Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-03
SOME INSIDE HISTORY
OF THE WORKINGS or The POLITICAL
MACHINE At WASHINGTON
Usually 0enominated the National Ad-
mlnistration - How COnkling's
Defeat Was Composed
Billed Grow.
WASHINGTON, October 81.

Secretaries sherman and Evarts, seems
to be relished bv those gentleman,
judging from the laudatory speeches
those gentlemen are making in behalf
ol Cornell, COnkling' candidate for
Governor of that State.
Only last January Hayes, Eyarts
and sherman were denOuncing Cornell
in language not to be misunderstood, and
HAYES ami his cabinet were resorting
TO every means in their power to de-
fame Conkling and defeat Cornell and
Authors confirmation pending before
the Senate.
Secretary John Sherman had Cornell
and Author suspended from duty as
collector and surveyor Of the port OF
New York and General Merritt and one
Of his friends appointed to till their
places.
The whole Cabinet with Hayes were
brought 10 bear the power OF the adj
ministratiOn to defeat COnkling and his
men, but as they say out west, COukling
had the bulge on the administration
party, HAYES and his friends were per-
fectly desperate. Every turn they
took the defiant LOrdly Roscoe met
them and upset their plans and refused
all attempts at reconciliation with the
Who'll House.
Tn inside history of COnkling's de
fea, lust when he thought himself in
vincible is interesting, and places Mr..
haf.-.. al
now in very bad light and makes
them look like somebody hid. These two
gentlemen were loudeSt in their de-
nunciationS of COnkling and his friends,
Cornell and Author, as dishonest men,
charring Mr. COnkling with protect
ing them, but all the abuse heaped upon
them only tended 20 make them
stronger, and their confirmation sure.
At this stage of the tight aAfriend of
Mr.. Eyarts informed him that COl.W. =.
Wood. eN Chief Of the Secret Service
Division, was the only man who could
meet and defeat the man OF the H,DlSri-
on clri. and il his assistance could be
secured success was certain.
Mr.. Eydyys sent iOr Colonel Wood,
stated the desperate condition Of
things, and promised that claim
OF Colonel Woods then pending
in the Treasury Department should
be taken up, investigated, and ii correct,
paid. This. secured Wood, and EyartS
and sherman were happy.
Just before the Senate went into
executive session on the day the New
York appointments were to be acted
upon. Col. Wood wrote the following
open letter addressed TO Hon. Benz. +.
Butler, and each senator had one placed
upon his desk before the doors were
closed for secret session:
To Hon. Benz. r. Batisr:
DEAR GENERNL:-At times endeayOr
TO throw little light upon matters with
the details OF which you and both are
often familiar. The subject which de-
mauds our attention, per ,.rUTcr, at
the present moment Is tine VIM. T..
Dodge * Co. case, where TINS old, re-
spectacle and lOng-estIb.Suci New York
iron firm was tilched out Of overs quar-
ter OF million dollars IN what was
known aS the "cuStOms revenue case,
So. .692 80 Uf which went iute the hands
oi tine New York custom house officials,
who are now bringing To- bear such a
"gantIe pressure upon the Senate of
the United states, aad are So clamOrous
for their own restoration TO public trust
AMI public plumber.
OF course, your own connection with
the matter was simply legal One--(but
General, We become possessed o, many
fine points in legal way, sOmetimesD
You remember that b. G.. JAYNE figured
at that time Is GeneraliSsImo ot the
Customs cases, and, as general iuiOrmer
(baing borne upon the Treasury records
as Agent. But, behind hlm was al
WAYS the real infOrmer-ln the present
instance. that person was q FrgnchmIn
named urryie who hadingratiatci HIM
sell into the position Of confidential Sec
retlry oi General ". f. Dodge, IT,, one
OF the firm. and while holding such re-
lation. pur.ljucd some private CORES
pOndeuce, which vas afterwards used TO
compel a settlement OF the stern de
mands Of this New York Custom House
Ring--a formidable body just at that
time
And, although Hervie was supplied
with efficient and sufficient legal cOun-
SCI for all general purposes, yet, Jayne
who always had an eve % business and
generally managed II so that
YOU yourself could also be brought in
AMI receive q fee from the real intormer
A. well. You remember the conditions
ma le with YOU, were, that YOU were to
receive from hun, (Heryie) $500, and
from the Custom HOuSe Officials the
other $500, making total Of 5000,
for your lee.
While the case was pending, / en-
leayOTeu 10 prevent tins Swlnd.e on the
DOdges from being cOnsumatrd, and
see they were not only put upon their
guard about It, but warn Mr.. Secretary
Boutwell, and l 50 far succeeded IN IL,
that your matters did not thrive rs ia
yorably as you desired, and a new deal
had 10 be made Heryie'S counsel 9th
an Allen, ESQ, was sent for at the Gus
tom House and was informed that the
case would demand great assistance,
and that Hcrvie would b. required %
pav your whole fee Of Sj,00D, and the
Custom House officials would
paw Tor the additional ser
vice and inhueuse required to
obtain the money from the DOdses.
(Hervie's counsel By your friend aud
client, b q. Jayne, whereupOn Mr..
Allen objected, and did not accede
thereto until he was informed who the
great personsge wis, who was 10 bring
this additional influence to bear in the
case and what be vas % be paid for II.
Hon. Roscoe CdnklingS OF New York,
was named as the high official, and the
fee 10 be paid him $1,000 ThereupOn,
Mr.. Allen required confirmation OF this
from the Custom House officials them
selves. ami Naval Officer Lallin, repre-
senting Collector Arthur ana Surveyor
Cornell. assured him that the employ
mentof Mr.. COnkling was secured at the
price stated by Jayne. The conditions
proposed were scceded to, and Hervie
was to pay your whole lee of 5000 and
the Custom House officials We're to pay
Mr.. COnkling $4,000 as agreed. And
upon these conditions, the Hon. Roscoe
COnkling went 10 New York city at
once. and the matter was closed up by