Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-09-02

4 sC8Ap - PoIaTlcAl mlyrokf.
The eeoszal couerasulasion over thu
frecout Oregon slsof1on brings 70 mind
some fnc18 In connection with the EIeo-
toral cop0t and the investigations Of
the two Houses of Congress. IN which
the earlier Oregon election played psrs;
facts mot generally known 70 the public,
but which even at this day may be Of in
terest to the public. In those days, how
ever, 1t may be 50 at this time, all orig
NAL t0IeNHams were at certain periods
gathered from all the offices throughout
| the country snd sent to the main Of Of
noe In New York for deposit and pfeser-
Walton. The readers have not forgot the
| close and bitterly contested result in the
States OF Oregon, Florida, Louisiana
and south Carolina Ill the Hayes and
and Tilden fight. 1t seems that an Of
fioer of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, who could have access to
these gathered kilograms, and who was
| a good Democrat, WAS kept awake nights
with the hopeful idea that among these
kilograms sent back and forth in regard
to the canvass in these States by the ac-
tive Republican leaders, resident and
foreign, possibly there might be found
something to compromise these men and
their party, and, il made public, help
reconcile the country to the meditated
attempt to seat Mr.. Tilden Or secure a
strong sympathy il he Was counted out.
So this Telegraph official, with stealth
outrunnin2 his cunning, went to work,
dsy and night, with this mass Of re-
turned kilograms at the New York office,
and picked out every telegram sent dur
ing the campaign by any man of politi
cal eminence, from or to the pOliti.
Cians Of either of these four contested
States. He hadn't time for sorting, 50
he gathered all the kilograms, cipher
and otherwise, of the men of both par
ties. aud stored them away in q half
dozen capaciOus and well locked trunks
for security.
II will be remembered that during
that Congress tho Democratic House
had an investigating committee smell
ing about for whatever might be thought
Of service to the claims of Mr.. Tilden,
of which the late Clarkson N. Potter
was Chaifman-as honorable q gentle
man as the party had in Congress for
the last quarter Of a century-and it
was a committee we'll watched by the
Republican Senate Committee on Privi-
le4es and Elections with that most vigi-
liant of Republicans, the late Oliver p.
Morton, at its head. When tho Demo-
cratic official of tho telegraph company
had bis kilograms, which were to shock
the country and blow the Republican
party entirely out of water, safely in the
trunks and locked, he came on to Wash
inotOn, and at a hurriedly called meet
ing Of the Democratic members of the
Potter Committee divulged his terrible
scheme. Then was the Democratic heart
glad. And subpoena duces tecum uu-
der the broad seal Of the House and the
sign manual OF its Speaker, was at once
placed in the hands of the SerReant-atss
Arms ordering all the Officers, Presi-
dents. Superintendents and Directors of
both the Western Union and Atlantic
and Pacific Telegraph Companies to ap-
pear forthwith before the Potter Com
mittee, bringing with them all the tele-
grams that for six months had passed
back and forth between these politi- |
clans, naming some forty or fifty Of the
more active men at tho time, and cover |
ing all that were in the trunks.
So good a thing could not be kept.
Just ono hint had to be made-to a !
friend ''in confidence" soon
reached the car Of William E. Chandler,
Who was considerably about" in those |
DAYS, and through him was communicat-
ed 20 the vigilant Chairman of tho Sem
ate Committee. In five minutes that
COMMITTEE was in session, and voted to
do the same thing that had been order
ed bv the HOUSE Committee. II was now
a contest for possession of the tele-
Orama The House had taken its action |
about 8 O'Clock in the morning. 1t was
after 3 pm. when the long summons,
paper, reached the Office Of tho Sergeant
alarms of the Senate. John Il. French |
was then filling that position. Taking
in tho situation, he soon had half dOz-
on Of the readiest writer's of the Senate
force making copies Of the subpoena. u
compile Of Trustworthy deputies awaiting
orders, and quick telegraph operator,
with wire for New York-and enjoined
upon all despatch and absolute silence.
Before the lamps were lighted that
niQht tho long summons had been tele-
Rraphed to every one of the more than
twenty telegraph officials, and before
the sun set next day, to make all sure
peradventure any legal csvil. personal
service had been made in every instance
at the homes or place of business of |
these men, wherever they lived, in the
Siate Of New York or in New ENGLAND,
and the morning thereafter, ON the arri-
val Of the train from the north, came
these mon, with their trunks Of tele-
grams, and reported to tho SerReant-at-
Arms of the Senate that they waited the
further orders Of that body at Willard's
Hotel.
That morning, at about 8 O'Clock, a.
was his wont, tho rotund SerReant-at-
Arms Of the House, perhaps thinking
over tho many fields 10 had won and
lost in the Buckeye State, all Of which
were to be collapsed by the trap which he
Vas about to spring, was leisurely taking
his comfortable breakfast at that same
Willard's Hotel. when q fellOw-boarder
across the table asked:
"Why are JAIL the telegraph mon in
town. adding that he had Just left q
dozen Of them in ono Of the pariors up
stairs.
s'Glad to hear it, replied the Demo-
cratic official, "f0r the presence of these
men Ia Warrington saves me the trip Of |
deputy TO New York" and he went on
with his morning meal.
Later he hunted up tho telegraph men
in their parlor, and after . general intro
O00tlOu 0uO = Qutet Ol0cueHuOu OF the
topics Of the day, he unrolled his pom.
deroas summons and proceeded TO read
the Same 10 the body collectively.
Upon his conclusion Dr.. Green. Presi-
dent Of tho Western Union Telegraph
Company, remarked that they were law
abiding mon and would assnredly re-
epOnd to the summons Of the House a.
soon - they and the papers called FER
were released by the Senate; that they
vere in Warrington with their trunks Of
kilograms in obedience to writ from
that body, and when it was through with
them thsy would Immediately report to
IL House.
The Senste WAS NOT through with
those telegrams unit! about hve minutes
Houses during the meantime
somebody went through them and
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