Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-09
GUILTY OF A MlsDEMEANoR.

GUILTY OF A MlSDEMEAROk.
Garfield Liable TO Fine aud Imprison-
mert Under the Act Of July 10, 1862
He Will be Convicted by the Country
fNot by "A Court
From the New York sun.
Members of Congress and some high
officials who shouted lOudeSt for 4 vIg-
orous prosecution OF the civil war were
discovered to be tainted with jObbery
and with the sale OF offices before year
had elapsed after the firing on Fort
sumter. They illustrated literally DR..
JohusOnS definition Oi patriotism. 1t
became necessary TO make this venality
penal Oiiense, and Congress passed the
following on July l6. 1862,
Recited In the Revised Statutes:
'SEcrIoN |, ,75l. Every member OF Con.
| gresS, or any officer or agent OF the gov
ernment who, directly or indirectly,
| takes, receives, or agrees to receive any
money, property, or other valuable con-
| SlderatiOn whatever, from any person
| ior procuring or aiding To procure any
contract, office, or place from the gov
| ernment or any department thereof, or
from any officer Oi the United States,
| for any person whatever,
and every member of Congress who, di-
rectIy or indirectly,
Takes. Receives, or Agrees to Receive
any money, property, or other valuable
consideration whatever after his election
as such Iuember, for his attention 10,
service. action, vote or decision on any
question, matter, cause, or proceeding
which may then be pending, or by law
or under tue Constitution be brought
before him in his official capacity, or in
his place as such member of Congress,
shall be deemed guilty OF misdemca-
nor, and shall he imprisoned not more
than two years, and fined not more than
ten thousand dollars"
Under this statute General Carried
was
Guilty OF a Misdemeanor,
in "prucuring or aiding to procure the
contract ior the DE GOlycr pavement,
for which he received a bribe OF $1,000.
Congress had created territorial gov
ernment for the District OF Columbia,
and the Board OF Public Works, OF
which Boss Shepherd WAS Vice Presl-
dent and the master spirit, We're public
officers appointed by the President.
Now, mark the connections and the
dates and the facts Ot this foul trlnsac.
ton. George A. Chittcnden was the
agent OF De Golyer Il Mcclellan Tor pro-
curing contracts to lay their wood pave
ment in the eastern cities. He was to re-
celve
One-third of the Profits
for his agency. He went to Washing.
ton, when the comprehensive plan OF
public plumber was devised by Boss
Shepherd and his conlelcrates Henry
ID. Cooke was then Governor OF the Dis
triCt.
Cnrittcnden soon found out that Rich
ard G.. Parsons, then Marshal OF the
Supreme Court, who had converted his
office into den OF jObbery, was the
next friend OF Henry ID. Cooke, both
being Ohio men. He also discovered
thar Parsons was intimately allied with
Garfield, Chairman OF the Approprla-
ton Committee,
Whom, of All Other Men, He Wanted TO
Reach.
Therefore he invited Parsons TO Wash
iugtOn in April, 1872, and soon made a
bargain with him for 5000 cash down,
and $4,000 contingent upon securing
a contract for 100000 yards OF wood
pavement at S3 30 per yard, the iuIl cost
uf which, laid down, was 81 40 per yard,
as proven by the manager Of De Golyer
Il McClellan's contracts.
Alter Chittanden entered upon tins
large business, he informed De Golyer
Il Mcclellan that he required n round
hundred thousand dollars. When asked
by Mcclellan what he wanted with this
large sum he said "he said he wanted 10
pay lis expenses and part oI the Ma
tional debt" The real object was to
Buy His Way Through,
AMI he succeeded.
Oa the 3lst OF May, 1872, Chittenden
wrote to his principals AS follows:
"The influence OF General Garfield
has been secured by yesterdays, last
night's and to.day's labOrs. lie carries
the purss OF the United States-the
Chairman Of the Committee on Agnro'
priations-and is tine strongest man IN
Congress, aad with our friends my de-
mand to-day is not less than one hun
dred thousand yards more--two hun
dred in all. Everything is in the best
shape, the connections complete, and,
have reason to believe, satisfactory.
can hardly realize that We nave
General Garfield with MS. 1t Is rare
and very gratifying. All the apprOprla,
tious of the District come through him..
This letter was written with
No Expectation That 1t Would Ever
Come 10 Light.
II was the confidential report OF 4
trusted agent, himself largely interested
in the success OF his employment. 1t
bears the marks OF truth, and OF the luIl-
est candor in every word.
On the 18th of September, 1871, when
General Garfield was defending. himself
AT Warren, Ohio, in answer u this charge
of bribery, he made the subJoined aver
ment: -,
"He (P.gsons) proceeded with the
case until the Sth OF June (lSI2), when
for the first time heard anything ABOUT
it. This was two days before the ad-
iournment OF Congress. mus
According to Garfield's story
be began what he calls his "laborious
task, alter the adjournment on the ION
nj lime. He saws: IL worked at II as
faithfully as anything | ever worked at,
and there were forty patents. to eA-
amined. and two in the, DetIolyer case
its.lf, This was hard work Tor a JOB that
had already been determined. Now,
the following notice was served by the
Board of Public Works
only Eleven Days After the Adjournment
of Congress:
"WAsHIxGroS, June 2l, 1872.
"DeGolyer & Mcclellan;
"GESGrLguES-The Board have this
day awarded you q contract to lay loo,