Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-17
THE MULLIGAN LETTERS.
AxoTnRR SERIES gxpscTED.

losnes Muiifean, warren Fisher, and
AessiIs Adsms Described.
A Boston special to the Philadelphia
T,wy says, The publication Of another
batch OF MIR nlaine's letters, which by due
process 81 law came into the hands OF
James Nuiliysn through Warren Fishers
misfortunrs, has caused sensation here
II hrs for q long time been known that
tbGn. were moro Of these interesting epis-
,lcsfh the hands OF the gentlemen who
now give them TO the public. II has been
well understood In Boston that no consid-
erstion could induce tie holders OF these
documents 20 make them public excep,
some attack should be made upon the
motives or character Of the man who held
them. That assault has been made. Null.
hgsn has been pinioned in some Republi.
can Journals as a man unworthy OF belief.
and Fisher has come IN for
fair share II partisan abuse. Hence the
disclosures ~ this morning. and II Is init.
mated that there is another batch OF these
financial treaties vet 10 be produced. What
tfect they are 10 have upon the campaign
IA vet 10 be discovered. Here they are re-
csrded AZ very damaging 10 the writer
They viii doubtless have some effect else
where. Now that this subject has again
been opened and Is likely 10 command a
liberal share 81 public attention for some
time 10 come, the personal characteristic, OF
the men Who arc figuring in this eyp0Sf
will naturally be interesting. Every man
in sny way connected with the control OF
these letters or in any way responsible Tor
their production is a man OF the highest
character.
WHO NuLLlGAN Is.
james Mulligan is singular individual
He has lived in this city for more than
thirty years and always occupied positions
az trust and responsibility. In all OF them
he has shown himself an exemplary citizen
snd 70 mans word stands higher than his.
This iIIshmaa occupies peculiar position
in this community. He came from the
North az Ireland years ago, and leans 10
The Protestant rather than the Catholic
faith. With a stubborn idea OF integrity.
he il eVoryW here known rs a man whose
word is as God S. his bond No one in
this city or elsewhere could charge him with
ST unifuih cr with bad faith and be be-
G,yed. Ever since he landed in this coun-
a, he has occupied the highest conhdclt ial
roSiiiOns With businessmen. AS seen along
ina streets one would wonder that such
,,lgvc responsibilities had been committed
A. lis charge. II Dickens had have known
him i'm hi> pamy days no more interesting
character than tniS could have been woven
into his beautiful stories. He reminds one
II The confidential clerk Of great law firm
:. nj, individual is presented in the plays.
az shout medium height, with an easy,
shifting gait and slender build, he moves
sloUt hi. business and leisure in perfectly
rncfbndicll way. His face is small, aud the
lines in il rather severely drawn. Like
.lmos; all old bachelors, he is scrupulouSly
most in his dress. and evidently dies his
bsir. Perhaps this man is fifty years old or
more. and yet il would be hard tO guess
riilinten years Of bis age, so neat and nice
does lie look for a man CT his wears.
WHERE AND HOW he LIVES.
There is little hotel down in the older
end oi the city where he has lived for more
ilsn quarter OF a century. 1t is a quiet.
home-like place. known as the New Eng
lsnd House, and y relic Of by-gone days.
Yet this upright and peculiar MleS.an in
wCslth clirgs 10 the old habitation where he
began 10 hoard almost as soon as he had
landed in America poor.
Nulligan has had a curious career. For
time be handled the cash OF one OF the
ie,t theatres 10 Boston. Afterward be was
the confidential boOk.kceler OF the stan
woods. relatives Of the Blslnes, and is now
and has leon for msny years the trustee OF
Whist is known as the Fisher estate. He
las hsndltd millions OF money without
lllEtiht> I'D his uCtpNuts duu sun i
trusted CxpeIt in financial affairs. In
the capacity Of court manager Of the
Fisher estate these letters OF Mr.. Blaine's
csme into his possession. They were
r.rt OF the assets OF Warren Fisher when
10 passed through bankruptcy. MIlligan
did not in the flrst instance lntrude them
before the public. and was in nOwise re-
.ponsible for their being given 10 the
world. When called to Washington in
1876 20 testify he was n most unwilling wit
n,s., but the facts OF Dir. Baine's transac-
tons with Mr.. Fisher were forced from
him by the action OF some very prominent
Republicans in this city.
ioUILLA ADAMS AND MORSE.
AQuilla Adams il president Of one Of the
lsrge,i financial Institutions in Boston.
he was one Of the Men who knew OF the
existence Of these letters through having
some business relations with the Fisher
estate. Adams il large man, with bald
head and hlg mOustache. lie Is rather
tall, .Goutly built. and gives one the idea
that be is a solid man OF affairs. During
the congressional Investigation Of 1876 he
wrote q note for publication which called
out these letters Of Mr.. Blsine's 10 Fisher.
An interesting story is row told for
the first time which shows h)T
earnestly many Republicans in Mas.a-
chusetts were anxious that Mr. Blaine's
fiscal operations should be known 10 the
public besides those who are now figuring
IN these matters. IL is stated upon au-
tbority that r. NJ. Morse. Jr., who was the
chairman az the recent Republican state
Convention % Massachusetts,, was the real
Vower los which Mulligan and his letters
were brought to Washington by the con-
gTcssiOnal committee. lie was The assignee
in lSnkTUptcy Of the Warren Fisher estate.
snd All these disclosures which are now
gradually coming 20 light are said 70 have
been brought out in the eXimina-
lion before the register in bankrupt
y. IL Il told that upon the disclo-
,uro. made Mr.. Morse took steps TO call out
Tor the benoft Of the public the letters
which were printed in 1876 and the new
ones which are Just now being presented
ior The cdificatlOn 81 the people Ot the
United States. 30 it would appear that
neither NUlhgan nor Fisher were in any
ways responsible for the publicity given to
This subject In the first instance. IL also
DOW appears thst Mr.. Mulligan took only
.uch letters 10 Washington ~ he was
obliged 10 take under the call OF the COM
miitce. TIE balance, which he is now pro-
ducing, are simply called out by the per-
sonal assault. being made upon him by MI
BlaiuSs psrtisans.
ABOUT WARREN FISHER.
W.uen Fisher, like Mr.. Mulligan. has
ltcu IN innocent party 70 all this business.
Nr. Blaine's letters TO him passed out OF bis
possession in the regular order OF proceed
lngs IN bankruptcy and he has simply been
Iniruded into this matter a. an accident OF
The occasion. Mr.. Fisher Is we'll
known character in the business life
q this city. He's quite an old man
now perhaps fifty-fye years OF age.
just st present he is living quietly
upon bis farm up in Vermont and he only
comes 10 Boston when business requires
bis presence. 1t is said Of him that he
feel, very keenly the unpleasant position
he has been placed in by this political ad.
venture. into which be has bet dragged
against his will. and that Whatever he does
IN thi. matter now will be 10 protect him
self against the assaults which may be made
upon him by Mr.. Blaine or his friends.
Thee are the characters that are or have
boen prominent in giving publicity to Mr..
Bi9inGs letters. They are all living here