Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-10-11
AN uMBuRNED LETTER.

1shed over the following letter from
Roscoe Conkling to Peter B. Crandail,
OF this city. published in the Ithaca
Democrat, together with long inter-
view with Mr.. Crandal on the circum-
stance under which the letter was
written:
MAY 6. 1S66-My Dear lSsr: am glad to
ceive your letter. BY this time you will have
seen In fun the latter passages of the Fry
Blaine matter Let me know what yon think.
You will not, think, find fault with the self
ON without moments warning in the presence
OF the Nation to answer such libel What is
The effect upon our people?
Mr. Blame is said TO be too near the business
OF recruiting at Augusta, Me-, where he lives,
and where there was another Haddock affair,
IN crime but not ia conviction and punishment
He has grown suddenly rich. 1t is said out OF
Government jobs. His brother was convicted
OF forgery and sent to the State prison, am
told, and all around you see there is strong
flavor about the whole thing.
II where you and 1 are kno~n any one can be
found TO believe the foul Inn putation put on
we have lived IN vain.
How is this: Your friend
ROSCOE CoNKLING.
Peter B. Crandalls Babcock HILL Oneida
County. N. Y.
Mr.. Crandall is eighty years old. He
0 has boon q prominent man in State
and National politics for many years,
and has always becn one of Conkiing's
most devoted friends.
In an interview Mr.. Crandall said:
81 want simply to make statement
for the benefit of the friends of Mr..
Conkling. He was statesman.
patriot. an honest man. Through Mr..
Blaine's intrigucs and Vaccinations
he was forced from public life to his
death. 1t is now the duty Of every one
OF Mr.. Conkling's friends to repay that
treachery by helping TO silence forever
that scheming and dishonest politician.
i have known Mr.. Conlkling all my life
and have corresponded with him for
many years. All of his letters show
his intense suffering on account of the
way Blaine has illuminated him. His
last letter was written a few days be-
fore his death, and in that he still ex-
pressed an interest in public affairs.
''When was Provost-Marshal of
Oneida County great frauds were I'M
earthed by Conkling and traced to
Washington. ConkIing attempted to
Introduce bill abolishing the Provost
Marsh;lship. Fry and Blaine opposed
1t, as they wanted tho Office to become
"a part OF the War Department.. SO as to
continue the frauds. General Fry
sent a letter to Congress. and Blaine
caused it to be read. charging COnl-
ling with protecting his own district
from exposure in the county frauds.
Conkling aros9, demanded an investi-
cation, and turned on Fry and Blaine.
charging that out of $780, 900 men to
Il
200, 900 ever went to- service and some
body stole the money. The committees
appointce cxoneratce Conking. but
: the Fry investigation found too big a
JOB on their hands, and SO many per-
sons were implicated that the matter
was finally dropped. | have all the
papers in the matter. as Conkling told
me to keep them. Mr.. Hotchkiss,
attorney for the committee. said: If
we should attempt t& get back this
stolen money by spreading these trans
actions over che country the Admin
istration would noe last six months.
Conkling said he had letter from
Augusta, Me-, Blaine's home, charging
Blaine with making $40. 900 in a single
day out Of county frauds. About
Che letter which now give to the pub
lie. When Mr.. Blaine has been pushed
TO the very front of his party as ar
bitter and dictator and has reached and
holds thaa position by treachery it
removes the obligations of secrecy.
The friends of Mr. Conkling, now that
he is dead, owe him the right to be
heard on all matters relating to
Blaine's integrity. The friends of
Conkling can not vote for Harrison
this fail if they arc true to Conkling's
memory. Blaine is tho Republican
party. and if it had not been for him
Garfield would have hcen alive and
Conkling still in politics. will not
vote for Harrison this fall. I have al
ways been Republican. but when
that party goes in for plunder leave
it The Republican party seems to
have but Que purpose, and that to aid
capitalists and bondholders to squander
the public lands and build up man.
moth corporations. I am too old to
ask or expect any thing from any POI
htical party now, and all wish is to
leave the world better than l found il.
But when ! think that 10 Harrison is
elected this fall Blaine will be at tho
head of the Government / can not die
-contented. but feel like going to every
, friend of Mr.. COnkting and telling him
what / know personally about tho
shameful way he was treated by Blaine
and thereby removing from my heart
the secrecy of a subject which has
ever been painful one to me-"
The leading Democrats here say this
letter and interview will increase the
Democratic vote in this section by hum
dreds.-Ithaca On ~ Cor. Chicago
Times.