The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-07
BRIBERY SCHEMES.
Stories Of Brides and Official Corruption
Prevalent at the National Capital.
Washington Special.

Stories OF Brides and Official Corruption
Prevalent at the National Capital.
Washington Special.
1t appears to be an era of official exposures.
.5tories of brides and of official corruption are
very prevalent. Some of them have good founda-
lions and some are mere idle sensations. Sena-
tor Van Wyck vouches for one story, which in
6icates new liue of action in influencing Sena-
the agent OF prominent insurance company in
New York came to him and made proposition
to insure his life. This offer was practically an
offer of SO much money to secure the use of his
name and possible influence in case the company
should desire legislation in its interests favored
This was the proposition: The agent said
to Mr. Van Wyck: .You are sixty years DID,
We will insure you for $4,000 for ten
years if you will pay a premium of
81. 900 year If you die at any time during the
ten years your heirs will receive the principal
Ii you live until your are seventy we will pay
you the amount of the insurance plus any diyi-
dends which may have accumulated. The sum
to De returned to you at that time will be be-
tween $1l, 900 and $l2, 600. But" said the SEN
ator, Il don't see how you can afford to do bust
ness on any such plan as that. The advantage
is all on my side. All you have at the very best
agent replied: 1.-THE company is we'll able to
look after itself. 1t is anxious to secure large
elientage among public mon, and sees very clearly
what the advantages Of such insurance would
be. The Senator then asked if many Senators
and members had accepted this proposition
The agent replied that there had. Senator Van
Wyck told the agent that he did not care for
such insurance. 1t was altogether too much for
nothing. Almost all of the enterprises in the
country that are looking to the public for sub
Scorpions and support like to have wel-known
people among their patrons. Men who hold pub
lie position in Washington are constantly being
asked to become subscribers at nominal figures
TO various kinds of stock enterprises The
members who are poor are often tempted into
what looks to them like an easy and honorable
way OF making a fortune. The Pan. electric
Telephone Company is exactly a case in point
and it is the best illustration of the
class of enterprises that come to Washington to
seek aid from public men in putting them upon
the public. The Pan-electric scheme If it had
carried, would have made millions for its orig
nai projectors. The lobby people who thrive
when such enterprises prosper. are shrieking in
rage over the recent exposures in the World. and
chatter idioticaly about the influence of tho
agents Of the Bell Telephone Company in pro-
curing such publications. Some of the cheaper
newspaper writers OF the capital, who exc out a
precarious living between the lobby aud writing
for small newspapers, echo this talk If any Of
these mon can find evidence to give the slightest
basis for any OF the gossip they will be able to
make much greater newspaper sensation than
they ever made yet. 1t is a part of the weak de-
Tense of the official projectors OF the Pan electric
scheme that they are being crushed by the
powerful Bell telephone monopoly. The Pan
electric Telephone Company was smashed up