The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-04
Last Nights Dispatches.
A Campaign Scandal.

1 Special Telegram to Chicago Times.
INDIANAPOLIS. Sept. 2-The De enocrats
are enjoying unspeakable delight in antici
patton of the terrible havoc they will
create when they turn loose their mud
batteries on Judge Porter. They are
still maintaining an air of owlish wisdom.
and give voice to mysterious hints of i'm
much mystery about the business, That
part of tho plan has been overdone. 1t
was intended to spring the sensation on
the public but the wise heads who were
possessed OF an inkfine of the story talked
about 1t until it became com mon property
The very bootblacks on the streets knew
that some colossal plot was under way.
but as to details they were neither here
nor there. They were nowhere. The
only thing known to certainty was that
JUDGE PORTER
was goiog to be blown entirely out Of the
water, and beyond hope of salvation. The
men who really did know the bottom facts
of the scandal were Col Wm, z. Wood,
ex-chief of the secret service at Washing
ton; j. w. Cropsey. memb Der Of the Dem
ocratic executive campaign committee:
Franklin Lsnders. and one or two of their
con6dential friends. who went about ike
aonspirators Landers carried the weight
of his secret TO South Bend, aud those
who were left behind had to assume the
entire pressure. The Times correspon-
dent interviewed all the members
OF the central committee in re-
gard to the forthcoming Campaign
scandal. but Messrs. English. Brown, Rice
and Steaiy united protesting that they
were not in possession Of the details. They |
had heard ] of something of the sort. |
N %
man Barnum was stupid and run bis ton
que out two inches as he denied knowing |
anything Yet in spite of the amazing
ignorance. the matter was finally brought |
up in committee during the afternoon and |
discussed. After considerable talk it was
decided that it would be improper for |
the committee to take official coenizance |
of the accusation against Porter, :much as |
they would like to see the facts brought |
to light. They could not be placed in the |
attitude of Investigating or indorsinp the |
attack. IF the facts were published IL
must be done IN the usual way. News
paper correspondents mi ust run down the |
facts. and send them to their journals as |
they would other news. Col. Wood.
CUSTODIAN OF THE ALLEDGED FACTS
declines to give them to correspondents |
to day. and to night it was given out that |
proof-slip CT the entire statement would |
be ready for indiscriui1ate distribution to |
newspapers tomorrow, This may or |
may not be by authority. astno one seems |
to be in position TO make definite pro-
misses. In aay event tho story will have
lost its force and value by that time, The |
street reports to night give points 10 ad- |
dtion to those sent to the Times last
night. This correspondent cannot vouch |
for their authenticity but as they are
now public property they are given for
what they are worth. The street story as |
it nov runs is to the effect that
THE FIVE PER CENT. KANSAS LAND CLAIM
for $4,000 allowed by Judge Porter
when FIRST comptroller OF the treasury had /!
been rejected by his predecessor in Office |
as invalid and worthless; that it had been
brought up again through the influence Of
Messrs, Wilson aud Shellenherger, attor-
neys; that Mr. Porter directed one Of his
clerical experts to make brief of the case
and lay it before bim; that. the brief was
written and facts presented going to show
that the claim should not be paid; that,
this not being satisfactory to Mr., Porter. a
young and inexperienced clerk, a former
employe of his SOD, in Indianapolis, was
directed to make another brief, that the
claim was allowed, as recommended in
this last brief, that the clerk making the
brief had been oorruptiy approached by q
and prominent Kansas poll
ticisu, and that he had written the docu-
ment agreeable to the wishes of the afore<
said politician. The Inclination is sought
to be conveyed that
aR. PORTER KNEW OF THIS PRETENDED