Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-22
DAVENPORT TO BE INVES-
TIGATED.
The Wallace Committee Ready
for the War Path.
Washingtnn Pc.

Senator Wallace arrived in the city
Yesterday morning, and left for home at
7:4O o'clock last evening. The Post
found him at the Capitol in the alter
noon, and he was as busy as one man
could be. He SAID he had run over to
Washington to get some documents be-
longing to his investigating committee,
which will begin work in New York
city within 4 few days, perhaps early
next week. 1t is the intention OF the
Wallace Committee TO overhaul John
l.. Davenport and his past conduct
i'm connection with elections, thor
oughly and completely. Sew
eral committees have lnNeS-
tigated Davenport, and though
each of them discovered fraud and ras-
calitv committed by him, a great deal
has been left undiscovered. The Wal
lace committee intend togo to the bot
tom of all Davenport's election transac-
tons, and to expose fully the cOrrup-
ton and fraud that have been en-
ployed, under his direction, to win Re
publican victories in New York. Sena-
tor Wallace has the names OF men who
were appointed supervisors and deputy
marshals by Davenport at the last cleo
ton, together with their residence, and
he intends to investigate theircharacters
and records. Enough is already known
TO warran. the statement that Daven-
ports hirelings will be proven to be-
long 10 the worst criminal classes
in New York. Evidence now on record,
brought out by incomplete invesuga-
- 81
ployed because OF their bad characters
and their willingness to commit any act
required of them. Grimes against cit
liens and against the laws were contem-
plated, and criminals were employed.
United States Marshal Payne, OF New
York City, refused to furnish a list OF
residences of the men who had been
employ ed under him rs supervisors and
deputy marshals until he was forced 10
do so by the Wallace committee. The
Tammany Society employed firm OF
reputable lawyers last winter TO prose
cute the men who, as supervisors and
deputy marShals, had outraged voters
at the polls and deprived them OF
their right OF suffrage. These attorneys
called upon Davenport for their names
of the men he had put at the polls, and
by him were referred to the United
States marshal. The lawyers then re-
QueSted from Mr.. Payne the information
needed, and after being put of for
weeks they got 4 list of the names
simply, and that was all they could
yet. The efforts to obtain the residences
of the United States election officers
were entirely fruitlcss, Notwithstanding
the energy they displayed. All sorts OF
lodges and subteriuges were resOrted to
by the marshals to avoid giving the
information that would enable the
prosecution TO lay hands upon the
Davenport hirelingS, and finally, when
there was no longer any chance
for evasion, the attorneys met with
downright refusal. Payne and his chief
clerk were summoned to appear before
the Wallace committee in Washington,
and to bring with them 4 copy OF the
roll of supervisors and marshals, to-
gcthcr with the residence OF each one.
This summons, of course, could not be
disobeycd, and it was only the power OF
Congress that finally compelled Payne
10 disclose the habitations OF his cleo
ton employees. In his testimony before
the committee Payne admitted that he
did not know the men whom he APP
pointed as deputy marshalls; that they
were recommended TO him by Repubh-
can politicians, and so far as he knew,
the supervisors and marshals were ac-
tive workers for the Republican party.