, 1884-07-22
HI CAREER OF MOSES.
The Man Who Raised the Palmetto
Flag Over sumter's Ruins,
Legislator, speaker, Governor, His
Life Rivals That OF the Third
RmPerOr-Pnllen from
His High Estate.


Boston Globc.l
Twenty-Five years ago Franklin J. Moses,
Jr., hoisted the palmetto flag OF South Caro-
lima over the ruins of Fort Sumter, having
been deputed to that work by Governor Pick
ems, whose private secretary he then was
Ho had, shortly before, graduated with high
honors from college; his father was a man Of
10th wealth and social distinction, and a
trusted member Of the judiciary of that fro
eating state, Franks future promised TO be
exceptionally brilliant. He served through
out this war OF the rebellion on the Confeder-
ate sido, rs also did his father, and when the
WAT was over they both mounted 60 positions
OF influence by accepting the reconstruction
acts and the then new order of things In the
south. The father became chief Justice of
the supreme court OF South Carolina, and
died while holding that position. Frank be-
came a member OF the state legislature, then
speaker of the house, and subsequently,, in
ls'u, governor Of the state, succeeding Gen.
H. X. Scott, who was tried for murder In
1881, In Ohio.
PRoDIGAL's CAREER.
There was a time when Moses had control
of almost unlimited wealth, rolled in luxury,
and sported with wantons and lb~ertines, with
the p~rofnseness of an eastern prince. To-day
he has hardly a friend In the world, and,
broken, gray, scedy, be ekes out a slender
subsistence by his wits. II a novelist were TO
weave the many incidents In the lie OF Frank
Moses into a story, that novelist's methods
would be called sensational and somewhat
Improbable The period of reconstruc-
ton In the south was Moses oppor-
tunty. His fall was the natural consequences
OF ON ill-sPent life, and not OF tho end of the
era in which he fiourished. 1t was said of
Moses long ago, by one who knew him well,
thai "he was a noble-hearted mnn, with a
paralysis on the moral side.n As long as
Moses had money he scattered like chat;
but that which he tossed about him with
prodigal hands, was not his own, and the
creatures who lived on his bounty never gave
him credit for sincere generosity. So, when
the day came To him when he, like one OF old,
would fain have tiled his belly with the
huaSs tho swine did eat" his fine-veather
friends forSook him and fed. The man who
made the streets-ofI he capital OF South CAIRO
lima Respondent with gay equipages, jewels
and gay attire, was at last brought down so
low that he stole an overcoat from an Office
INTO which he had gone on aprctendcd matter
OF business.
MS ADMINISTRATION.
Born OF a good old southern family, of
Jewish descent, gifted with many rare per-
Sonal and mental qualities, Moses might have
made Tor himself Il name of which South
Carolina would nave been proud. Tho
rapidity with which he ran the whole Ramut
OF personal ambition proved his genius. His
sagacity in taking up the cause OF the newly
enfranchisod freedmen at tho close OF The
war, after having fought on tho Confederate
side, was rewarded As speaker of the A.
Sernbly no engaged in e career Of corrup-
ton, bribery and robbery, which had few
parallels in this country. II he wanted
money, horses, anything, he demanded these
Of the men who sued for his legislative In.
duence, and got them. He procured tho
enactment Of a Law while speaker
which gave him IN that capacity IN
limited power to draw on the state TREASURY.
And from that day his warrants
taking precedence Of all others, were as pIen-
ttful as the leaves OF the forest He owned a
money mill" Having issued 81, O0O. 600 In
pay certificates Us speaker, It was obvious
that Governor Moses would rule the stint,
with all the ~prohigacy and extinvagance that
he had shown in his less influential position
He seemed utterly devoid of moral se,se
he levied toll upon every public and priyat,
legislative measure, with money In in
which required his signature. 1t Il a matter
OF record thai a claim OF a banking company
Tor SlOotoOO could not be made valid by
Moses signature until S25,O 600 had been pai1
LII. At hlNliFtu Ont OF Ills Qnlerlinua.
Humbert, IN u scheme, by which the state
was plundered Of $50, 600, and what seemed 10
be u grand larceny was attempted against
the state. But when the officers went TO ar.
rest his oxcellency they found him en-.
trenched in his state house, guarded by the
state militia.
WHEN II END CAME.
He gave away pardons like holiday bau-
bles. BlackleEs, thieves, aud criminals N
every description and complexion were par
Toned by telegraph, by letter, by verbal or
ders 10 jailors, and with freedom that
promised immunity TO crime, so long as the
odendsr owned in Moses a friend
A spendthrift, Moses laid up nothing for a
rainy day. He ran his brief career, and, in
two or three years, out OF power, out OF
plnco, out of money, he drifted to New York.
His life In South Carolina, after he had
emerged from the febellion, was crowded
full Of exciting episodes. He lived life OF
debauchery, intrigue and sensuous excite
mont lie schemed and planned, but hs
never built for the future. While IL listed.
the golden stream that flowed through his
hands was royalty spent While he had the
opportunity, be Echemed TO some purpose.
and his plans for gaining possession OF the
''potantialities OF great wealth, - by unlawful
means, were admirably laid.
bdt lAS emu came NJ last. ills term OF Of
Zee expired His debaucheries ,gerp In
iauou and so disguised those who had put
him in power that his plans for reelection
were of no avail His own wife and family
were forced to shake him of, and be wns cast
out from among them and his name branded
With all infamy. The down-hill read yvas
rapidly Travelled. The brilliant South Caro-
hnian, the curlsd darling OF fnir women and
the successful ~adrenturer, cameo down from a
governors chuir to skirmish with vulgar
thieves and impostorS- Early In the fall of
1881, Mosa5, after having gained his livell-
hood somewhat percnriously, visited the Office
Of John d. Townsend, the famous New York
lawyer, and offered TO procure some dispatches
and other which would impllcate
samuel j. Tilden In an attempt to buy up the
South Carolina delegation to a Democrntic
national convention. Mr.. Townsend paid
Moses some money for alleged expenses, and
Moses departed, taking the overcoat alluded
to above,
GOING DOWN HILL
He had tho impudenes to visit Mr.. Town
send again, In a few days, and to ask the loan
OF some more money. The lawyer was con.
WINGED Of Moses dishonesty, and he accused
him OF theft. Moses implored Mr.. Townsend
not TO prosecute him, and the latter con-
sented, on condition that Moses should write
out and sign an account OF the swindle which
he had perpetrated Mr.. Townsend said to
Moses at tho time. ~ shall keep thl9 docu.
ment, and II ever you are arrested for another
tsaaspction OF this kind. I will give 1t up T.
The best smoking tobacco Is Little
InEar