The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-26
THE STORY OF DE aoIYER GARFIELD.

In the spring Of 1872, lobbyist nam
ed Chittenden came from Chicago to
Washington, to represent the firm OF De
Golyer & Mcclellan, contractors. Chit
tenden appears to have known the
ropes. He made his approaches through
VIM. s. Huntington, cashier Of the First
National Bank, of which Gov. Cook was
President. But the unforeseen happened
Huntington died, and all OF Chitten.
den's efforts went for nothing, Instead
of fulfilling the dead Huntington's plans,
the surviving members OF the Ring at
tempted to defraud his widow out OF her
property, and they might have succeed
ed if she had not published one sugges-
tive letter from Hallett Kilbourne to her
husband, and hinted that she had more
in reserve. But Huntington's death left
Chittenden in the lurch. He was about
to return home, wheA fate kindly led
him into the presence of Rev. VIM. Cal
vim Brown, who gently intimated that
his spiritual influence over Gov. Cook
was 30 great that he might successfully
exert il on behalf Of wooden pave
ment, if he was properly rewarded.
Chittenden told him to 60 ahead, and if
b ras successful he should have $40 600
At browns suggestion Chittenden en-
ployed Richard G. Parsons, lobbyist,
who, IN the fall of 1872, was elected to
Congress from the Cuyahoga district OF
Ohio, but who, in the spring of that year
was plying his trade in Washington
Parsons Gays in his sworn testimony: IL
called upon Gen. Garfield and gave him
history of the case as it then stood, and
asked him, as Congress would adjourn
in few days, if he would act for me III
my absence, and give the subject care
full investigation. He at first declined
on the ground of pressing business, but
finally assented to have me send the
model, books, patterns, etc., to his house
for examination. After day or two l
called upon him, and he said he would
prepare an opinion ss to the merits of
the patent and attend to the case for me.
told him / had fee in the case of i'm
portanCe to me, and would be glad to
share it with him. The same day or
day after, left for Cleveland and when
l received my fee, some time after, from
clients at Chicago, l deposited Gen Gar
fields to his credit in bank, and 30 wrote
him."
Parsons further testified that he re-
ceived SIS 600 at the time he was retained
and subsequently got his contingent fee
of $4,000, making in all $l5 600. Of
this sum Garfield received $500. But
what service did he render2 He simply
wrote a paper and affixed his signature
to it, recommending the Board of Public
Works to adopt the De Golyer pavement
No. 2, together with the De Golyer q
Mcclellan process for ironizing the wood
used in its construction. That was
enough. Chittenden Immediately wrote
to his clients: "To-day's and to.nights
work has secured the assistance of Gen.
field. You cannot overrate the impor-
tance of this accession. He is chairman
of the Committee en- Appropriations, and
holds the purse strings of the National
Treasury. Ineed not now say feel GER
tain Of success"
The books Of De Golyer & Mcclellan
show that the first payment was made
TO Parsons ON May I'd, 1872 Garfield |
was called into the case almost immedi
ately. On May 11th a new application |
for the De Golyer pavement was formal |
ly laid before the Board Of Public Works
backed by Garfield. On May 20th, Gar
field, as Chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, reported an item of 1892
620 30, which the Board of Public Works
had charged to the United States. The
charge was fraudulent. 1t was based on
false assessments But in advocating it
Garfield said: "The Board have made
out a full and accurate statement of the
expenses of grading, paving, and other
work done on the streets opposite such
Government property, and have fOrwar.
ded to the President of the United States
complete statement of such expenses,
and an estimate of what the Govern.
ment ought to pay. The President has
forwarded this paper to the House of
Representatives, and it has been referred |
to the Committee on Appropriations"
This item and one of $68 1856 we're Car.
ried. and the Government was commit |
ted to the theory that it was responsible |
for fve.sixths Of the cost of improve
ments. This was on the 10th of June,
1872. On the 25th of the same month |
Boss Shepherd awarded to Garfsld's |
client, De Golyer, a contract for 200 900 |
square yards of wood pavement. This
JOB yielded profit Of more than quar-.
ter million Of dollars. De Golyer Gar.
fields reward, received through r. G. |
Parsons-$75O0-seems disproportioned |
to the magnitude of his influence. But |
on the day it was paid, July IL, 1872, |
which was also the day that Rev. VIM.
Calvin Brown got $40 600, another entry |
was made in the books of De Golyer |
& Mcclellan, showing disbursements for |
"biils payable, $72 000." The bookkeep-
or could offer no explanation of this |
cnarge beyond the fact that it represent
ed 30 much money paid out on that day |
for services rendered in securing the pa
wing contract. Everybody can guess
where it went to and by whom received.
When Garfield returned to Washing.
ton in Nov. 1872. before the assembling
OF the last notorious session of the forty |
second Congress, he was waited on by |
leading citizens of Washington, who ur-
ged him to use his influence as Chairman
of the Committee on Appropriations, to
prevent the further squandering Of mon
ey by the Board of Public Works. He |
listened attentively to these petitioners,
and information was Immediately con
veyed to Boss Shepherd, that Garfield |
was wavering in his allegiance to the
Ring. The Boss received the statement
with q asneering laugh, and drew from his
desk CARTEL d's argument in favor of the
De Golyer pavement job, saying: "There
is paper that will keep Garfield
straight" And it did.
III.
AND LIGHTNING
CALCULATION.
When the District Legislature conven-
ed for its second session in May, 1872,
the Board Of Public Works we're clamor-
GUS for money. On the Goth Of June an
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