The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-09
Another Discovery.

Another Discovery.
Who went to Baltimore to carry
to Smith Weed the money for the
purchase of the South Carolina Re-
turning Board? On the 18th of No
vember, 1876, Weed telegraphed from
Columbia to Henry Hayemeyer-
otherwise Colonel VIM. 7. Pelton:
MAJORITY of Board have been Sc.
cured! Cost is eighty thousands, to
be sent as follows: One parcel of
siXty-five thousand dollars, one of
ten thousand and one of five thOus-
and ;all to be five hundred or one
thousand bills; notes to be deposited
as parties accept, and given up upon
vote Of South Carolina being given
to Tilden's friends. The three packs
should be sent without inscription
and tonight, unless you receive
telegram from me cOuntermending.
For Gods sake let it go! Have cash
! ready to reach Baltimore Sunday
night.
Later on tn = same day he telegraph
ed: "Shall leave tonight for Balti-
more. Meet me yourself if prudent"
And lastly, just before starting,
having apparently received favor
able reply to his request that "safe
man" should bring stuff" to Balti-
more, he wired this message:
Looks well now. You must have
the Copenhagen at Barnum's, in
Baltimore, early on Monday morn
ing. | go at 10 tonight.
The Tribune has already shown
how Smith M. Weed, leaving Col
umbia on Saturday night, November
Is, did arrive at Barnum's Hotel, in
Baltimore, early Monday Morning,
the Goth, registering there by his true
name. 1t was also shown, at the
time Of the publication of the deS-
patches, that there was every reason
to believe that the "safe man" met
| him with "the stuff" according to
| appointment, and that the failure of
the scheme was attributable to other
causes than the neglect of the New
York parties to put up the money.
We have taken pains to verify
certain information which reached
us two weeks ago respecting this
"safe man." The chain of evidence
is now complete. The register Of the
Mount Vernon Hotel, a small and
quiet house in Baltimore, where a
person of retiring disposition might
be safe from curious eyes, shows
among the arrivals early on Monday
morning, November 20, William 7.
Pelton, of New York. At 10 o'clock
Mr.. Pelton, with friend who had
accompanied him from this city,
took carriage. Early in the day
| the friend was seen with Mr.. Smith
Weed at Barnum's Hotel. 1t was
probably after this interview-to
which it would not be rash to assume
that Mr.. Pelton was also party
that Smith Weed sent his first cipher
despatch to Columbia
BALTIMORE, November 20.
General j. b. Gordon, Columbia ::
Matters arranged by Returning
Board agent. Inform Haskell and
/ telegraph news.
What occurred during the day to
disturb the arrangement is not
known ; but in another despatch to
General Gordon, Weed asked that
the Supreme Court might "hOld on
to the electoral votes" because tn re
might be "a little delay" and then
at night Pelton and his friend and
Weed all returned to New York.
The fact that it was Colonel Pelton
who made that journey to Baltimore
al such busy and critical time, in
compliance with Weeds request that
he would "bring the stuff himself if
prudent" is a most important dis
coyery. Pelton assuredly would not
have gone there just to tell Weed
that his demand for money could
not be granted. If Pelton was the
safe man who met Weed at Bar
NUNS Hotel, Pelton took with him
$4,000 to buy the South Carolina
Returning Board.
That is morally certain. Where did
he get it? Here is the act of bribery
brought home, not to secret agents,
and clerks, and secretaries, and anna
teur negotiators, but to some person
or some organization in the Demo
cratic party high enough to com
mand great sum of money and to