. a few days be-
fore the report was expected to be made MUIR
tagh again called upon Major Richards aud
| said that a very short period remained and that
tho matter must he attended to at once, and
inquired whether the papers were made out.
lhe plan so far as 1t involved MIR. whitthorne
was suggested by Murtagh when ne first spoke
10 Nsj scass ,enaus matter What en pe
reply Murtagh suggested that 1t might be that
Mr.. whitthorne, IKE many Others, frequented
81. IL ma a IA
'%sy"' that '' The sS. So ssoud l' '8s pas
carefully watched, and that II they found him
in any such place, Major. Richards, VINO by
the law possesses the power. should at once Is
sue warrant to raid the house, and should take
the inmates. including NJ. Whitthorne. to a
would interview the arrested parties, especially
Mr. WhitthOrne. and suggest that, II the inyesti-
gallon should not he carried out fully. the re-
pnrt reflect seyereiY on tue secretary Of the
Navy. he might be released. Ihis WIS 10
be presented to him IN the nature Of a
suggestion Of friend hip. and on the assumption
that they were sympa'nizing with his situation,
and disposed to do what they could to relieve
him from hls eubaIr ssment. In that event he
was not to taken to the police court, as is the
ordinary practice. In the morning, tut to be al
lowed 10 go to his rooms, or hotel aud no pub |
licatioh made OF the affair. II thoy fai ed TO |
mad, by dosgins HIM, that be went 10 any Of
ploy some fascinating woman to entice him To |
some designation house, or private rooms, or |
to be arrested and taken to the police station, |
and the same plan pursued as before. MaJ,f |
Richards declined to have anything tC do with |
such nefarOus plot, and for his refusal brought
upon himself the accusations appearing against
him In the National Republican,
Mr.. Cook SAWS that there other facts In /
connection with MIR. Murtagh's conduct as a |
member OF the board which, while they may
not be so important, are such as to reflect great
discredit upon HIM. MIR. Cook added that If |
anybody connected with the Police Board ever |
had monetary transactions with any one repre-
sented IA "A gambler, that person Is MIR. Murtagh |
that Murtaghs checks, which have been thrown |
out Of bank for want OF funds, have been paid |
at subsequent periods. and that ne has bur- |
rDwed money out Of the contingent fund Of the |
Police Board which has not been paid to this |
day.
Major Richards authorizes the following state
ment In regard to tue conspiracy against Mr.. |
WhitthOrne:
during the early part OF last July. Just after
Nj. r.Whltthornc's committee returned from Phil |
adelphla, where they had made some discoveries
very damaging to Secretary Robeson, Muriagh |
called upOn him aud presented programme |
from headquarters for entrapping and disgraclng |
Mr.. Whitthorne, who displayed such dangerous |
energy in tracking RobesOn's rascalities lie |
began by saving that the Secretary of the Navy |
WAS very much annoyed by these Investigations |
and that he tklchlIds) must cooperate IN "a coh- |
spiracy to disgrace HIM aud spoil his usefulness.
He then submitted the ulan, which was as fol- |
lows. IA uuueTstOOu TINT WhtthOrna rnuiI |