The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-02
GEO. M. WICKLIFTE.

LII the peEI6TInHHCe "a AH eAush 80
agreeable duty the DEMOCRAT In recent
issue published the nnsavory record 81 ono
OF the most unblushng rascals that ever
afflicted this or any other community with
his baleful presence. 1t was disagreeable be-
cause everybody In New Orleans and Loutsi-
una was familiar with tho history OF this
criminal, and In the years when he figured In
tie politics OF this State had been surfeited
with accounts Of his swndling acts, which
arc still painfully fresh la the memories Of
those who were his victims. Had this man
remained In the obscurlty Of private life, con-
tent to spend the remainder OF bis days In
that quiet retirement which cmlnontly be-
comes all thieves who succeed In accumu-
lating sutlleiency OF other peoples money.
We should probably never have alluded TO
him again and have only remembered him rs
one remembers d hidcous nightmare OF an ut
tack Of smaI-pox-a thing to be dismissed
with shuader and with thanks FOR our dc
livsraucD.
Ii Ia Tho fatality Of yillainy, however, to be
cmboldened by success. and hence we find
men constantly who with assured fortunes
acquired by corrupt practices, and safe In
their obscurity, entering politics and seeking
public preferment, only to be utterly over
whelmed and crushed by the disclosure OF
their crimes "a result which Id inevitable M
soon RS their lives are subjected TO critical
analysis by their opponents and the press. 80
has It proved with Geo. Nj. Wiokliffe. The
restless longings Of hls guilty soul have
caused him, like Some unclean but dangerous
animal, to crawl from his hiding-plaee and
seek once again an opportunity for plumber.
FliDglng his two aliases tDr. r. Polk Shelby
and DIR. Marshall WorshaNl from him. he,
with characteristic audacity, enters the politi
cal arena In tho grand old Mother of States and
by arts with which he became familiar In the
days or his dark past. secures the nomination
for the State Senate against one Of VirRinia's
noblest and purest SONS. Informed Of this, we
felt Il il duty to warn Virginians Of their dan
ger, and as one takes up an offensive thing
with a pair Of tongs SO, DIS dalntily as possi.
bic, we picked up Wloklire and. rs We fondly
hoped, flung him from us forever,
The DEMOCRATS article WAS republished
IN tho Lynchbura Ne,ra. and naturally com
mandod tho attention OF the public, and made
1t Imperative that the would-be State Senator
should either deeamp from the faces OF
honest and indignant men, Or else enter
denial. With matchless effrontery, and
with the savage courage of u eur Mt bay he
writes u lengthy article Co the Nfirs (which
we ropublish to-day IN which he denies with
well foigned indignation most OF the charges
made against him, represents himself a5 q
much injured gentleman who had been
pursued with relentless fury by Warmoth,
to escape whose clutches he had been com
PEELED to assume different names. He refers
to tho Strauss robbery us q purely business
transaction which he was prevented from
closing satisfactorily, because he chad to
lenve suddenly" but alleges II was suhse-
quently settled, and prints receipt In full
from Strauss, together with acknowledge
ments from Neugass, Boyer aud Thomas
that his arrest at Brookneal grew out of q
misunderstanding. As To the impeachment
trial. no claims that he resigned before IL
ended, and thinks that therefore It amounted
to nothing but u farce.
It's difficult 70 tell where to graphic this
writhiug creature first His whole statement
however plausible or ingenious IL may seom
to people In Virginia. Is n clumsy and lll-eon-
sidered attempt 60 refute allegations. which
In Now Orleans are known TO DO absolutely
true, and Which are susceptible OF easy proof
The matter OF bis impeachment and conylc-
tor, among which were forgery and embezzle-
lment, are too notorious for argument. That
he resigned his Office under these charges,
aud fled from the State like thief (as he is)
Vt night, rather adds to than detracts from
his infamY, that he assumed various aliases
he IL forced u admit. which IL Id itself con
and now as to the Strauss affair
let us see how he stands.
Mr. Strauss. Mr.. NeuRass and Mr. Boyer,
for Wlckliffa, arc all still alive
and living here, and what we say III this re-
gard was gathered from these gentlemen In
yesterday MIR, WiekIife did
have large business transactions with Mr..
Strauss aud was under many obligations to
him. when. therefore, he concluded to Ill from
1 State whore hc could no longer hope to live
outside the walls Of It's penitentary, he
FORGED warrants against the State to tho
amount of Sl4i, 55s CD and took them to his
good frieni. Me-. Strauss. and kindly sold
hem to him. as i matter or friendship, at u
ow points loss than the regular mark rate.
In ono day he received from Mr.. Strauss
,he sum Of 100000. all but $4,000 of which
vas in greanbacks The $4,000 was certi-
led check, the payment OF which was fortu
lately stopped and the money recovered
sfter Rdeiay Of two years.
It must be borne In mind TINT these war
ANTS were FORGED by Wickltffa whom he was
Auditor The names OF jno. b. Howard. !
Jacob Hassnger, Dan O. Byerly, aud many |
others. to whom the State was frequently |
iebtor, were boldly forged by this accom-
oshod rascal. aud his own signature as Audi
or affixed, making the warrants apparently
good and deeelving Mr. Strauss ana every
me else, ut the time. completely They were /
delivered by Wickli0'e IN person to Mr.. Neu
yass for Mr. Strauss. SO there can be no
possible mistake about 1t. Mr.. Strauss
detected the imposture through Mr.. |
II. B. Howard, who being shown |