Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-19
ST. LOUIS LETTER.
The McChesney Trial--Statc Politics
and the Public Scandals.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

Correspondence of the Gazette.
st. Louis, January leone of the
things that has attracted considerable
attention within the past day or two
has been the result of the McChesney
trial. McChesney Ia one of those queer
characters found in every large city.
about whom nobody can fluid out
much of anything except that they
always seem to have plenty of money
and To live on the fat of the land. Me-
Chesney has been for years the accred
tied agent and reputed organizer of
what Is called the gambling ring. The
grand jury investigated him and found
several indictments One was for forg-
cry, the forgery consisting In filling In
dates In a blank resignation given into
his charge by Police Commissioner
kinkead, IL was conclusively shown
that he filed in the blanks as charged.
but the jury disagreed. The jury proba-
bly, reasoned rs any ordinary business
man would reason, that ifa blank res
igBation was given to IA man who was
VIGOROUSLY gamblers agent, il was
done with the intent and implied un-
Outstanding that he should have the
privilege OF filling II out wheneve. he
liked and that McChesney, although u
bad citizen, was not committing "a very
heinous offence in exercising his priv.
lege. During the trial Vt was shown
that the guileful gamblers and lottery
men manage TO make good church
members and respectable citizens sub
servient TO their purposes. Kinkead
was such n man. He was in need of
money, and McChesney sho wed him
how he could make IL. All he had TO
do was to give his blank resignation
and accept an appointment as police
commissioner. The fact of his bein n
prominent church member enabled
him TO obtain the recommendation of
n host of preachers and solid men.
These recommendations constitute n
valid excuse for the governor to app
point him. After he had been an
pointed, however, he found that he
must do the bidding of the lottery
sharp who holds the resignation, or
face II scandal which will involve his
family. For years he aequiesced, but
the exposure finally came. In the
trial, correspondence and testimony
are brought"ut which tend To show
the lottery agent In the light of high
ly moral man ard his tool n servicea-
BILE hypocrite.
People are specializing extensively
rs to the effect the mistrial in the Me
Chesney case will have on the choice
of United States senator 10 succeed
Vest. AS the GAZETTE has been fully
informed, Gov, Crittenden has been
been very seriously involved in the ST.
Louis police scandals. He has APP
pointed the commissioners who have
been smirched, and there has been
more than asu-picion that he WAS fully
aware of the neiarious work that was
being manipulated. IN the senatorial
campaign he has allied himself direct
iy and openly with the 81. Louis ring.
The Democratic machinery of this
city IL still, in spite of all ofthe wrang-
ling that has been going on, manipu-
lated by the lottery and gambling al
lance whose arch-managers want ex-
Speaker Bashaw elected governor.
Bashaw was Confederate, Critten-
den was Union soldier. Neither had
"a very brilliant record, but the plan is
for the Bnshaw-C rittenden alliance
to carry the city of ST. Louis 10y ma
chine influence. The same campaign
that will elect Brashaw delegation to |
the convention will nominate Critten- |
den candidates for the legislature |
Then ii is hoped that the Bashaw Con-
federate influence in the state at large |
will he able to draw support from Vest, |
while Critlenden's own following, !
which comes from the temperance and |
Union soldier elements, will be very |
strength. 1t seems
strange, but nevertheless true, that |
the rural districts are disposed to look
on Governor Crittendcn MS an abused
man in connection with the st. Louis
police board scandals, though ii would
be difficult to imagine how an official
could have laid himself liable to sus.
)icion of corrupt bargaining
md taken less skillful means
o cover his tracks than our present
governor. The half has never been
old, The senatorial outlook is still
loudly. Nobody can tell what will
Happen. There Is one thing, however,
n Vests favor. He IL u man of re
ognized ability and strong personal
This will go far in Mis-
ouri legislature when coupled with
he fact that the prominent opposition
0 him is touched with strong flavor
{ ring combination with bad influ-
noes.
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