The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-04-03
Our Washington Letter.
Special to the Democratic Press:

aid lately that there was scandal
that would Overshadow the
celebrated Belknap case, and would be
,erhaps great enough to divert the at
ention Of the House Democrats from
'urther talk about tariff agitation. In
Of the basis of this talk has
'evealed the fact that Dorsey has writ
:en a number of letters to Springer, in
which he has outlined what he expects
20 be able to prove when he is sum-
noned as witness. It is not probable
that Dorsey will reach the committee
room before the last of April.
Outside of the principal point of his
he charges two very specific
things: First, that he can prove be-
yond question that
S25. 900 WAS PAID TO A REPUBLICAN
MEMBER OF CONGRESS n "a.
for services rendered certain wealthy
ring of Star-route contractors. The
name of the member will not be given
until Dorsey makes his appearance on
the witness stand. Second, Dorsey says
that he can prove beyond question that
one of the Star-route con-
tractors who escaped prosecution, has
said to several gentlemen in the West
that he had paid $35, 900 to Geo. Bliss
for immunity. Dorsey does not say
that he can prove the payment, but
merely that he can prove that Sander
son has told his immediate friends that
it cost him that amount to escape.
This, taken with the proof that will
be shortly presented of Saulsbury's
story of what it cost him to escape.
will be supplemented by calling both
Sanderson and Salisbury.
1t is also said that certain peculiar
relations between the late "Jim" Bos-
Ter and the Attorney General will af-
ford subject for interesting develop
ments. But the main event of the
investigation will be the production of
the evidence of an agreement made in
the campaign of 1880, whereby
STANLEY MATHEWS APPOINTMENT TO
THE SUPREME COURT WAS SECUR-
ED FOR 100000,
subscribed by certain railroad mag
mates, to be used in the carrying of the
State of Indiana for Garfield. There
has been great deal of talk about this
agreement, but it is now asserted that
the committee will have placed in its
hands an exact copy of it. If this
agreement can be proved it will be
followed by the present tation of articles
of impeachment against the Justice
involved. There are plenty of good
Republicans who would be glad to see
this matter probed to the very bottom.
The way money was procured for use
in Indiana has been an open scandal
in Washington for over year. If it
can be officially proved, the sensation
will be equal to anything published
since the war.
A NICE BUSINESS.
Mr.. n. III. Wells was District At
torney at Washington when the Treas
ury was robbed OF $4S,O by clerk
and his accomplice, Ottman. Wells
has Just testified before the Springer
Committee that before the first criml-
nal trial Ottman's counsel made a
proposition to plead guilty and give up
all claim to the $32 900 which the Gov
ernment had traced and seized as part
of the stolen money, provided that
Ottman should be let off with twelve
months in, the penitentiary. Mr.. Wells
refused the Offer, desiring to recover all
the stolen money and to send Ottman
to Jail for a term of years. When ask
ed what he thought of the Crowley
Bliss compromise, by which the Gov
ernment retained only $l2,5OO of the
recovered 49,, ,OC0, and returned SIS. 500
to the thief 10 be divided up, Mr.. Wells
said: 81 should say it was very bad
practice!" Congressman Crowley and
Lawyer Bliss, the two cronies of the
President, were the negotiators for the
settlement, Crowley for the thief and
Bliss for the Government. Mr.. Cook
has already testified that Ottman got
$4 900 only out of the $l9,5OO. So $l5,-
500 went to the negotiatOrs ''-$3, 600
more than the Government received
WILL WE HAVE ANOTHER robson
NAVY STEAL?
When Mr.. Robson became Secreta-
ry of the Navy the Government was
running a. most extensive establish
ment for the manufacture of naval
Junk. Costly it was, too; so costly, il
is difficult to realize that so much mo-
ney could by any possibility have been
expended with so little to show for it.
However, the past is matter of rec
ord, and last year Congress showed q
disposition to attempt to give the
country navy, and as beginning,
authorized the construction of four
steel vessels, the plans to be furnished
by an advisory board of naval officers.
The results were not promising. The
plans of the Chicago, as the largest
vessel is called, have been severely
criticised by the highest authorities
Yet the Senate votes to construct seven
additional ships upon these questiona
BILE plans, and thinks it is giving us q
navy. On the contrary, should the
Chicago and the others now being bull
prove failures or near approach tt
failures, and the seven new vessels
should have been begun, Congress will
have taken the surest way of repeating
the blunders and scandals of the Robe
son regime.
THE LASKER RESOLUTION DISPOSED Oh
AND THE COUNTRY OUT OF DANGER.
The comparatively quiet disposition
of the Lasker matter was a source o
qualification to almost everybody ex
cept Tom Ochiltree. Having prepared
the report, after very careful consider
alton of the subject in all its bearings
the committee desired to adopt the re
port without debate, and it was witt