Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-08-29
PUBLIC OPINION.
The man who Made that Old Columbus
Liel


with Alan Gangewer, sec
retary Of the Ohio State Association
for the care of soldiers, who had been
editor of the Ohio State Journal,
afterward private secretary to Gov
Chase, and is now assistant auditor in
the treasury department If there
ever was a more honorable man |
never knew him; and any allusion to
this SANDER made him angry. He
treated it all as base and baseless
lie; but his wife, most excellent
woman, and one peculiarly observant
of the prOprieties, one who had tried
to be a mother to the motherless
Kate, and had quite taken her into
her heart, thought she was impru-
dent; but, as for any harm, real or
intended, it was not to be thought of.
She herself had never known Kate to
overstep the mark but Mr., who
held some position under Mr.. Chase,
and was constantly about the State
House, told very strange tales. AT
mention of this mans name her hus-
band exclaimed, a" Balderdash !" and
lett the room but from that man S
standing in society it seemed that the
little girl must have given some
ground for the stories he told, which,
by the way, were the first edition of
those now told by the Democratic
editor Of the Democratic Post at
Washington. She had been in the
habit of going to the Capitol, no
doubt, and going through the rooms
with unusual freedom, and this gave
opportunity for many surmises.
A friend in the West wrote me on
the subject, and gave this man as
authority, and repeated his story with
circumstances difficult to reconcile
with any theory of innocence. From
two other sources | heard the story,
and in both cases traced it back to
this man, whose position seemed to
place him above question in a matter
Of simple veracity. 1t was like the
old story that once got abroad among
the animals that the world was falling
I"Who told you?" says the hen to the
duck. "Oh, the COW told me" Some
one else told the COW, and when il
came back TO the cat, she bravely
affirmed: II saw it, and heard it, and
felt it !"
Others spoke on hearsay but this
man saw with his own eyes, heard
with his own ears, felt. in his deeply
aggrieved soul, the great wrong which
had been done to virtues course.
He came to Washington and got an
appointment, and it was not long unit
he proved himself as rotten as a
pumpkin which has lain a6eld all win
ter; and falsehood proved to be his
special gift. Some people could make
IA story out of small material but he
was a creator, and made his out Of
nothing. If he made promise, il
it was only to break it, and, when he
told the truth, it was from some
accident, forgetfulness, or necessity
but he was always plausible; and
those to whom he had lied yesterday
we're apt to believe him to-day. He
had literally lied his way into Office
and all through life or the habit had
grown upon him, until, like a cancer
it had taken all the vitality out Of
him.
| went to Liverpool in the spring Of
1876, on the good ship Egypt, and pre-
sented a letter to the captain-a letter
which had been sent to me by a lady
friend in the West, who had received
it from one of her lady friends, who
having heard that | was going on that
ship, had volunteered her good Offices
to insure me tho most polite attentions
from her friend, Captain Grogan.
had never seen or heard of the cap.
tain's friend, but my friend stood No
| in the social and religious life O
her city, and, out of respect to her,
would not slight the letter of he
friend.
True, | had no need Of the captain,
politeness. All / wanted of him wa,
to keep order on board ship, and TAXI
her safely to port-to mind his owl
business and that he was doing bu
etiquette seemed to require that
should deliver the compliments of hi;
former passenger.
shall not soon forget the comica
! TWINKLE which came into his gray eye,
as he read that letter. He gave
gdfan, and said
SO, Sally has got man, has she?
| was obliged to confess that | die
not know Sally, and to feel that the
captain of the Egypt was even more o.
a sailor and less of a gentleman than
| had supposed; but he told Inc if
bad any more letters from Sally | had
better throw them thus, 9s he crgm.
pied that one up and threw it over.
board. Even then | thanked him.
In Washington early in 1877 the
history of this man who played pussy
in the Columbus scandal came up fol-
| DISCUSSION, and | learned that he had
maintained most Infamous relations
Mllu Muulill ihblO AhAdHuNH hNdl
himself; that when his corruption be-
came so fagrant that even the Grant
administration could no longer endure
him, and he was dismissed, he married
this woman, for the sake of the money
she had accumulated, principally by
going to Europe as travelling compan-
jon for men who were off on a de.
bauoh.
He took her to a Western city
where his political influence had given
him social standing, and introduced
her as his wife, which she was, anc
where she was received into the best
circles, and whore he deserted her be-.
cause she would not give him hei
money to go into a political campaign
1t was while she was fOurishing as .
lady Of fortune, dress and address;
lady of culture who had travelled
extensively in Europe, mingled in