The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-05-30
WHOLE NO. 2OS.

friends that such a plot was really
formed. and by the gentlemen men
toned. What did more than any
thing else to kill Gen. Bincklev
politically was his famous order to the
district attorney to have Gen. Sickles
indicted for obstructing the judicial
powers of United States courts in
North Carolina, and demanding his
removal from the command of the
Carolinas; something which trod upon
favorite corn of Gen. Grants
military foot and resulted in a quarrel
with Grant. Then congress, to get
rld OF an officer who conceived that
the military, in times of peace. should
be subordinate to the civil authority.
legislated Gen. Buckley s Office of
assistant attorney general out of ex-
lstence. Then President johnson.
determined that his favorite should
be cared for, appointed Gen. Binckley
law officer of the internal revenue
department. Gen. Binckley was
astounded to learn, very soon. that
the most stupendous frauds were
being perpetrated on the revenues.
and that men of the highest repute ali
over the country were cOnspirators in
whisky rings and other ..rings."
With all his energy and honesty he
began a struggle for mastery over the
thleves who were plundering the gOy-
ernment OF millions upon millions
yearly. 1t was virtually one man
| against an army; one dollar against
millions. Gen. Binckley was offered
fabulous sums to let up on the crooks.
Ills determination never weakened.
"A congressman said to him. sYou
have an opportunity to make your
pile ike man. but you reject it like
damned fool We can imagine the
efforts of the ''rings' to break Binck-
ley down, and the influence they could
exert. President Johnson at first sus
tanned General Binckley's efforts but
it is claimed that he weakened after
he saw the size of the hornets nest
that had been disturbed. It is claim
ed however, that Gen. Binckley sue
ceeded in restoring O,OOO, 900 to the
defrauded treasury. The efforts
against the ''rings" were discontin-
ued because of the failure to back
Gen. Binckley's plans. Then the
rings devoted their talents, money.
and energy to the ruin of the man
| who had tried to serve the country
falthfully-andi it is hardly necessary
to say here that the country didn't
care cent whether it's efficient ser.
want was ruined or not. He was alb
solutely driven out of Washington by
the prosecutions of the erings.''
| Wherever he went his enemies fol-
lowed him with hatred that never
slept, that never pitied. They ruined
llm financially and sowed discOrd i'm
MS happy home. He was driven to
Chicago only TO find that the very man
ne expected to be associated with in
business was a rank enemy in disguise.
and had actually been prominent
member of one of the worst .rings.'.
Then came his domestic troubles.
do not like to speak of them. Rnt
whether Gen. Binckley was right or
wrong, no living person outside the
three or four directly interested win
ever be able to positively determine.
Mrs. Binckley's statement, that her
confession (which, with the conse.
quent circumstances in Chicago. cre-
ated SO much interest last all,-was
extorted from her at the muzzle of a
revolver. Gen. Binckley denied al
most with his last breath. He ad-
mitted that the charge was made.
but always insisted that the confess
sion was voluntary, and that on it he
went to Chicago to take the life Of
his former friend. To that persons
absence from home that night his life
Is now due; for. whether rinht or
wrong, Gen. Binckly was determined.
He returned to Milwaukee to find his
family gone. Then he gave way hope
-and, at last life. For months his
only desire seemed to be to obtain
money enough to satisfy every cent Of
his Indebtedness. That having been
done he was ready to go. as he often
expressed it, with clean record.''
| And he has gone.
He was as trustful as child. and "a
honest; and thereby he failed of
what we all call success in life. He
burned too brilliantly at the first TO
last long; but he was never dazzled by
his own light-he was too modest for
that. He rendered his country SER
vice. but it was not Of \ kind that
people know about appreciate, and 80
he Will soon be forgotten. Only
among the personal friends who came
to understand the real character of
the man will the memory Of General
Binckley last long. The day before
his suicide he said to me. and they
were the last words / heard him speak:
~ have not been 50 happy in months
az l am to-day and saw = look Of
satisfaction and rest in his honest
eyes that was not usual with him Of
late. but did not known that il was
the pleasure he felt In tho thought
that relief would come 70 hla tronhied
lbrain On the morrow