The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-30
WORSE AND WORSE.
James A. Garfield and the So, 900 Bride.
The Sort OF Man ts,at was Nominated at
Chicago for the Presidency.
New York Sun.l

up In Washington as the agent OF the firm
OF DsGolyer & Mcclellan, of Chicago, to pro-
cure large contract for laying wood pave
ments. He began operations. as described
by himself in a letter to his employers,
dated February 26, 1872 ss follows:
"The first act was to capture Huntington
and the Governor; next, to paralyze the
tually; alliance for the future is entirely COM
/ plete."
Huntington was the cashier OF jay Cookies
bank, and the intermediary for most of the
ring corruption. The Governor" ives Boss
Shepherd. Subsequently Huntington died,
and on the Sth of April, 1872, Chittenden
telegrsphed to Mcclellan as follows:
"Governor Shepherd is my right bower
now In place of huntington: Don't whisper
a word; but one soul knows It,"
Having secured this influence, il was nee.
essary to enlist support in Congress for the
proposed raid on the Treasury. At that
| time G. Parsons was the United States
Marshal of the Supreme Court, which office
he had converted into a headquarters for the
lobby. He was known TO be the next
friend OF James A Garfield. then Chairman
OF the Apron. iations. Chittenden brought
Parsons to Washington, and in letter to
Mcclellan he speaks In this language:
Tuesday afternoon Parsons arrived. We
shall get lOO,0OO yards, and how much more Is
problematica. The influence of General Gar
field has been secured by yesterdays, last
nights ana to-day's labors He holds the
purse strings of the United States Is Chairman
OF the Committee on Appropriations and the
strongest man in Congress; and with our
frIenus my demand is to-day not less than
100000 yards more-A0,CJO in all. The connec-
ton is complete. can hardly realize we have
General Garfield with us. 1t is a rare success,
and very gratifying, rs all the appropriations
must come through him.
Parsons was paid So 900 at that time for
the connection" which he established, and
u 49, o. .rA - n0k vxnA
bribery retainer. On the 2lst of June, 1872,
De Golyer & Mcclellan were formally noti-
fed TO this effect:
The Board have this day awarded you a con-
tract to lay l50,L00 yards of wood pavement, of
patent known as DE Golyer No. 2, the whole to
| be Completed within i've months from date
An additional amount of 5000 square yards
will be awarded you as soon as the Board is
account or expenditures about public build
1ngs and grounds, or you will be allowed TO
lay IL this season If you will wait until an ap-
preparation is made for this purpose, at s35O
per square yard.
The ring was then applying to Congress
for an initial appropriation, and this condi.
ton for the additional $4,000 yards was to
bind Garfield, whom Parsons had pledged to
Boss Shepherd aud his associates. after full
understanding with Garfield. The job ag-
gregated 500 900, and the profit on it may
be estimated by the following extract from
the testimony of o. H Quincy, the Super.
intendent OF De Golyer IL Mcclellan:
By the Chairman-DId 1 understand You
correctly when L understood you to say that
the total cost of the pavement is $3.50 per
square yard, including the blocks, labor.
tutes the whole cost of the pavement, the
actual working cost OF the pavement In this
city.
Therefore. the contractors had $500 600 for
addition, division and silence. To procure
this )b, they agreed to pay $97 ,000 McClel-
|
point thus
When Mr.. Chittenden came to Chicago he
said he wanted 500 600. but that he had ar.
and he said he wanted TO pay his expenses,
and part of the National debt.
John s. Cook. the attorney and business
manager Of the firm, also testified:
"My transit account showing a disposition
of $4,000 is as follows: May %. Colonel p.
payable, $4,000 mo explanation, out probable
arrangements with the boss and othersl: July
half Of whieh Gare Epi reeeived Gnig
$1,000 'a" new w. '0''in 0'0"n'
When Parsons was called before the Joint
Committee in 1874, he swore as follows;
before the Board had finally made It's
awards / was called home TO cleveland by
matters OF pressing private nature, aud feel.
labOrs, and, OF course, DESTROYS of securing my
fees, called upon General Garfield, and gave
him history of the case as 1t then stood, and
in few days, If he would act for me In my
absence, and give the subject careful investi-
CATION. L said to HIM had a fee in the case
OF Importance to me, and would be glad to
share 1t with him. The same day or day after
left for Cleveland, and when l received my
did not share with Garfield, or even mention
to hlml some considerable time AFTER from
my clients in Chicago, L deposited General
Garfield's to his credit in bank, and SO wrote
him."
Now, it is already seen from Chittsnden's
foregoing letters what kind OF lease" Par
sons was representing, and what sort of
counsel" he was. That shallow device
deceived nobody. Parsons was a we'll
known lobbyist, and they hired him solely
because he could manage Garfield, whom
Chittenden described az holding the purse
strings of the United States" The ring
wanted morey, and he was the MAJ who
handled the appropriations.
Garfield did not appear before the Joint
| Committee of 1874. But when the subject
was revived before the Real Estate Pool
! Committee, in February, 1877, he came to
! the front. B. r. Nickerson. the owner of a
patent process used in the De Golyer pave
ment, bad made some damaging revelations,
and Garfield cross-examiDed him. They
had some sharp tits, and finally Garfield
undertook to reveal his own connection with
the De 0olyer job, and to explain his S., 900
bribe, in these words:
A day or two before the adjournment of
Congress, which adjourned in the latter part
of May, or the first part of June, 1872 The didn't
know which, with the record to refer to-,
Richard G. Parsons, who was practlcing law
yer In Cleveland, but was then Marshal of the
Supreme Court and an old acquaintance of
mine, came to my house and said he was
called away summarily by important bust.
ness latter having just been brought to Wash.
lngton by Chittendenl; that he was retained
in a case on which he had spent a great deal
OF time and that there was but one thing
remaining TO be dOne-to make a brief OF the
relative merits OF large number of wooden
pavements. He SAID he should IL sc his fee
unless the brief on the merits of these pave
ments was made, and he asked me to prepare
the brief. He brought me his papers 10 my
house, and models of the pavement. When
Congress adjourned / sat down to the case in
the most open manner, as would prepare
brief for the Supreme Court, and
worked upon this matter. 1 went
over the whole ground carefully and thor.
oughly, and prepared a brief on the relative
claims of these pavements for the considera
ton of the Board. That was all did. ought
to say here that never saw Mr.. Chittenden
until about the time made the brief THAT is,
after Chittenden bad hired Parsons and Par
sons had agreed TO 'ssharen hts fee with Gar