Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-07
LOT WRIGHT'S BAD LOT.
HE ADMITS THAT THEY WE'RE
FAR FROM A PIOUS CREW.


Nearly Half of the RevOlvers Distributed
Among Them Never Heard from Since
The Marshal Pleading the Imp0ssi-
bility of q Very Close Scrutiny into the
Character of the Applicants.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 6.-The Congressional
Committee examining into the appointment
OF United States deputy marshals at the last
October election resumed the examination of
Marshal Wright this morning. The general
method Of questioning was to read the names
Of deputies appointed one by one, and ask the
marshal if he knew the men, where they lived
and who recommended them. Mr.. Follett
would ask if the witness did not
know that they were thieves,
murderers and ex-convicts just out Of jail or
the WorkhOuse, and charged with crimes, etc.
The witness in most cases could not recOllect
the persons asked about, nor who recommend
ed them. he said that it was possible that
some men were appointed who were not re-
commented at ali, though his aim las to get
men qualified for the work. In reference to
one colored man. he said that he knew that
he was reported to be bad man, but did not
believe that the reports were well founded.
AT any rate, he was a man well qualified to
meet the emergency which called for the ap-
polntment of the deputies, namely, danger of
repeating.
NOT A VERY PIOUS LOT.
He was aware that some of his men were
not strictly piOus, but in making his appoint
ments he had regard to the elements his
deputies would have to deal with. He had
never heard Of a single instance where any
deputy had in any way prevented any citizen
from casting legal vote.
Mr.. Follett asked the witness if he did not
know that some of his deputies were keepers
OF crap" houses and low dives. The witness
replied that he did not know the meaning of
those terms. In the appointment of so many
men in such a short time it would be difficult
to get all with a perfectly clean history and
still be good men for deputy marshals at an
election. The witness repeated that he made
great effort to get good efficient men and
that most of them were such.
Mr.. FOllett asked how many of the 600 re-
volvers distributed had been returned.
The witness said between 800 and 400
''Still,' said Mr.. FOllett, 'tyou had good men
who retained nearly half of your revolyersf"
The witness saId that he expected to get
more OF these revolvers yet.
HIS VIEWS OF HIS POWERS.
He admitted having appointed three depu-
ties to serve IN Reading, which was not city
OF 10000 Inhabitants, and from which he had
no written application. In the witness view
of the law he had power to send general
deputies to every voting place in the Southern
Ohio district, but would not be entitled to al
low them pay for such service. He denied
having had consultations with Messrs
ButterWorth and Brown or with
casual way. In general he followed
his own judgment. He denied that there was
plan agreed upon, after consultation, to ap-
point as many ex- policemen as possible, which
was afterwards abandoned, and the other
plan adopted. He toOk some advice about
appointments from E. @. Rathbone, of the
Pension Department, who was general dep
uty of his, having been appointed a year or
more ago.
A LAUGHING STOCK.
The same form of examination was con-
tinued at considerable length, Mr.. Wright re-
peatlng so many times that he did not recol-
lect, that the laugh was raised when he said
that he was told by some one that those pis-
tolls were coming to him, but he did not recol-
lect who it was. Returning to the subject of
those revOlvers, the witness said that he
mad no written notice of their coming
and no positive knowledge where they
came from, but supposed that they
were sent from the Republican
National Committee. His direction how to
return them was by telegram from Mr.. Fes-
sender, MIR. Chaffee or another member of
the committee, but he could not tell from
which one. 1t was his opinion that there
would have been no election here in October
If 1t had not been for the deputy marshals,
and that the deputy marshals would have
been worthless without arms.
Mr.. Springer-''D dn't you have an election
in November without marshals?"
Mr.. Wright-"Yes, sir"
Mr.. SprInger-"And haven't you had many
before last October without marshals?D
Mr.. Wrlght-"1 es, sir. But L am certain
that there never was an election in Cincinnati
where there was such deep feeling and such
excitement on both sides as at the Octo her
election. 1 believe that if we had not had
deputy marshals our streets would have run
With blood"
On cross-examination by Judge Foraker
Mr.. Wright said that the defiant hostility of
the city and county authorities the night be-
fore the election, shown the arrest of his
deputies, even when they were serving
warrants, led him to expect trouble. To his
best knowledge thousand deputy sherins
were aODOinted