Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-02

everywhere. WINDOWS fattled, smut
ters clSshed, chimneys were blown
down, and sign-boards went drifting
up the avenue, and water streamed
down the cutters ankle-deep. Now a
venturesome pedestrian struggled
against the gale for a ioothold, then
sought shelter in some friendly door
way. The mail was six hours late
that day. The Winnebago chiefs
would gather about the front window
at intervals during the afternoon, draw
their blankets more closely about their
shoulders, look out into the piercing
storm and hold a muttering converse.
ton among themselves. Their inter-
prefer would explain certain things to
them, which for the time seemed to
relieve their anxiety. "Ugh, good
Simon, no come" they would mutter,
and then retire to the little back room,
where they would smoke the pipe and
hold prolonged consultations. Here
againthey would repeat "Ugh, good
Simon, no come. Ugh, good Simon,
no come. Ugh, good Simon, no come"
1t was 10 o'clock at night. The
storm was still raging outside and the
Winnebago chiefs were in the midst of
q war dance in the little back parlor
Jimmie Maher marking time on an old
tambourine. A coach pulled up at tho
door, and tall man, in a thick warm
coat rushed into the Globe, which put
sudden stop TO the war dance. That
man was Simon Cameron, whose ca
reer in Pennsylvanih politics has been
80 remarkable. After exchanging
greeting with Jimmie Maher, Simon,
who was not stranger in Washing
ton even at that day, was introduced
to the Winnebago chiefs as their great,
good friend-the man who would see
that their claims were adjusted hon.
orably and paid promptly" Then the
chiefs regaled themselves with "fire.
water" at Simon's expense, and there
was a general jollifcation all round,
which was kept up until the small
hours Of morning, Simon and Jimmie
Waher being, If anything, drunker
than the Indians. OF the two men
Jimmie Maher was decidedly the bet
ter man, in head as we'll as heart. He
had been strictly honest in his deal.
ings with the Indians, and had, in his
rough way, been true friend to them.
Cameron was cold, designing, mer-
cenary. He had on his mind at that
moment a cunningly devised scheme
to rob, in the most bareiaced manner,
those poor, but too confding Whine.
bagoes, and yet he had deluded these
Indians into the belief that he was
their true friend. In this shameful
scheme of plunder he had confedcr.
ate named Brodhead, also from Penn
sylvania. This man was sharp, un.
scrupulous speculator, and was we'll
known in Washington for the boldness
Of his operations. Cameron was nomi-
nally cashier, but really ran the Mid.
dlctown bank, one horse concern in
Pennsylvania. Brodhead went quietly
to work and bought up the Whine.
bago claims for mere trihe, while
Cameron got himself made United
States Commissioner to settle them.
And this was his object in Washing.
ton at the time we write Of OF course
Simon began his work of charity by
allowing all the claims, genuine as well
as fraudulent. In that way the two
worthless went on and accumulated q
very large sum Of money, and would
have kept on had not their operations
become 80 glaringly dishonest as to
attract the attention OF Maj. Hitch
cock, then the Government disbursiDg
officer at st. Louis. This is the same
Hitchcock who formed, as q Major
General, one Of the Courts before
which Fitz John Porter was tried. He
was a man OF singular purity Of char
acter, strict in the performance of his
duty, and no man ever questioned his
integrity. Hitchcock instituted an In
quiry which revealed facts of the
most astounding nature. In short, he
discovered that gigantic system of
robbng was being carried on, in which
the Indians, as we'll as the Govern.
ment, were victims, and that Simon
Cameron was really the "boss in the
business" Hitchcock welded sar-
castle pen, and in reporting this mon
strous swindle he,dwelt upon it's innu.
ence upon society with great force.
lie also returned Cameron's drafts dis
honored. This led to further invcsti-
cation, during which the most corrupt
means were used TO break Hitchcock
down and get him removed from bis
post In this they signally failed.
Hitchcock was not the man to be put
down by men who were proved to
have conspired to plunder the Govern.
ment. Their course only renewed his
efforts to expose the swindle, and the
further he gotinto il the more shock.
ing its details became. He proved be.
yond question that Simon Cameron
was even worse than Brodhead, mas.
much as he had added hypocrisy to
the crime OF robbery. He also proved
beyond question that the Indians had
been swindled, the Government had
been swlndled, and Cameron and Brod.
head had made themselves rich. 1t
was in this scheme OF robbing the
ignorant but confdng Indians that
the now venerable Simon Cameron
laid the foundation Of his political aud
financial fortunes. And il was in this
that ho earned the title Of Winnebago
chief.
Notwithstanding the guilt Of the
parties was proved by the most posi-.
tive proof, no one was punished. Cam.
oron came TO Washington, and, by
means no officer Of the army has ever
been able to explain, bad the matter
"hushed up" From that day to this
Simon Cameron has had no use for
officers Of the regular army Of Major
Hitchcock's stamp.
In 1s45 Simon Cameron cast long.