The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-07-01
BLAINE.s CANDIDATE.

A Fortune Made by Him During the War
by Selling . Remarkable List Of Names
to Towns which Wished to Escape the
Draft.
The use by Blame Of the Republican
machine to crush out soldier candi-
date in favor of wealthy contractor
whose money may be useful in Presi-
Dental canvass has revived the story
of Names paper credit frauds, in
which Blaine's henchmen were con-
spicuous actors.
The story dates back to 1864, when
the cry had gone up for more men to
come to the front and recruit the deci-
mated armies of the Union. At that
time, according to report made five
years later by the Maine Equalization
Commission, .'in that crisis of the war
and of the national life. when the re-
plenishing of the army was simple
question of life and death with the
Government, an individual made his
appearance at the State capital, claim.
ing to have come from Washington,
and brin ging in his pocket long list
of names, many of them quaint and
unpronounceable by an American
tongue, and others SO very common as
to be remarkable, all of which he as
serted to be the names of men who
had enlisted in the service of the United
States at some time since the COM
mencement of the war, and who hsd
not been credited with the quota Of
any State or municipality. These
names were offered to the officers and
recruiting agencies of municipalities
who were looking for men to fill their
quotas and reinforce the depleted
army, and Offering large bounties for
such men. Before quotas could be
cancelled by the use of these names
the approval of the proper United
States officials must be secured. The
office of A. A. Provost Marshal Gen.
eral for Maine was then filed by an
honorable gentleman of Maine and
an officer of the regular army. To
him this remarkable roll was shown
and his approval of it solicited. That
approval was denied. and probably
with some expressions of honest in
dignation. Not very long afterwards
this officer was ordered to another
field of duty and his place supplied by
an officer from a Western State. Then
| again at the State capital appeared the
man with the once rejected list of
names. And henceforth it seems there
was no official veto upon the filing of
quotas of cities and towns with these
names.n
The same commissioners in their re-
port point out that the man who pro-
cured the list of names was Blaine's
present manager in Maine, the same
who manipulated the Republican con-
vention in his interest They intimated
very plainly that this man and his as
sociates got names of soldiers and sail
ors already in the service and sold them
to towns who were willing to pay for
eing cleared of the draft They also
declare that Blaine's henchman sold
121 of these men for $47, 600. and that
if he sold the others at the same rate
he must have received more than $780,
600.
1t is not at all surprising that the
Maine Republican soldiers resent the
appearance of man with this kind Of
a record as the dictator of party nomi-
natious in the interest of Blaine. MOI
will it be at all surprising if they show
their resentment by defeating Blaine
candidate and depriving Blaine of the
prestige he hopes to win for the Presi.
dental fight. Detroit Free Press.