National Republican., 1879-03-31

corruption, until the Democratic party
had become discouraged at the scarcity
of game in those quarters. Every trail and
every hole they scented for dishonesty in
office proved false to their expectations, and
they returned from each crusade and foray
with empty game-bags. This was provok-
ing, but somehow it would turn out so in
every instance.
When the Senate became Democratic and
committees of investigation could wear the
Democratic uniform, then hope revived that
something would be done TO make fraud
hunting among the Republicans more sue
cessful. The old adage, "Scta rogue to catcha q
rogue" was probably hunted upand studied
in differing the Senate. The Sergeant-at-
Arms Of the Senate is an important auxiliary
in the detection and conviction of fraudulent
officials and the exposure of evil practices,
and it was thought advisable in filling that
Office TO secure eminent experience and abil-
ity in such matters, and the selection fell
upon RICHARD j. BRIGHT, of Indiana,
whose motto has been displayed in the
Sentinel, of which he wns editor:
When you get a good thing, save II, save 1t;
When you catch q black cat skin II to the tail
Mr.. BR1GHT's antecedents are furnished
in history from his neighbors and acquaint-
ances, and the record reads in this wise:
In 1871 RICHARD ]. BRIGHT, who is now
Seryeantat-Arns of the United States Senate,
was proprietor of the indianapolis Herald, now
the Sentinel. The Legislature of that year
nlaptal him printnr nph In oh
that office on February 49, On the next day
lthe 9Th he presented to the State Auditor u
bill for 200 reams of fifty-pound book paper,
amounting to 2,O20. He swOre to this account,
and it was approved by Secretary of State
EDDY. On March q BRIGHT presented another
bill for Gli rcams of paper and other items,
amounting to $6,S07.72. On the Goth of March
another bill was presented for 452 reams of pa
per and printing work, amounting to So, ,62l. So.
On the 1st of May another bill was presented
for 519 reams of paper and other items, amount-
ing to Si3,477Y0. These vouchers were pub
lished in the Indianapolis Journal of July IL,
and BRIGHT asked for an explanation.
The explanation came, headed by the
couplet which we have inserted above, fol-
lowed by the statement that he proposed TO
legally, and 1--WE hope it will produce a
Sufficient amount to satisfy our modest
"desires and leave on hand some balance
" to spend, if necessary, to aid in continuing
Indiana Democratic In point Of fact
this statement was frank and straight for
ward, and involved no wrong per Sc, for
when man acknowledges himself to be Oh
the make, but proposes TO coniine himself
within legal limits in that direction, he is
presumed to act within the bounds of right
which involves no wrong. After that decla-
ration of purpose, however, he was gen.
orally known and designated as "the cat
skinner" while "cat-sknning" was re-
gnrded as term that covered almost any
license in Office. But to continue the
| record:
On July 26 Mr.. BRIGHT was arrested for
| perjury, based upon q bill rendered to the
| State on March 6. Going before q justice oil
| the peace, he gave bail for appearance in the
| Criminal Court on the 18th of August next
following. The grand jury returned an in
| dictment in three counts, charging Mr.. BRIGHT
with the crime of perjury in swearing to the
| correctness of his bill against the State of
| March g. The first count charged BRIGHT
with false and corrupt swearing for the pur.
| pose of inducing tho Secretary of State to ap-
| prove the bill, BRIGHT we'll knowing that the
State was not indebted to him at that date for
any such amount of paper or sum of money.
The second count charged BRIGHT with false
and corrupt swearing to induce the Auditor OF
| State to draw his warrant upon the Treasurer
of the State for the amount of tho bill, and
the third count charged him with false and
| corrupt swearing, in violation of tho fortictll
section of the felony act.
| On the 14th of August BRIGHT was arrested
and gave bail in the sum of $500. On Sep
| tember 4 his trial was begun in the Criminal
| Court, the defense being represented by Sena-
| tor MCDONALD, A. w. HENDRICKS, Hon. JOHN
r. CoFFRoTH, of Lafayette the late Hon
| JAMES HUGHES, of Washington; Hon. JoNA'
| THAN w. GORDON, aud w. w. LEATHERs oil
| this city. The trial lasted sixteen days. Nc
| evidence was introduced to show that the
paper had been furnished to the State or the
| work done as charged. The foreman oi
BRIGHT's office swore 1t would have been ut
| terly impossible to use the amount Of paper fol-
which BRIGHT had charged within the time
/ specified. The defense relied mainly upon
| proving that it was not the custom of the Au.
| ditOr of State to require such bills to be sworn
to, aud that the affidavit being one upon a
matter in which no oath was legally required
tho charge Of perjury could not be maintained
Secretary of State EDDY testified that he did
not approve the bill by reason of BRIGHr'i
oath, and Auditor SHOEMAKER testified that he
| did not require the oath ; so the first two
! counts Of the indictment fell. The fight was
made on tho last count. The jury, consisting o
| six Republicans and six Democrats, after benl
out forty-eight hours, came into court and be
| ing unable to agree, were discharged.
This criminal action created the greatest po
litical and personal excitement throughout tn,
State. The feeling was SO decided that Attor
ney-General HANNA, u Democrat, began
civil proceeding against BRIGHT for $4,000
the sum the State had been defrauded out o
through these false bills. Associated with hin
in the prosecution was Hon. NAPOLEON b
TAYLOR, a leading Democratic attorney Of thi
city.
In the month of November, BRIGHT begal
the work of furnishing paper for which he hat
charged the State in the preceding March. III
| built an iron warehouse in the rear of the Sen
HRel printing establishment, filled il with paper
had it insured against loss by fire, and thel
began negotiating with the counsel represent
ing the State. As result the ctcers of tn
State agreed to dismiss the civil suit for th
sum Of $50, 900, the consideration being that tn
State had been secured against loss by rcceiv
ing $50 reams of paper then stored In the ware
house. This agreement is entered on the rec
Ords Of the court under date Of February
1879.
Tho second trial for perjury began Februar
g, 1872, and ended in BRIGHT's acquttal
RICHARD j. BRIGHT sought to swindle tn
State Central Committee last year out of NOR
than 81 600 on trumpcd-up charges for print
ing that was never done. A statement is mad
by one Of the best Democrats in Indiana tha
RICHARD j. BRIGHT undertook, during tn
session of the Legislature last winter, to black
mail prominent Democrat Of Ngo County on
of 81, 900 by Offering for that amount to use hi
| tnHn 10 ha 4 A 2 tap tfatn