Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-10-24
rilden's Cipher.



The following is \ copd nsed statement
Of the n. Y. TLibune's account. relative to
the cipher dispsich~s that passed between
Mr.. Tilden', private residence In New
York and his agents In South Carolina:
The South Carolina plotting included
three phases. First. an attempt at outrieh,
bribery Of the Canvassing Board; second,
correspondence with Senator John r. Cor.
don and others In relation tn securing par-
iissn sction by the Moses Court; and third
plot to corrupt the Legislature, have the
Republicans Electors arrested on n rrp,ext
and thrown into jail until amer the day APP
pointed for casting the Electoral votes.
The agent selected by Tiiden To fix
things In South Carolina was Smith N.
Weed. Of New York. q prominent po,i.i.
clan. ard = confidential friend Of Tilden.
whose Interests he represented As the I'll.
dec leader 10 the recent Syracuse Conven-
ton. Weed left New York on the lO,h Of
November, 1876. and arriving at Columbia
three days before the chnvsssing OF the
votes was TO begin, promptly sent tbj. bus
iness-like despatch Nov Is. In cipher 10
Hsvemeyer. who acted IS itlden'. dumb.
walter for the reception OF Telegram. In
New York:
Am here. Things very much mixed. In
tend - count us out. liza few dollar. can be
plsced In returning board ltol insure, what .ay
your Give news from Louisiana. Oregon,
Fiorids."
How quickly these Havemeyer des-
patches reached the hands for which they
were intended, 10 shown by the fact tina,
nephew Peiton. not Hsvemeyer. answered
the above telegram the same day address
ed to "Smith Weed. Columbia Il did no,
Weed telegraphed again: "Bosrd adjourn
asked this morning important tonight" To
this Denmark" (Peiton) replied:
Remain with Hampton and exhaust every
means TO prevent trading TRADING otf Tilden 10
do will be met"
SIN again. on the same day. Weed tele-
eraphed more specifically:
III Returning Board can b. procured abso-
iately viii you deposit tao.ooo' May take less.
Musi be prompt"
Pelton's reply Is missing. but Weeds re.
joibder Despatch received. Parties to re-
port this morning." leaves no doubt OF Its
favorable nature. All this time. IL will be
noted. Weed did not pretend to conceal
from his principals that the State had actu-
ally gone against Tilden. On the lsth he
telegraphed:
''Bes, can figure Tilden will BE- over 2. 600
behind Hampton. and sec little hope. shall
keep upaprerAnces. Capture Louisiana and
Florida What about Oregon
On the same day he reports "ihings mix
ed here" With rumors OF trading of, Tllten
for Hampton, and asks:
shall increase to $4,000 II required to
make surcy'
He also says he Is watched and suggests
that perhaps he had better leave and turn
over matters" TO cx.Gov. Randolph Of New
Jersey. who was visiting statesman."
Peitons reply came promptly the same
day:
Telegram berc. IOs can % 10 FIGv II
sscessdTg. Perhaps usc future pro. poet. for
some par,. but you must sec that trad ns Is not
done doubt II you can trust u 20 person you
name.
Here was direct authority from TiIden's
ncphe~ and private secretary TO use $50.
600 for the bribery OF a CanvassIns Board.
and !, u creditsblc 10 ex-tiov. Randolph
that Gramercy Park thought him an un.
safe person to trust" with that sort OF
work. The despatch also urges the more
economical method OF using promises OF
office ''for some part"
On the 18th Weed sends q long despatch
saying the returns show a majority OF / 100
Tor Hampton. wiki I1lden 500 or 600
behind. This Is all secret here" he say.
and I'VE hope We can get Board tonight
certain. Falling that he said the Demo
Gratis would be compelled To chang. front
In court" and assert the duty OF the Board
To 90 behind the returns. Ga the next day,
Nov. 10, when the Board was TO meet.
Weed ,elegraphed 10 Iiavemeyer:
Board late last nigh, demanded 5000 for
giSins Us two or three Electors. The interc.,l-
or will want something besides; think ten
Thousand What shall | doY'
The following swim answer from Pelton
speaks Tor Itself:
g., New York. Nov. 10.
SMITH WEED. Columbia
-Four .e!,yrGiss here Should De ,r,ltag 10
accept. belsere, II Chamberlain dsd Board
ss':s 70 prerssi iradsa1 and expess, uas
wade sspsades: en- aAal success Of Ii!S,r i.
MdreA. Am inclined to think flcrsh t--, .ull
III you can IL this cont iagen,ly or sase 1t open
safely or In rrii.ble hands, you better si,ll
fioTida Immediately. See thai our iriendi. r.-
main. Can't get others TO 20. Give me e1.c,
coalition ion,ghi- Captain, Lieutenant. Anna,
JAne.-D.
Our readers know just how Tilden was
tiiling the ''soii' of Florida. But Weed
was not ready to sbandon his South Caro-
lima Intrigue, and telegrsphed later the
N~"sN 'es' sHst nc ba1 uAhlHk
the trade contingent on March. but though,
he could get all the Electoral votes instead
of two or three. His d--pueh ssid
Telegram received. Looks nor as laougA
He hIng ,cOs!d nork AZ SIS .OO for all screen
rofes. Have safe man TO bring stun on rrc-ls-
ing telegram in morning. Think will meet
him with party at BALTIMORE
The reply TO this being delayed, Weed
became anxious, and In reply To further In
quiry was informed by Pelion Nov. 18th.
that 'fuil telegram" had been sent "before
= this morning The full Telegram Is miss
10y, hut It's purport Is shown by Weeds
reply; Telegram received. (win;) see
parties instantly. Perhaps two hours be-
tore answer. win try and get conditions.
Frequent dispatches passed during the
day. Weed fearing that the Democratic
counsel's demand that the Board be order.
ed TO canvass only the face Of the returns
would defeat his game. 1iden and his
eoniederates were kept Ion the ragged
edge until finally came this exultant re-
port from Weed:
COLUMBIA. Nov..ls:
HENRY HAvEMKYER. Is ". l,th 81, n. Y.
Majority Of Board haze been secured
Cost Is 5000. 10 Be sent as foiiors: one
pdresi o. 10000, ono u $1,000 and one Of
5000; al 10 b, dce hundred or one thousand
BUS, notes 10 Ia deposited as parties accept
and given up on vote OF land OF hampton Ii.
e. State OF south Csrolinsl being given to Til
den's friends. The three packs should be sent
without inscription and Tonight. unless you
receive telegram from me eountermanding.
SHAH Try to secure everything BY the plan Of
deposit The friends Of Hampton and BavsriA
% are here In. force, and lear their money
and careful watching. and intimidation Of
Board. For Gods sake let it 60 il you can. Be
sale in Florida or Africa. % Do this 8, once
and have cash ready TO reach Baltimore sun
day night. Telegraph decidedly whether ii
will be done. VI.
The answer WAS evidently satisfactory.
for Weed telegrapbed later: Looks well
now. loo must have the money ct Bar.
NUNS 10 Baltimore early Monday morning.
90 At ten tonight" On the same day he
sent the despatch saying "meet me your.
self II prudent" and coOlly admitted that
the returns gave Hayes 800 majority with
the highest Tilden ElectOr go behind the
lowest Republican. On Monday, Nov.
10. Smith N. Weed was registered At Bar
nuns Hotel 10 Baltimore! That the mon
ey was ready there can be no doubt. but