Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-26
BLACEMAIbBRS PILLORIHD
Col. VIM. S. Kings Exposure Of the
Disreputable PIP.
HOW THESE HIGH MORAL CENSORS
Have ThriYed by Rascality While
Prating About Honesty.

The following article, which appeared
in the Minneapolis Tribune, twelve years
ago, was inspired by Col. VIM. S. King,
familiarly known as Bill King. There is no
question about the authenticity of the facts.
The italics and capitals are the Tri6une'S;
TFrom the Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 19, 1871l
We proceed to-day TO redeem our prom
ise TO let in "a little light On tbs character
and practices Of the st. Paul Press, and to
crafty the earnest desire that paper has
expressed to know ~dolg 1t is 10 get' the
balance of its '.profts." We shall state
nothing as fact, which we
do not believe to be true, and
nothing which We doubt our ability to
substantiate in a Court of Justice.
a very small percentage of the persons
arraigned for crimes plead guilty, even IN
der assurance of Ienient punishment; and
as the case in question is not one which
admits Of any well-grounded
hope in that direction, no
such plea need be expected
but the bare denial of the Press will
amount TO little or nothing in this cese, be-
cause it Is plain as the MONDAY sun that
paper, the opinions and influence Of whose
owners are
OFFERED IN THE OPEN MARKET AND SOLD
FOR MONEY,
will not be fastidious to any amount of
lying which may promise to create the
slightest diversion in its favor.
Nor Will any special plea that the paper
is not IMPLICATED in the sale made of the
influence Of its owners, be admitted, not
withdrawing the arrangement made at the
outset of the negotiations We are about to
recite, that Hf. Nichol: should be dIIotUed to
represent the firm, SO that the two
publishers of the Press could keep out of
the public view, and when it became
necessary disauolO any participation in the
arrangements, TWO-THIRDS OF THE
PROFITS OF WHICH THEY WERE TO
RECEIVE. Having shared the profits"
they must share the odium also.
The facts We shall state, if true, cover
the Press with q coat of infamy
it can never shed while it remains under
its present control. If they are not true
they are clearly Hbelous, and we invite its
publishers to submit that question to the
arbitrament of judicial tribunal.
TIE FIRST BARGAIN.
When it appeared certain that the Nerth-
ern Pacific would be constructed, several
gentlemen of this city of whom Col King
was one, proposed organizing a company
to take a contract for building a section of
fifty miles. This coming to the knowledge
of Mr.. O'DriscolI, one of the two owners
and publishers Of the st. Paul Press,
he waited upon Col. King at Washington
and after political conversation, mainly
in reference to the support to be given by
himself. Wheelock and Nichols to Mr.. Win
dom as a candidate for the senate, he com
planned that their interest had been ex-
cludod from the proposed company and that
Minneapolis was disposed to gobble
up everything in the railroad line. After
further conversation, Col. King, moved by
the complaints and opportunities of
O'DriscoI, agreed to yield his share of tbs
profits of the proposed enterprise to
Wheelock and O'Driscoll, of the Press, and
Charles Nichols, better known of late as
the mutual FRIEND of that establishment,
ON TIE UNDERSTANDING AND CONDITION
that they should render certain political
services which had besn theretofore nnder
discussion, including the support in good
faith of Mr. Window for the Senate. THE
REQUEST OF MR.. O'DRISCOLL THAT
MR.. NICHOLS MIGHT REPRESENT
THEIR Joint INTEREST IN
THE COMPANY being conceded
by Col. King. The organization and pro-
posed contract of this Company were given
up, and the same parties, with others,
formed the Northwestern Construction
Company, which took contract for 23O
miles of the Northern Pacific Road. That,
of course, relieved Col. King from his of
fer, which referred to a comparatively
small operation, never perfected-but he,
nevertheless, sent word from New York by
Col Merriam to NICHOLS & Co., that he
would still give them the profits of the
much greater undertaking, with the
single condition that he should
represent his own interest in
the Board; and writing and
delivering to Col. Merriam letter to that
effect, to be shown to NICHOLS Il Co.
When the Construction Company was or
ganized Col. Kings letter
WAS NOT LAID BEFORE
the parties in interest, but Mr.. Nichols
name was presented, and he was elected
director against the wishes of Col. Kings
friends, but on the
POSITIVE ASSURANCE AND CONDITION THAT
HE WOULD RESIGN
on the return and request of Col. King.
When Col. King returned he demanded the
fulfllment of this pledge,which was resisted
to the utmost, and only yielded finally to
compulsion. Nichols & Co. were terribly
graveled by this result,ane employed every
means and opportunity to secure its re-
versal. Nichols and ODriscou being the
most active parties to the contest. They
alternately begged and bullied-threat-
ened 70
OPPOSE MR. WINDOWS ELECTION
to the Senate-to combine all the railroads
in the state against the Northern Pacif C
which O'Driscoll declared was Minneapo-
lis Observation-Disclosures that General Ay-