The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-01-07
WASHINGTON.

washington, Jan. 6.-An infamous
scandal will be brought to light shortly
by Congressional investigation. A
resolution to be offered in the House
will ask for inquiry as to whether any
member of the board of police commits
sioners of the District of Columbia has
attempted to use his position to inter-
fere with any investigation authorized
by Congress. This will be referred to
the committee on the District of Column
bia, of which Buckner is chairman.
The National Republican, of which
William j. Murtagh, president of the
police commission, is editor, having
charged Major Richards, superintend-
ent of the police department, with collu-
sion with gamblers, the superintendent
closed Tuesday. Col. Cook, counsel
for the board of police and for Major
Richards, yesterday published a card
addressed to Murtagh, in which he says:
"The public shall be made acquainted
with the base efforts employed by you
and others, constituting vile con-
spiracy to prostitute and use Major
Richards and members of the detective
force to destroy or impair Congress
sional investigation, and to injure Hon.
j. NJ. Whitthorne. Other matters
equally dishonorable and nefarious
shall be uncovered"
The point of the scandal which Coun-
sellor Cook threatens to expose is that
certain members of the Washington
police board unsuccesfnlly endeavored
to use the police force during the last
session of Congress in conspiracy
against Congressman Whitthorne, chair
man of the naval committee. The
alleged proposition was to entice Whit
horne into brothel, or gambling den,
and then raid the establishment by
police, arrest all found there, including
Whitthorne, and thus get the means Of
smothering his investigation of the
Navy Department, or destroy the effect
by Whithorne's degradation.
Robeson's friends scout this story as
a cunning afterthought without founda-
tion except in diseased imaginations.
1t is claimed that Whitthorne was
warned and the conspiracy failed.
"Something Bad'' in the Oregon Bust
ness.
There is obviously something bad in
the Oregon business. The committee
have already struck strong scent. and
the nervousness of the Democrats, es-
pecially Senator Kelly and Governor
Grover, adds to the general belief that
it will lead to an important discovery.
The theory of the Oregon Republicans
here is that twenty-five thousand dollars
! or thirty thousand dollars was raised
in New York to carry out the scheme
of stealing the electoral vote; that Til
denis intimate advisers procured the
funds, transmitting them to banking
housein in Salem; that Senator Kelly, when
on his way east, was turned back by
dispatches from Washington, to oversee
the consummation of the job, and that
the money was shared by the meIr i'm
mediately concerned in the affair.
Whether this theory is founded on fact
will probably be developed in few
days. There is no more talk of count
ing Cronin's vote. -
More of Grouer.
Grover testified before the Senate
committee to- day that he knew of no
money having been sent to Oregon for
election purposes. He did know that
money was raised by subscription by
the chairman of the State Democratic
Committee, to pay the expenses of an
electoral messenger.
Enos Runyon, of N. Y, positively
declined to give the name of the Gus
toner for whom they drew an $4,000
check, payable to Ladd & Bush, of
Oregon.
Barton Harrison, in response to ques-
tions put by Senator Mitchell, testified
that for the two years up to December
last he was secretary to Mayor Wick
ham, of New York. He had reason to
expect that he would be called as a
witness, because a friend, in private
conversation, had foreshadowed it.
The friend was w. T. Pelton, Secretary
of the Democratic National Committee
Pelton stated to witness that he, (Pel-
ton) did not know why Martin & Run
yon had been subp9naed. and had no
knowledge of their business.
Watts, of Oregon, testified that he
resigned his postmastership on the 18th
of November, and telegraphed to the
Postmaster General. The day follow
ing he received reply that his resigna-
tion had been accepted. He made his
returns and ended all connection with
the postmastership Nov. 18th. His
successor was appointed on the 14th.