New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-09
TuF CIPHER DISPATCHES.

80 T1rDES-PoIITICAL RUIN OF THE MEN EN-
GAGED IN FRAUD.
Abram S. Hewitt, in a conversation prlhVeu
heIow. saws that the cipher dispatches,
,f genuine, will be the political RUIN OF
those persons who were cognlzan5 Oh
tbem or WHO intended to perpetrate
fraud by them. He tells of a telegram READ
n him bv William Orion in the Winter Oh
1s76-1s77, in regard to the Democratic pur-
chase of an electoral vote in South Carohna
Mr.. Hewitt thinks that MIR. Tilden did not take
mart himself in the negotiations for the pII-
chase of electoral votes. His relations Win
Mr.. Tilden are described by him in the con-
versation. Opinions of Oswald 0ttendorter ana
others concerning the cipher kilograms are alSo
given below.
Mr.. HEWITT GIVES HIS VIEWS FRANKLl.
COW THE TEEEGRAMs HAVE LArREssEp I,i..,,,s,,
TANNING HIS BELIRF IN Mr.. TIIDENs HoNbsIl
rSrusTtY TREATED BY THE GRAMERcY PARK
sT.vFsNAN-THE ATTEMPT TO BUY AN ElEC-
ToRAL VOTE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The Hon. Abram s. Hewitt. who was the chair
IAN Of the Democratic National Executive Com
a;,tos dprinp the memorable Tilden campaign,
was visited last evening at his residence No'o
LexingtOn-ave
.syVbat do Won think" he was asked. " of the
al dispatches
TRIBUNE. and throwing hght Oh 'n0
campaien in Florida p
O. can saw for myself that never knew anything
.bont Those dispatches If THE TRIBUNE has the
,o,,ine dispatches and has translated them prop
o,,, II will be the political ruin OF those persons
Who were copnzant of them or who INTENDED 10 per
aotrate a fraud by them. ] do not know that they
ara genuine. never having seen one OF them OF
TRANSLATION of one of them before their publication
in THE TRIBUNE" .yy
"Had You ever heard of their existenceF'
cone day, in Washington. during the progress %
the count. a prominent Republican came 10 me an"
said that they were in possession OF DenoVi%''V
climber dispatches Of a damaging character, ana that
The Democratic party undertook to invaidate the
octon of Mr. Hayes OF to question his right to the
occidental chair these dispatches would be pub
I;sb0d and would have the effect, at any rate, OF
Ioenno Mr. Tiden out of the Presidential office. 1t
ismv opinion that the other prominent Republican,
,vbo 7 suspect, furnished these dispatches to The
soIpUNr procured them through the man VINO mem
toned the subject to me.
"A hint of such dispatches came to me from
another source. About the end of December or the
beginning of January when William Orion. then
president of the Western Union Telegraph Company
was charged with contempt for refusing to produce
dispatches relating to the canvass of the vote In
diped with me- The object of his visit was to per-
Suade me that it would be wise for the Democrats
not TO compel him to deliver up the dispatches and
he assured me that they would lead to revelations
of acts unknown to myself and other Democrats,
which would be very damaging to the Democratic
marty. told him that had no knowledge of
such dispatches and was surprised to find
him so solictous for the welfare of the
Democratic party. In fact, rather thought that
his purpose was to keep from us dispatches proving
Republican iniquity. What would you say be
answered If l should show you one of those dis
patches that have in my pocketbookP told him
did not want to see the dispatch and that should
say he was violating his trust in showing it or in
having it so in his possession. had been president
of the Western Union before him and never touched
or read dispatch except when the mere transac-
ton of business made it necessary Well. will
read You this Dispatch he said, producing the cipher
and the translation, and if you do not say that
came properly by it, will go with You before the
directors of the Western Union, and you may move
for my dismissal
"The dispatch he read to me had reference to ne
gotiations for the Democratic purchase of an cleo
toral vote IN South Carolina. infer that THE
TRIBUNE is going to publish dispatches that
subject If this particular one is among
them shall recognize it, After reading the dis
patch Mr. Orton explained how it came into his
possession. One evening. shortly before midnight,
appointment Democratic politician received cipher
dispatch from South Carolina at the telegraph Of
Zee in the Fifth Avenue Hotel He sat down at one
OF the tables pulled out his key a2d made transa-
ton of the cipher. few minutes after midnight,
as the Office being closed. he hastily gathered
up few papers on the table and went out His
translation of the cipher happened to drop on the
floor The operator picked it up, read it, and
Immediately started for Mr. Ortons house with the
cipher dispatch and the translation. and rang up
the President of the Western Union. Mr. Orion took
the papers, and told the operator to go home and
never open his lips to a single human being in ref
erence to the incident He said that my eyes were
the first to see the dispatch after il came into his
possession"
NOTHING SAID TO MR. TTLDEN.
"Did You speak to Mr.. Tilden any of your asso-
eiates Of what you had seen and heardf"
"No: il was too late then; the work had been DONE
Fiat ALL There was not sufficient evidence of the
correctness of the dispatch to warrant my carrying
the matter further at that date. 1t put me on my
guard, however. / did not know but that certain
individuals had been acting improperly their
responsibility"
"What do you think of Mr.. Marbles fraud essay
after this ~
"You assume that the men connected with these
dispatches acknowledge their validity. / shall
withhold my opinion till they have been explained
They may deny that the dispatches genuine, OF
that they have been properly translated"
"If not, what can Mr. Marble sayT
Il don't know. As l said before. it would be the
political ruin of any man to have the authorship of
such dispatches brought home TO him."
Mr.. HEwrTI's CONFIDENCE IN Mr.. TIIDEN.
"What can Mr.. nlden sayf'
"He can say good deal He can deny having
had any knowledge Of such TRANSACTIONS and be-