Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-10
FOUND MURDERED.
Horrible Death Of A. ". Ross, Treas
urer of the Cincinnati Coal
Exchange.
Conspiracy Discovered to Steal BOnds
and Plates from the Bureau OF
Engraving and Printing.

WAsgIseros. October 9.-Wm. F. Salter
and Wilmonls Wsrj, of this city, were ar
rested at the instance OF .he Secretary u the
Treasury late last night, and committed TO
Jail upon the charge of Being engaged IN
conspiracy 10 steal bonds and plates IRON
the Bureau of Engraving and PRINTING, and
attem pting 10 bride employees OF that bureau
10 assist them therein. The facts are as FOL
lows: AT the time of the shooting OF the
late President Garfield, and for some weeks
thereafter. Col Irish, chief of the Bureau OF
Engraving and Printing, wrote TO members
of his family spending the summer 10 Oak
land Nd, a series Of letters largely devoted
10 the topic which was then uppeTmost IN
all minds, the attempt TO assasslnste the
president In these letters he expressed
with the freedom Of domestic correspondence
his views from time to time with regard to
the causes and consequences OF that public
calamity When his family LETT Oakland
these letters, together with large collec-
ton of newspapers containing articles
relating 10 the assassination, were boxed
I'D and cent to Washington and placed for
safe keeping at the end of Col. lrIsh's desk
in his private Office, where they remained
untouched by him for eight months or more.
Some time last spring Col. Irish discovered
that these letters had been stolen, and he was
warned by an anonymous correspondent that
they were being u.ed, or were 10 be used, to
the injury of the friendly relations then ex-
isting between himself and President Ar.
thur. While engaged in an investigation
with a view to ascertaIninS how and by
whom the letters were purleined, Col. Irish
came upon cleWs which led 10 the discovery
of A conspiracy, With which the theft of the
letters was connected, TO corrupt and bride
employees Of the bureau, and with their aid
to steal therefrom a quantity OF bonds and
pIates. Col Irish laid the facts at once be-
fore Secretary Folger, who, after prelimi-
nary examination, became satisfied that
persistent attempt to get bonds and plates
from the bureau surreptliIously was being
made. He turned over the evidence already
obtained TO the secret service division, and
directed the matter 10 be sifted 10 The bottom.
Special Detective Drummond, from New
York, was assigned the duty OF following
up The ciews, and he began an investigation
which ended Saturday night, in the arrest OF
Salter and Ward. 1t appears that the OBJ
isct of the conspirators in endeavorIug TO get
the bonds and plates from the bureau was
not direct pecuniary gain, since they had no
intention of using them in couuterieIting.
Their aim, rather, stated by them
selves, was 10 bring about the removal OF the
present chief OF the bureau by causing it 10
appear that his management was 30 loose
and inefficient as to make theft OF bonds and
plates a comparatively easy matter, and so
careless az 10 destroy public confluence In
the integrity of government securities.
The THEFT OF Col. Irish's letters from
his office is supposed TO be part
of the same plan. Sitter, it is said,
represented to the dissatisfied employees of
the bureau, whom he attempted TO bride,
that he was acting in the Interest OF BeDja-
min l.. Berry, a prominent politician of
Pennsy lvania; also that Berry was supported
by Senator Cameron and the Peunsylvsnia
delegation as a candidate for Col. 1rish's po-
sitioD. Berry, it was also claimed, would
certainly get The place il the latter could be
ousted. In that event he (Salter) would be
assistant chief of the bureau, and he would
reward with promotion the men who as
sisted in the removal of Col. Irish. Ward,
who with, several others whose names have
not yet been made public, was associated
with Sslter in this attempt TO bride en-
ployes of the bureau, was al one time an
EN- ploye himself, and was discharged by Col.
Irish a year ago. OF Salter's antecedents
nothing can be learned. The two men will
have a preliminary examination to-day.
The proof against them is said to be full and
conclusive.
Ldter.-The prisoners were arrsigoed be-
fore United States Commissioner Bundy,
charged with attempting unlawfully TO OBJ
tain possession of the distinctive paper used
in printing the revenue stamps and currency
in the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
through bribery of employees. They waived
examination, and were committed to await
the action of the grand jury.