Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-03-26
A SPECIMEN BRICK.
EUGENE HIGGINS, ONE OF PRESIDENT
CLEvELAND's FIRST APPOINT

EUGENE HIGGINS, ONE OF PRESIDENT
CLEvELANDs FIRST APPOINT
MENTS
: WASHINGTON, D. G. March 17-Eugen
Higgins, the new Appointment Clerk, i
1.-THE topic of much discussion in officia
circles at present,and the most outspokeI
disgust greets the selection made by tn,
Administration at Senator Germans re
quest.
A SUSPICIOUS CAREER.
i Higgins was one of the Maryland mel
| who crossed the lines in 1861 into the
Senthern Confederacy, but, instead o1
placing himself in personal danger on
the battle field, he secured a safe position
as deputy under Winder, the Provost
Marshal of Richmond, whose cruelty to
the Union prisoners is matter of bis
tory. Other Confederates say that he
had a substantial paying interest in the
sambling houses that were numerous in
the rebel capital. He got on the inside
of Democratic ring politics ON his re-
turn to Baltimore after the war, aud was
elected to the City Council and the Leg
islature, and became in 1881 clerk of the
State Central Committee under Mr..
GeIman's patronage. When the loan of
Sl.500,000 for pavements in Baltimore
was put through the City Council, Hig-
gins turned up as most active lobbyist
in its behalf, and his zeal was explained
when it was found that by some hugger-
muggery provision requiring the use of
the, Camp process had been inserted in
the bill, and that, because of his useful
ness in prevailing with councilmen, he
had been given an interest in the patent.
1t caused great scandal and much con-
f3eaat4ea- arr,vrB cfr5 Cortrdcturs, anu, as
an outcome of quarrel between Higgins
and one of them, John Haugb, Higgins
was soundly thrashed on Halliday street
by Haugh.
The situation was made still warmer
for Higgins little later or. In January,
1884, William Atkinson sued him in the
Baltimore City Circuit Court for the re-
covery of 500, alleged to have been lost
at faro in Higgins place on December
II. 1888, and $210. lost in the same way
on December 90 The suit was entered
''off " May 27, 1884. Higgins having COM
promised them by paying the costs and
satisfying the demands of Atkinson. Such
settlement amounts to a confession of
the charge, and this pleasing episode in
the Higgins chronicle should receive the
careful consideration of Secretary Man
ming. Another of the current coDnec-
tons of Senator Germans protege is
with a disreputable concert saloon on
Baltimore street. known as the French
Froliques." He has some SOFT of inter-
est with its nominal proprietor, and his
influence in the courts and at police
headquarters is generally believed to
have saved him from being raided or
prosecuted. This sink hole of filth does
not permit of description.
A CCRRUPTER OF ELECTIONS.
Higgins has played conspicuous part
in corrupting elections in Maryland. In
1876, and again in 1880, he had charge of
the Baltimore repeaters and ruffians who
went to the October election in Indiana,
registered at the new Dennison House,
in Indianapolis, and conducted their OPP
erations from that point. When German
was running for the State Senate, in
Howard county, in 1879, he took his
gang there, where they elected German
by driving the negroes from the polls
with drawn revolyers. His trip in 1876
to Indiana had tragic termination for
Samuel Sands Mills, one of his compan>
ions. Mills was at that time chief clerk
in the office of the City Comptroller of
Baltimore. Association with Higgins
ruined him. His affairs became involved,
charges of peculation in Office were made
against him, and he died in disgrace.
A story is told of an achievement that
illustrates the character of Higgins. In
1875 he was the Democratic judge at one
of the polls in the Ninth ward of the
city. He opened the polls and told the
Republican judge to take charge, as he
was going out for couple of hours. He
went out and sent his friends with bot
ties of whisky to ask the Republican
judge to take drink. The latter drank
too much, and when Higgins came back
was willing, at Higgins suggestion, 10
take short nap. Then Higgins took
charge Of the poll book. and when the
Republican judge woke up at 4 o'clock
every name on the poll book was voted
Cd with a big Democratic majority. The
Republican judge did not dare say any,
thing, and Higgins made up the returns.
Splendid HOnOrs.
The public should note the fact that the