The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-07-25
MAXWELL.
from the Springfield Republican, July

Lieutenant E. w. Maxwell, ap-
pointed to the regular army from
this city last summer, has been dis
missed from the service down in
Texas, one account says for drawing
pay five times for the same month,
and another because of drunken
ness and conduct unbecoming an Of
ticer and a gentleman" There is a
good deal of interest in Springfield
over this case. E. w. Maxwellfirst
came to local public notice as a mem
Der of our police force. He was pro-
noted to the State constabulary, and
in September, 1874, the Republican
printed the facts that the big local
liquor dealers were being given IRE
markable respite from prosecution,
and also that Officer Skinner, Max
wells comrade on the State force,
had charged the latter with taking
$40 from certain liquor dealers. The
attention of the State authorities
was called to Maxwell's case and an
investigation suggested, but nothing
apparently al done about the
charges at Boston. But not long af-
ter Governor Trask, the leading
prohibitionist of this section,4on
whose recommendation MaxwelTKa lac
been appointed, withdrew his sup
port, and Maxwell and Skinner drop
ped back into private life. When
appointed State Detective Maxwell
was obliged, we ire informed, to
borrow money to go to Boston with,
but wien he retired he was appar-
emily in more comfortable circum-
stances. During the closing months
of his official life Maxwell became an
interested attendant at one of our
popular churches, and, if we mistake
not, was religiously interested, if, in
deed, he did not make a formal pro-
fession of conversion. He also took
to himself a wife, and it has been
currently reported-how truly we
have NO facts to prove-that the To-
cal liquor dealers made Officer Max
well a handsome present on the hap
py occasion. After losing his office
Maxwell was rich enough to run q
teaming line up in Orange, we be-
lieye.
So much for the local career of E.
w. Maxwell. His next appearances
in Springfield was as an officer in the
secret service at Washington. How
he got there no one here seems to
know. AS a detective in the depart.
ment of justice Maxwell went to
Florida and is reported to have as
sisted Bill Chandler in manipulating
the vote of that State. He also &C.
companied President Hayes on the
Journey from Fremont, Ohio, to
Washington, just before the inaugu-
ration. Last July the people OF
Springfield were informed that E. w.
Maxwell had been given a lieuten-
ancy in the army. Such an appoint
ment was a good deal out of the nat
ural order of things. Our army Of
fcers regarded it as a remarkable
one, coming just after the gradua-
ton of a big class at West Point, for
whom places could not be found.
Indeed, civilians are very rarely Civ
en- such berths when there are not
many West Pointers ready to take
them, and then only at the solicita-
ton of the most influential people.
Here Maxwell was not strong in the
confidence of respectable folks GER
tainly. A leading Springfield liquor
dealer says he knows him to have
been a bribe taker while on the State
constabulary force. The Washing.
ton dispatches say that this fellow
was rewarded for his Florida servic
es by. his army appointment. The
secret history of the way our bride
taking ex-State constable was trans.
ferred to the national capital would
be of great local interest. Who took
him to Washington, and what for
More Ii ght on the Maxwell case is
in order.