The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-12-05
PuItttta1.
SMOKED OUT AL LAST,
GEN. sIGFRIED CoNFEssEs TO HIS
BRIBERY OF JACK KEHoE,
Lhe Conspiracy Of the Republican Leaders In
1875 with the MOlllo Masuires-IWO
Thousand Dollars Cash Down.
the Price Paid.
Harrisburg Patriot Of 9th ult.l

that General Sigfried, prominent Re
publican politician of Pottsville, was the
principal negotiator in the wholesale
purchase of the votes Of the Mollie Ma
guires for Governor Hartranft in the
election of 1875 During all this time in
the midst of the discussion OF the kehoe
case and its connection with current pol
itics General Sigfried has preserved a
discreet silence. But he has been smok-
ed out at last. In long interview pub.
lished in the Pottsville Mines Journal
of Monday, General Sigfried describes
the successive steps in the negotiations
which terminated in the transfer of the
Mollie Maguires to Governor Hartranft.
From his long statement we make the
following extract;
after considerable general talk, Slat'
terly stated that he had brought with
him John Kehoe, q friend of his, who
would work with him against Pershing;
but as they were both poor they could
not travel and spend their own money
they would do all they could against him
80 far as possible, even without getting a
cent toward expenses. but if we could
furnish them the means to travel, and
get their friends to work, they we're GER
tain they could make change of GER
tain number of votes in each of the IT.
ish districts. They made a calculation,
but the figures do not now recollect,-
We wanted to know how much they
thought it would require to pay their ex-
penses for themselves and friends to
make thorough canvass and bring
about the result stated. They put the
figures at $4,000 for the State ticket and
$1,000 more if they ran certain other
candidates on the county ticket ahead of
a certain vote. We told them that of
course they could not expect the whole
of the amount unless they proved, after
the vote was counted, that they and
their friends in the several townships
had accomplished what they said. 70
this both replied that they must have
the $1,000 at once, as they should require
every cent and more to travel and get
their friends to do the same; that they
were in earnest in this matter, and that
they did not wish anything for them
selves or friends except to have their
expenses paid the satisfaction of de-
feating Pershing would be ample reward.
After some further unimportant Conver-
sation we told them that we would con-
slider the matter, and if we decided to
furnish them the money would tele'
graph Slatterly. After few days we
concluded to give them the money, l
telegraphed Slatterly, and they came to
my house. Mr.. Henning was there, and
after stating that we had talked over the
matter, we told them that we thought
that they ought to be able to accomplish
the result with at least half down and
the other half after the election but
they said they could not possibly DO it
unless they got it all but if that was all
we could do, they would do the very
beet they could with that amount. We
finally agreed to give it, paid them 81 900
that night and the other a few days
after, at Slatterly's house in Tuscarora."
This admission of General Sigfried
confirms all that has been charged con-
cerning the disgraceful alliance between |
the Republican leaders of Pennsylvania |
and the Mollie Maguires. The chief
difference between the statement of
General Sigfried and the testimony Of
John ]. Slatterly is the denial Of the
former that he said he would 60 to Har-
risburg and get the money after the bar
gain was. struck. General Sigfried de-
MES also that Governor Hartranft knew
anything about the transaction 'until
some time after the election" This
difference is not material. General
Hoyt was Chairman of the Republican
State Central Committee at the time,
and it was not necessary for General
Sigfried to mention the source from
which the money was obtained. 1t
is enough that Governor Hartranft be-
came informed of the character of his in
debtedness to the Molly Maguires some
time after the election, But the whole
character of the alliance between the
Republican leaders and the Mollie Ma
guiras stands confessed in the narrative
of General Sigfried. Seme good Repub
licans have shaken their heads in doubt
as to the existence of this foul con-
spiracy with assassins for votes. They
have closed their ears to the solemn
declaration of Franklin B. Gowen that
he knew of conferences between promi-
nent Republicans and the chiefs of the
Mollie Maguires, in which large sums Of
money were paid for turning the tide of
a State election, What do they say now
to this revelation by General Sigfried of
the methods by which large Republican
msjorities are produced in certain por-
tions of Pennsylvania
In relating the story of the negotia
tions with Kehoe and Slatterly General
Sigfried says he would have had nothing
to do with the matter had he known
they were MolIie Maguires. Of course
not. He would have gone among repu-
table citizens to make bargains for votes,
and no doubt his pure mind was greatly
shocked when he subsequently learned
that he was dealing with the chief of
band of assassins, He never intended
that the money should be used in
any but "a legitimate way" By no
means. He knew that Slatterly was "an
avowed enemy of Judge Fershing" and
he took it for granted that such per-
sonal enemy would not use the money
except in legitimate way. The money
was not given to buy votes at all. 1t was
to be used by Kehoe and Slatterly and
their friends to "travel" The proud sat
isfaction of defeating Judge Pershing
would be sample reward" for three
high.minded citizens who bargained for
votes as coolly with General Sigfried as if
they were selling him pipe. 1t is possi-
sible, since we have General Sigfrjed's
word for it, that he was ignorant of the
character of the men with whom he was
dealing, but the principals who paid the
money knew their value, and the result
of the election shows that in political
as well as commercial point of view it
was a good investment. 1t gave the
votes ofthe Mollle Maguires to Hartranft
and made him for second time Gov.
ernor of Pennsylvania.
A story is told Of a mqn in Connecticut who