The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-24
wIOKLIFFE REDIVIVUs.

time In Virginia, and has flung himself bold
~ and with accustomed abandon and un-
blushing Impudence Into the arena Of politics
In that State, where he has recently been
nominated by the Republicans for the State
Senate. Think or WickIiffe, orr Wickliffe,
Geo. M. Wicklllfe, alias DIR. j. Polk Shelby,
alias DR.. Marshall Worsham, Louisiana
pct carpet-bagger, and ex-Audltor, (who
plundered the State treasury and robbed Mr..
Jacob Strauss of $4,000, and having stolen
everything In sight. silently stole away
turning up In the Old Dominion, the mother
OF Presidents, the home of Washington, as an
aspirant for the State Senate. -
1t seem almost too monstrous to be true,
but 1t is true, and with n brazen effrontery
which astounds oven those who are familiar
with the mans reckless defiance of decency
and ofth laws which obtain among honora-
Die men. he Is actually o candidate for the
Senate against j. w. Daniel, Of Lynchburg,
one OF the best and ablest men In the State.
After q period OF some nine years seeIusion,
which be suddenly sought and fortunately
found mid the mountains of Virginia, In or
der to escape the less delightful privacy OF
our penitentlary, he dawns once more upon
49, fsUJV vi bhJ puDIlG LII UHd HIlIl
lar role OF a Radical patriot. This was a
most rash and unadvised movement. for
The American people, while afflicted with
poor memories, and while perhaps Inclined
to be too lenient to men who have erred,
are not altogether given over to ldiocy: they
recognize and remember an unadulterated
villain when they find him, and they disooy-
cred Geo. M. Wickliffe some ten years ago.
burned upon his broad forehead the indelibIe
seal OF his infamy, and though he take shelter
Tor another decade under the shadows OF VIr-
Rln1n mountains and screen himself with In
Vulnerable assumed names, his crimes will
find him out, and he will see the eslow and
moving finger of soorn'' pointing him out to
all honest men-a thing to be despised and
Stunned.
A letter from q gentleman In LynchburR.
notifying us of Wlckliffe's nomination, and
asking for Information concerning his career
In New Orleans (unsavory rumors of which
have, 1t appears, been In circulation In Vir-
ginia), has induced US to devote some time
and space to q brief outline OF the history OF
a man who was once one OF our heaviest In
Elections, and from whose rapaclous Instincts
we feel 1t a duty to save the people of the
good old commonwealth, whose welfare must
always be q matter OF concern to Louisiana.
In the early days OF reconstruction Geo. M,
Wickliffe appeared In New Orleans and was
first heard OF In public life In 1867
as q member Of the Radical Board
OF Registration, OF which s. B.. Packard
was the president, and which deserved
well of the Radical party by the shrewd man.
nor In yuhiph thau - n 4ba rori,Erotta~ H. IA.
interests. In 1868 Wickliffe, who, like all sue
cessful ro9ues, possesses unquestionable abil-
ity, managed to secure the Radical nomina-
tfon for State Auditor, and az, In those
days, a nomination was equivalent to cleo
ton. was duly installed In that
important office, where the opportunities
for plumber were almost unlimited. He went
into the Office a poor man, but he had q turn
for business, and he meant business, and the
result was that by q series OF bold sWindles,
and by the most unblushing robbery OF the
State treasury and Of q private individual,
amassed a large fortune, with which he man
aged successfully to decamp between two
days, but not before he had been impeached
by the Legislature for high crimes and mis-
demeAnors.
He was impeached February 1. 1870, and
suspended from office on the same day by a
vote OF 81 to G. There were tWenty-elght
articles OF impeachment, which embraced col
fusion In the double Issue OF warrants, fraud
ulent issue OF warrants for coupons, bribery
and corruption In office eighteen separate
eount5), unlawful issue OF warrants to persons
not entitled to them, and defrauding the State
by issuing warrants In excess OF appropria-
lions for his own use and benefit. or these
charges he was found guilty on March 8, 1870,
but anticipating the verdict he had escaped
from the clutches Of the law by going down
the basin into Lake Pontchartrain In a skiff,
at night.
For a long time his whereabouts was a
matter of mystery, though he was eagerly
sought after by the State officers and by the
private detectives In the employ of Mr..
Strauss, the broker whom he had robbed OF
over fifty Thousand dollars by the sale to him
OF forged warrants. Some time In November,
1872, however, Strauss was informed that
Wickliffe was living near, the city OF Selma,
Ala, under the assumed name of DR.. j. Polk
Shelby. and took immediate steps to arrest
him, but In some unexplained way Wick
lille heard OF the move, and when the parties
arrived at the point they found tue bird had
flown and left not a clue behind by which he
could be traced.
On the seventeenth OF September, 1879,
Strauss received reliable Information that
Wickliffe, alias Shelby, was living in the town
OF Brookneal, Va, under the name of DR..
marshall Woorsham. Securing at once a
from Acting Gov. Antoine upon
the Governor Of Virginia for the body OF Wick
life, Strauss sent on the same day the
sevepteenth) his nephew, Mr.. Neugass, and
his clerk, Mr.. E. P. Boyer, to Virginia, to
bring the robber back to Louisiana. Messrs.
and Boyer arrived In Richmond on
the twentieth, procured from Gov. Walker the
authority for making the arrest,
ana then proceeded to Lynchburg, reaching
there on the twenty-first.