The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-15
THE 81. ,yoHN BUsTyEss

THE cLARKsoN LETTER.
DIES MONIES, Ia, Jan. 8.
Editor Chicago Tribune;
In reply to your direct inquiry If l
knew personally as to whether or not
st. John offered TO withdraw As q can
didate for president for q money consid-
Grafton, can answer now only as TO the
fact without yet being at liberty to make
public the details. To my knowledge We
did have an overture, and made through
Q friend from his own state, by which
ne offered, If paid $4,000 In cash, TO
withdraw as = candidate altogether, or
70 stay IN the field and 'feather his
speeches" as 1t was put in the Kansas
phrase, 10 the help of the Republican
party. he was asKed in order to prove
the sincerity of his offer TO withdraw
from Ohio the last week before the DC
tOber election In that state. He did this
under the plea, which he said he would
give. of getting sore throat, and with
the friend have menti med went first to
Pittsburg and next TO Philadelphia and
finally to New York. where he hoped
20 meet some one on the part of the Re
publican National committee, who would
oe ready TO make the deal and pay the
cash. On the 18th of October, through
mis- friend in letter still IN
existence, he alleged the state TO have
been carried by his getting sore throat
| in Ohio one week for the benefit of the
Republican party. This letter and other
| facts OF detail which will convince any
| fair minded person OF the real character
| of st. John. and show to the country
what 3 thrifty Christian he is, will be
given to the press whenever he shall ask
| aud persuade his friend who was the
medium OF his overtures, 10 give his Con-
| sent to have them made public. I may
add that neither the National commit
/. tee or any one acting for IL ever made
| an overture or proposition of any kind
| to st. John. All that it did was 10 listen
10 and discuss the overtuTes and propo.
| sitions made TO it through the medium
| which he employed to reach it. Several
other members Of the National commit
tee and some other gentlemen connected
| with the Ohio campaign had frequent
| conversations with this friend OF st.
John, and are conversant with the facts
| and details of It as myself. They know
| that 81. Johns friend was in constant
telegraphic and frequent personal con
| sultation with him and that the things
| which were demanded of st. John as TO
| his movements in Ohio were pledged by
that friend aud carried by st. John IN
many WAYS. Ample evidence was thus
| afforded Us. including the exchange OF
| telegraphic communication between
| them, and shown 10 several persons,
| proving that his friend was acting with
| ST. John and under his authority. One
other person is IN possessiOnn of more
| written evidence than ! have.
[Signed j. S. GARRISON.
| WHAT topeka CORRESPONDENT SAYS.
TOPEKA. Jan. 11.-T0e charge that the
| Hon. James F. Legate. of this state was
4 fha RannhIfpan nannfiafnH uuifh tho
Republican National committee for the
| purchase OF st. John in The recent presi-
| DENTAL contest, did not create even a stir
in this city, where he is so we'll knowL,
| nor In LeavenwOrth, the home of Mr..
Legate, IS the references to Kansas gen.
/ tlemen as negotiatoTs had been under
stood as meaning Mr.. Legste for one.
He 10 q we'll known Prohibilionist, and
very astute politician, and better
man could not have been chosen to take
cha ge of Mr.. st. Johns advances.
Mr.. Legste, however. publicly denies
that the story in detail as published is
true, but makes no allusi0n to a denial
| Of the fact. Your correspondent has in
formation from two sources, both of
/ which are trustworthy as to the whole
| matter. The first letter that was writ
ten was signed by Fred w. Willard of
| LeavenWorth, and addressed to Steve
Elkins. MIR. Willard IS nephew of MIR.
Legate. The letter was written at Mr..
Wizards house by Willard, but did NOT
| suit MIR Legate, who wrote another one
himself. and Willard copied it, sealed
| and addressed II, and gave it to Legate
stamped and ready for the mail. This
letter was to the effect that Mr.. st. John
| was a car didate, that he was in the race
/ TO stay; that il was desired to use him
| for the Republicans, and that no man in
Kansas could handle him except James
| +. Legate.
The negotiations followed this letter
| and resulted in st. John as part of the
bargain, as precedent to the contract,
| Withdrawing FROM the Ohio October
campaign Il week or more before its
| close.
A meeting between st. John and Legate
and the Republican manager had been
| arranged to take place at Pittsburg, but
4 the latter was not there, anu instead st.
/ John and 'Legate received q telegram TO
meet Mr. Elklns in PhiladcIphIs. In the
| meantime Ohio went Republican, and
when the prohibitonIsts went to the
Philadelphia meeting they were told
that the Repu blicans did not wish to
buy. The negotiations between the
| Democrats and st. John were then
| Drought to a business point, and his sale
through the fundamentally OF j. G.
Ayers, Washington city correspondent,
and Mayor Nicely, q prominent Demo-
Graf of this state.
That St. John sanctioned every act ie
certain from the fact that ne was in con-
slant telegraphic communication with
Mr. Legate, the latter being furnished
with the formers route.
| Mr.. Willard, of Leavenworth, also
participated in the correspondence, send
ing and paying for messages to st. Louis
from Mr.. Legate. am also told by my
informant that Mr.. Legate has written
the Republican national committee
telling him the whole story IN detail
\ and making each page confidential
This Is probably the letter Mr.. ClarksOr
refers to as being unable to make public
The friends of st. John have, in en-.
deavorIng to shield him and lay the
whole matter on Legate's shoulders
placed that gentleman In position to be
accused of attempting to obtain $25 ,0O(
out of the Republicans, and then tel
| them to shut up or he would expose
them. This Is, of course, not Sn envia
BILE position for Mr.. L and he probably
feels II very keenly as some of his friends
who are acquainted with the facts have
| advised him to make a clean breast o
. the whole matter. He hesitates to dc
so, however, as he says others will b
implicated whom he does not wish L
draw into the matter. He is also sale
to hesitate as an avowal of the trutl
T Weuld injuTe him with the Prohibition
lists, who would take St Johns wore
as they do Holy Writ. AS my inform
ant tells me that Mr.. Legate has proc
in black and white from Mr.. ST. John
however, he may, II the atmosphere get
g little warmer. come out with the whole
matter, when, OF course, the friends o
st. John wou d defend him by cryinl
[ forgery
. Mr.. LegaIe also, probably realizes tn
4 force of this, knowing the Prohibition
lists as he does, aud consequently feel
himself 10 be In such muddle that b.
can't see the way to better himself b.
. taking the advice of his friends and tell
ing the truth.
WHAT WILLARD KNOWS ABOUT IT.
Fred W. Willard of the Leavenwort
Times publishes this morning card i
, substance SIS follows:
LEAVENw oHTH, Kss. j an. 12.-Bein
= relative of james r. Legale. hav
been asked innumcrable times since tn
, publication OF the special dispatch il
the ST Louis Republican from Olath
concerning the controversy now pend
, ing, to tell the representatives of the I'd
rious papers what know concerning
the mater. / have said nothing unit
; the appearance of dispatch in the Kan
sas Guy Journal of to-day, which make
! me the author of q number of state
: menLs Knowing that Mr.. Legate ha
!, confijed the part he took in the st job
sale 10 a. lesst five persons in this cIty
, tnree OF whom have stated TO me tina
! such Is the case, / will say that l know
= oVertuTes were made TO the Repubhcal
, | naiioBal committee by Mr.. Legate in 81
: Johns behalf, and from a telegram tina
| I sent to St. John that he was cogniZan
| of the tact and endorsed 1t. Mi
. Legate came to my office III