National Republican., 1884-06-27
"BAcKBoNE" LAND CIR
A Letter from T.. John Ellis That w
an Explanation Chairman Barnun'
ncrtion with This I'nnlpnsaut BuSiIi

A Letter from T.. John Ellis That WI
an Expiunation-Chal BdrnulhV
ncCtiOn with This Unpleasant BuSin1h.
The umsavory backbone lnnd.grap1lby
ter came up in the house yesterday, apnkl
to forfeit the grant was defeated by
az for to III against. The grant cntN I
about ,ln2OlO acres of land, valued al
thing like S5OOO,OOO. There has been
attached to this grant from the frs
grant was voted to the New orleans
Rouge and Vicksburg Ohc Backbone
road company about the same time tn
Pacific concession went through congrnW,
W. H. Bnrnum, of "scycn mule in M
on the house railroad committee at thVN
and president of the ~ o., II. X. ana
Co. This circumstance is merely mcl
H. coincidence. lu 1881 the "BuckH
Compnny, through w. ii. Barnlin, It's ~
dent. and hi, son, W. NJ Barnum, trans II J
the grant to the Sew orleans Pacific INK,
part of the Texas Pnciiicl receiving, acc iHi,
To common report, Il third interest IN Ri
railroad to be built over substantially thH
route laid ont by the backbone. INA
bone" land grant bonds to the nominl
Of s., ,0OO,O 900 were subsequently prONidGd
the purchasers at - cents ON the dOlli
not without row. H
/
quantity of these land grant bonds had
! their way into the hands Of congrcssme
| that settlement for the redemption
| bonds was only reached rs the conscqueW
| threatened exposure. H
Representative l.. John Ellis, of LouX
! has led the fight against the forfeiture
! grant Mt this session of congress, and,
! vote shows, has done good work. RIVE
| biCs have been lubOring mdustriously ~
| matter, one for and the, other againX
| passage of the tOrfeiting bill V
| Capt, A. Il. George, whose name has
| mixed up In this deal for years, visitctH
| Office last evening, and produced the foil
| letter, which he said had been written hE
| Mr.. Ellis, and which would seem TO inVl
! that the Louisiana congressman had lH
| edge of CrOOkcdncSS in connection witV
scheme he now champions, which. his II
| peers aud the country might wish toV
about:
"lloFFMAN HOUSE, New YORK, .Nov. Z,
! NN Dcdr Captain: Your favor of the 9th Il
| was received yesterday. | gave your
demand, &c, to Mr. u. for his considcrN
He promised me an engagement last lN
week, and / failed to keep II. a few dayN
he went home to Connecticut sick.
been very busy with my own affairs, and
leave in Il day or two for New orleans.
what learn though, affairs are In heU
muddle through some parties who boughtI
backbone stock honestly, and through
'NiiNA ItlNAIN " nv NNlN III N'liRl' |.
ate when the bill was passed, and who
sent stock that was paid as bribcs: N
AS the road is now an assured TACT caN
little about the matter, aud would, ubOE
things, delight to see rigid aud close in
CATION and if they do not spoil the chan
settlement shot more an Investigation
cCmbcr. If they settle of course they WI
swear one way. If they don't settle thd
might get SOHiC truth, and IN that case yoln
Newell would be of valuable assistance.
only sorry for Mr.. Wheclock.
81 trust you and Col. Newell will get
honest dues. | suppose Mr.. Il. will givtv
direct anSwcrnS soon as he Is well. Butf
the shape of things | think there will Il
settlement at all, but that u devil of Il row
be kicked up, and that when congress Il
that resolution of final forfeiture viii
passed. shall leave here in n day or tI
horne. Very truly yours, L. JOHN Ell \
"TO Capt. J. a. GEORGE"
Mr.. Ellis might do his country n servidI
rising in his seat to-day and telling Will
knows about the Backbone" scheme /
give up his proof if he has any, of the cd
tion he referred to in the nbotc letter
Mr.. Barlum, chairman of the dcmot
national committee, might also make a
lnent in this connection. II would be intI
ing TO know whether he still holds an ini
in the Backbone" and whether his ri
visit to Washington had anything to dol
the action OfthC house; also whether he
Mr.. B. referred to in Mr.. Ellis's letter. 4
nrc several other things that might prove Il
tcrcSt in this business if both sides could n
! duCcd TO talk