The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-23
RASCALITY.
What Became of the $50, 900 Contributed
by Gould Toward BIaine's Election.

Special to Chicago Times
NEW YORK, June 1s.-The World this morn
ing prints the following: "What did John
J. O'Brien and Robert G. McCord do with the
$1,000 of Jay Gould's money which they re-
ceiyed to help elect Blaine President in 1884?
is the question that is bothering the local
Republican politicians. Men who are in
position to know say that 0'Brien and Nc
Cord were handed that sum of money, but
there is great doubt about their having used
it tor the success of the grand old party
There have been many stories told about the
$50, 900 which Gould contributed to bride
voters in this city, and Colonel George Bliss
has charged that the money was not put
where it would do the most good, and has
insinuated that O'Brien has not gwen an &C
count of the manner in which the sum was
spent, and that the result of the election
does not show that money was used to any
beneficiary extent.
THE TRUE STORY
of Gould's $4,000, as told by one as ac-
quainted with the facts, is as follows: John
J. OBrien and his side partner in the bust
Stephen B. Elkins and engineered an intro
duction to Gould. o. Brien and McCsrd had
q consultation with Gould in the Western
Union building on the Saturday preceding
the election of 1884. O'Brien told Gould that
money was necessary to elect Blaine; that
the machine in the city had barely enough
funds to meet the routine expenses of the
election; that If a big sum was not forthcom-
ing Cleveland would poll heavier vote in
New York County than was anticipated.
O'Brien also told Gould that if he could have
q good sized pile OF greenbacks he would
scatter it among the district leaders, who
would use it to cut down Democratic major
tiles on the East and West Sides of the city,
which would more than make up for the
losses to the Republican party from the in
dependent and mugwump vote in the center
of the island. O'Brien also gave Mr.. Gould
to understand that
DEAL HAD BEEN MADE
with Tsmmany Hall. Under the agreement
Tanmany Hall was to give Blaine 20, 0Oe
votes, and in return Grant, for Mayor, was
to be run out of the Republican boxes in
eight assembly districts. O'Brien intimated
that he and John Kelly had formed the
compact. TamRany Hall, however, wanted
SIS, 900, to be used by the organization to
carry the deal into effect. Gould listened to
O'Brien and told him to call on Monday.
OBrien and McCord did not fail to put in
an appearance. They came in carriage and
fully prepared to carry away the Doodle.
They did not see Gould this time, but met
his partner, Common. O'Brien and McCord
had $4,000 in bills in the carriage when
they droye away from the Western Union
building. They were at once driven to the
Metropolitan Hotel, where they hired q
room. The money was taken to the room
by 0'Brien and McCord. After they had
remained there together an hour o Brien left
NcCord in charge. 0'Brien hurried to police
headquarters, where all the district leaders
had gathered In his Office. the bureau of
elections, at his request. OBren told each
one to 60 to the room at the Metropolitan
Hotel, where they would find McCord, who
would give them their share for their dis
tricts. The leaders all knew that there was
to be
BIG SUN DISTRIBUTED,
and most of them knew that it came from
Gould. The amount distributed at the Me-
tropolitan Hotel to the leaders by O'Brien
and McCord did lot exceed $4,000. The
average was 81, $50 district. Some districts
got more than Others. No one knows to
this day what became of the difference be-
tween $50, 600 and $4,000.
After the election Gould became suspicious
of O'Brien and McCord, and gave his opin-
| ion that the $50, 900 was not properly used.
| 1t was his opinion that If the money had all
been used for the purposes for which it was
given Blaine would have polled larger vote
| in the city, and would have carried the State
| and been elected. John Kelly heard of the
| statement o Brien had made to Gould about
| deal with Tammany Hail. and repudiated
| it. The election proved that there was no
| deal with Tammany Hall, and that Gould
had political confidence game played on