New-York tribune., 1879-01-28
THE DEMOCRATS on A WRONG TRACK.


THE DEMOCRATS on \ WRONG TRACK.
,rs1rD BY AN EXPRESSION THEY DID NOT UNDER
sTAND-wHAr MIR. TYNER SAYS.
Icy TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUTFl
.u,,suIXGToN. Jan. 27.-The Potter Committee
attacked the cipher dispatches from the rear to-day,
instead of marching up in front Of them in bold,
courageous way. The resolution under which
tbcv are acting directs them to inquire
N regard to certain dispatches in cipher that nave
beop published and which indicate that an attempt
was made to purchase Returning Board officers.
The Committee after placing the dispatches
which General Butler has furnished in the hands OF
Professor Holden for his examination and swearing
him not 10 divulge the contents OF them rather an
unnecessary proceeding after the publication
of THE TRIBUNE cipher pamphlet, called
several officers of the Western Union
Telegraph Company. and spent the most OF the day
in trying to find out something about some dis
patches. apparently not in cipher THAI passed
between First Assistant Postmaster 'eneral
Tvncr and General J. W. Foster, Of In
diana. row Minister to Mexico, and ex-Secretary
chandler then chairman of the Republcaf National
Committee. before the election. None of
the gentlemen had a very clear rccollec-
t9n Of the conteuts Of these dispatches
. Of the 1a'c of their trqnsmissioD, and about taa
. Iv tb,-- boy were sup, 20 'va. That they related
to to au...rt 'F, .c..a 10 '.' later or
}-rartmer O. o.. le.
TIE est s,orv ", ', .. Floyd
Grant WHO said thai h q lection
,fthc,c dispatches when Pres. lent oH de>''
70 return .hen TO Mr.. Tyuer He rcuen-
BE- i that one of them Vas dated at the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Depot in Philadelphia and
another at the Post Olice in Ncw-York City. that
both were addressed to Mr. L. Chandler, and that
the first one asked him to appoint two officers at
&. 800 and to deposit the amount of their salary
2j.OOO in some bank, so that it could
be drawn in indianapolis. Mr.. Grant was sure that
these dispatches were not in cipher.
This was treated as a bonanza by the DemOcfa
member. of the committee, and they made the most
of it, The Republicans insisted that 1t was not at
al in the line of the Investigation ordered by the
House but the Democrats were not to be
turned ASIDE from the scent upon which they had
e,rnck. Here was evidence Of corruption Of the
grosscst kind The PostmasteT-General of the
United states and the Secretary of the Interior were
eDcacedin conspiracy to get the salary oftWo Gov
eminent officers for campaign purposes, and the
one of them was 50 much afraid Of the discovery
of the transaction that he collected to-
cc,Lcr all his dispatches and destroyed them
Here, too, was a confirmation OF what the Dom
ocrats have always said-that all the Republican
dispatches have been destroyed and that If they
,a,cality equal if not worse, than that shown by
the Democratic ciphers.
Mr.. Tyner will go upon the stand tomorrow or
rcvt dqv and explain all of these transactions in
eucb q vav as to satisfy even Democrats that there
was no improper or corrupt proceeding
covered up by them. He viii show
IN the first place, that the officers Of
the Western Union Telegraph Company are sadly at
fault in their memory Of these dispatches; that
they were not sent from the points they named ;
and that the contents Of kilograms sent in
September, or early in October, 1876, have !
been confounded with those of others sent just !
before the November election. Mr.. Tyner VIII ad-
init that he did have some teegraphic correspon- !
dence with General John W. Foster be
fore the October election in 1876, in re-
gard TO funds for campaign purposes in /
Indiana but will deny that any appointments IN /
the Interior or any other department were men, F!
toned in any of these dispatches Tns correspond
tuce took place in SeDtembcr or early III October
and Will be fully explained.
1.-TWO INDIAN AGENTs"
The corresDondence with Mr.. Z. Chandler was |
equally innocent and the following is brief his
tory oft:
4 short time before the November election in
1876 Mr.. Tyner was in New-York In conversation |
with Mr.. Chandler the latter asked if there was
any chance Of saving the State of Indiana for
HAYES in the Presidential election. Mr. Tyner re- /
piled that it was doubtful; that the Republicans
were a good deal disheartened at their October de-
feat and that the Democrats would probably carry
the State in November At the same time he
thought that If Republican voters could all be got
out they might carry it. The Republicans of the |
State believed that many Democratic !
voters slipped into the State from
Kentucky and Illinois in October, and /
that in November the Democratic vote would !
fd of. Mr. Chandler asked what would be Deccs |
sary TO secure full vote. Mr. TYner said that If /
men could be employed a day or two be- |
fore the election TO 90 to all the Republi- |
voters in all the counties and urge them to |
come out and then wagons could be provided 10 |
bring out the voters on election day, the full Re
publican vote would be polled. Mr.. Chandler |
asked how much would be needed for this purpose !
Mr. Tyuer said that there were between 80 and 100
counties, and that 800 10 a county would be as
small a sum as they could get along with That |
would enable them to employ ten men in each !
county one day al 80 and leave $50 to each county
for wagons on election day. Mr.. Chandler said |
lie could promise - 900 because he had about
that sum in the treasury OF the National committee
and he nj ght possibly raise $1,000 more. He told
Mr. Tyuer to 90 home, and if the state Committee
was Of the opinion that the vote could be gotten
ont in that way to telegraph him.
Just as Mr.. Tyner about to leave lie re-
marked that he did not to be telegraphing
Mr. Chandler to send money TO the committee.
and that they had bettoragree upon some expression
which would lie understood between them. Mr..
Tyner then suggested that "one Indian agent
should mean -, 900. Both made memorandum
Of this.
Mr. Tyner went to Indianapolis. After consult
Ing with the State Committee il was concluded ~