The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-09
ANoTuER FOUL CONSPIRACY.

WASHINGTON Jan. s.-Sone Of the rogucs
at Washington have fallen out. and, though
honest men may not get thcir dues, there are
likely to be new and astounding exposures OF
the corruption and Infamous practices Of Grants
Administration. In 1874. when Boss shepherd 8
Ring was under Investigation and the frauds
perpetrated upon tho people Of the District OF
Columbia and tho public Treasury were made
manifest by the simple process OF measuring the
work for whlcn exorDitant prices had been paid,
a conspiracy known a. the safe burglary was
concocted to destroy the character of Colum BUS
Alexander, the principal prosecutor.
That the Ring chiefs were connected with the
vile plot TO strike down an innocent citizen, who
resisted their rascalities. was established by In
vestleatlon beyond any doubt. They assem- bled
at the club house on the night Of the crime, and
some Of them remained there until near morn
ing, waiting for the news OF A1exander's ex-
pected arrest. The place chosen for the scene
q the bogus burglary was the United States
District Attorneys ONCE. one Of the chief
actors was Richard Harrington. then Assistant
District Att orney, and now under a second In.
dictment for the crime. The secret service OF
the Treasury, part OF the detective police, and
others holding places OF profit and trust were
VIGOROUSLY engaged In this conspiracy. Not
ono Of thom has ever been punished, because
the juries were packed not to convict and II
they had been found guilty tes would have
been doned by Grant, as the whiskey thieves
have been.
Encouraged by this immunity. some OF tho
parties who were concerned In this inlquity are
now charged by their own confcderates and
friends with attempting to repeat the cxperi-
ment In an lther direction aud with a similar in
tenton. Under an order OF the House the Navy
Department was subjected to an Investigation
ct the last session which terminated In n virtual
recommendation to impeach the Secretary,
which Ia now before the Judiciary Committed
The burden Of that work fell mainly on the
Chairman. Mr.. Whitthorne Of Tennessee.
The examination was conducted with great
viRor, aud disclosed "a mass OF corruption. col
fusion. jobbery, and frauds, involving Secor
Robeson personally aud directly, IN such "a way as
To make his guilt unmistakabie. Every obstacle
that NJ tai power could employ. and every Sc
ductloD that its influence could reach. were I'M
scrupulousy used to thwat tho inquiry. Per-
Jury. cooked accounts, mutilsted books. swift
witnesses. bribery, intimidation Of officers.
promises of promotion. false records, and other
disgra eful means figured as elements OF the
d fence.
still. Robson and his friends were well aware
that these disreputable agencies could not save
him from popular condemnation. IL was neccs-
sary TO do something more, aud to strike the
IuUlIc mind with sensation which would
dlsarn Mr.. whitthornes expo report OF It's
moral eject. II Is CHI rsed distinctly and en-
phlticaily that W. j. Murtach. the ostcnsihlo
pros retor Of Grants kitchen organ. the Ma.
tondl Rcpihlicdn and his President OF tho
Board Of Police Commissioners, applied to tbs
Chief OF the police force and detectives under
him. to organize lot by which. MIR. whit.
thorne was to he ontrapned inioa house Of Ill
fame. there arrested and exposed witr an posi-
bic ireconcerted pGLlici.y, 50 ~ 10 ruin him in
pu0li, estima lou, aud thus destroy the Value
Of hts labors.
IL is well known that IN Is fellow Murtagh. who
Is incapanle of writing a paragraph for the pa
per which he publishes, has long been on the
most confidential terms with Robson. ana his
drawn large part OF the money ty which the
kitchen organ nas uccn kept alive. from the pat
ronrgc and jobbery of the Navy Department.
Their relations were only rarity exposed during
the Investigation OF Robeson last summer, but
they are likely to he well ventilated now.
these facts have come out as the result Of
quarrel between nurtagh aud Richards, Chief
Of Police. having for its pretended cause a war
on the gam niers OF Washington. The real roa-
sons will doubtless appear IN good time. Gam
bling has been openly carried on at tho capita al
for ears, and on a far more extensive scale than
now. without word II harsh comment from
the ki'chen organ or movement by Murtagh,
as President of the Police Commissioners. to
suppress IL. This sudden zeal Is Suspicious. The
gamtler' VIGOROUSLY paid for ire silence OF the
po Ice and the prosecuting OH GERS. ami 1t Is pos
siole the recipients did not ." divide" fairly.
Wuiie a sham Investigation was going on rs to
the delinquency OF this Cuief OF Police. Grant
suddenly asked for the resignation OF all the
COmnis sioners. That caused an explosion among
the loyal Republicans and the Grant Demo-
crAts" composing the board OF sinecures. who
had obeyed all the orders of the whit House.
mad voucned for - tDcock's integrity, and mad
worn the badge Of servi,ude as # it were an hon
or nd not deeridatian.
Aft,r Grants demand, proofs were laid before
hin by the detectives aud others - Murtagli's
cons piracy TO defame md ruin Mr.. Whitthofne.
~ the dospera,e hope Of saving koOoson from
impeachment and himselffrom i'm pending bank
r'.ptcy. They were positive aud Irresistible, and
from the mouths OF tine persons whom this
scuurdfei had approached in his official capacity
to req lire that Infamous service, I ne only an
swer the President gaze was to renomina;c him
- President OF the Police Commissioners We
now look to the Seua aud tho House of Repre-
scntatives for euukc Of THIS daring outrage on
public morals ana decency.