Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-05
THOSE CIPHER DISPATCHES.

THOSE CIPHER DISPATCHES.
HOW the Senate Got Them 20 Club
! Tflden With.
Warrington Letter 10 New York Tribune.
The general conRratulation over the recent
Oregon election brings to mind some facts in
connection with the electoral count" and the
Investigations Of the two houses Of Congress, in
which an earlier Oregon election played part
facts not generally known to the public, but
which even at this day may be Of interest to the
public In those days, however it may be at
this time. all original kilograms were, at certain
periods, gathered from all the Offices through
our the country and sent to the main office in
New York for deposit and preservation. The
readers have not forgotten the close and BIT
Terry contested result in the states Of Oregon,
FLORIDA, Louisiana and South Carolina in the
Hayes and Tilden fight 1t seems that an
ofhcer OF the Western Union telegraph COM
kilograms and who was good democrat, was
Kept awake nights with the hopeful idea that
among all the kilograms sent back and forth in
regard to the canvass In these states by the
active republican leaders, resident and foreign.
possibly there might be found something to
compromise these men and their party. and, il
made pubic, help reconcile the country to the
meditated attempt to seat Mr. Tilden, or secure
strong sympathy if he were counted out. So
this telegraph official, with stealth Out-run-
ming his cunning went to work, day and night
with this mass OF returned kilograms at the New
YORK once. and picked out every telegram sent
during the campaign by any man of political
emlnence from or to the politicians of either of
these four contested states. He hadn't time for
sorting. so he gathered all the kilograms cipher
and otherwise, Of the men Of both parties. and
stored them away ina half-dozen capacious and
weil-lOcked trunks.
1t will be remembered that during that Con-
gress the democratic House had an Investigating
committee smelling about for whatever might
be thought of service to the claims of Mr.. Til
den. OF which the late ClarksOn n. Potter was
chairman-as honorable a gentleman as that
party has had In Congress for the last quarter of
a ceffury-and it was committee well watched
by the republican Senate committee on priyi-
lege3 and elections. with that most vigiant of
republicans, the late Oliver z. Morton, at it's
head. When the democratic official Of the
telegraph company had his kilograms, which
were to shock the country and blow the
republicans entirely out OF water, safely
trunked and locked, he came on to Washington
and at hurriedly called meeting of the demo-
cratic members of the Potter committee divulged
his terrific scheme. Then was the democratic
heart glad. And subpoena duces tecum under
the broad seal of the House and the sign man
ual OF its speaker, was at once placed in the
hands OF It's sergeant-at-arms. ordering all the
Ofhcers presidents, superintendent and direc-
tors of both the Western Union and the Atlantic
and Pacific telegraph companies to appear forth
with before the Potter committee. bringing with
them all the kilograms that for six months had
passed back and forth between these politicians.
naming some 40 or 50 of the more active men
of the time, and covering all that were in the
trunks.
So good thing could not be kept. Just one
hint had to be made-tO friend lin confidence
which soon reached the ear of William E. Chan
sGinr Wa s.a in
days, and through him was communicated to
the vigilant charmanlOf the Senate committee.
In five minutes that committee was in session,
and voted to do the same thing that had been Or
dered by the House committee. 1t was now a
contest for possession Of the kilograms. The
House had taken it'd action about o'clock in
the morning. itwas after p. N. when the long
summons, covering two or three sheets of FOOLS
cap paper. reached the office of the sergeant-at-
arms of the Senate. John r. French was then fill
ing that position. Taking in the situation he soon
had half dozen of the readiest writers of the
Senate force making copies of the subpoena,
couple of Acknowledgements awaiting orders,
and quick telegraph operator with wire for
New York-and enjOined upon all dispatch and
absolute silence. Before the lamps were lighted
that night thellOng summons had beer tele-
graphed to every one of the more than 20 tele-
graph officials. and before the sun set the next
day, to make all sure peradventure any legal
cavil, personal service had been made in every
ltlSLauCc, at the homes OF pace OIL business Oh
these men, wherever they lived, in the state
of New York Or in New England; and the
morning thereafter, on the arrival of the train
from the north, came these men, with their
trunks OF kilograms, and reported to the ser
geant-at-arms of the Senate that they waited
the further orders Of that body at Wizards
hotel.
That morning, about 9 o'clock, as was his
wont, the rotund sergeant-at- arms Of the House,
perhaps thinking over the many fields he had
won, and lost, In the Buckeye state, all the
splendOrs of which were to be eclipsed by the
trap which he was now about to spring, was
leisurely taking his comfortable breakfast at
that same Wizards hotel, when a fellow
boarder across the table asked, ''Why are all
the telegraph men in town. adding that he
had just left dozen of them in one of the par
lors upstairs. ''Glad to hear it," replied the
democratic official, for the presence of these
men In Washington saves me the trip of q
deputy to New York, and he went on with his
morning meal. Later he hunted up the tele
graph men in their parlor. and after general
Introduction and a quiet discussion of the topics
of the day, he unrolled his ponderous summons
and proceeded to read the same to the body col
lectvely. UpOn his conclusion. DR.. Green, pres
ident Of the Western Union company, remarked
that they were law-abiding men, and would as
suredly respond to the summons of the House
as soon as they and the papers called for were
released by the Senate; that they were in
Washington with their trunks of kilograms. in
obedience to writ from that body; and when
it was through with them thy would inn
mediately report to the House.
The Senate was not through with those tele-
grams until about five minutes before the final
adjournment of both Unconstitutional during the
meantime somebody went through them and
brought to light the cipher dispatches. an expo
sure which laid the foundation for great deal
OF wholesome political action on the part of the
American people since. Several lessons may
be gathered from these facts by the thoughtful
politician, and it may be we'll to put them on
record as a part Of the history of an interesting
time. The outcome must have reminded the
housing democratic telegraphic official of what
has become proverbial about certain schemes
of mice and men"
Very Common Mind Trouble.
One of the common ways in which the trouble
arises is the mischievous practice of trying to
do several things at once or to adiyide the at