The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-08-01
STRAW BAIL DUDLEY.
A History of One of the Scandals of the so
Campaign.

Campaign.
There is one good thing about the street
railway situation" remarked democrat yes
terday.
'What is it?" was asked.
"Why, Dudley wont be able to use his line as
lodging point for the republican repeaters.
When he first commenced talking about COM
ing here suspected him of some sharp practice,
and since the thing dragged along to the eve of
a national election / have made up my mind
what he had in view. You can bet that every
man who works on his line will be voted
straight at least once. He wasn't made treas
urer of the republican central committee for
nothing"
This statement presents fair example of the
suspicion with which w. w. Dudley is viewed
by all democrats, greenbackers, prohibitionists,
independents, and great many republicans
He established his great reputation in this state
in the campaign of 1880, when corruption and
fraud were successfully employed by the re-
publicans in carrying the state. His greatest
achievement at that time was the celebrated
| "straw-bail" release of four republican repeat
ers who had been arrested by well-meaning but
| ill-informed republicans on the suppOsitlon
that they were democrats Three of these men,
| known as John b. Hughes, George Wilson and
| Augustus Daft alias johnson, were from Phlla-
| delphia and the other one, who called him.
/ sell Pressly Guyman was probably from that
| dollhouse OF Republican fraud, although he
| did not give his residence. A fifth repeater,
| called John Dolan was permitted to escape by
/ the policeman who had him in charge, but
! these four were duly taken before the U. 5.
| commissioners here on Oct. II, 1880, and sent
| to jail in default of bail While they languished
| there preparations were made the outside
| for their release At 10 o'clock that evening
| Mr.. Charles Fiske, deputy of William NJ. Dud-
/ ley, then u. ). marshal for this district, was
conveniently found at the postofhce building,
| in the Office OF the .. s. district attorney, by
| two men who were DESTROYS OF becoming
| bondSmen for the arrested repeaters. They
| gave their names as VIM. II. Miner and Joseph
/ c. Wilson. FiSke claimed that he did not
| know them, but the names given were
| found in the city directory, and on their max
! ing atfidayits as TO their property before John
| j. Halves, who was also conveniently found,
the bonds were accepted and the men released.
| When the matter called Tor hearing the
next day none of the repeaters appeared.
! William r.. Miner and Joseph c. Wilson were
| subpOenaed but when they arrived Fiske said
| they were not the men who gave the bonds.
In the meantime bondsmen and repeaters had
LETT the city, No one was punished for this
outrage, although every circumstance con-
| nected with it indicated that it was put-up
/ job by republican leaders-although Judge
/ Gresham appeared very indignant at this tam
| pering with justice in his bailiwick-althOug
/ the whole machinery OF the court was IN the
| hands of republicans.
| Mr.. Dudley also receives credit for able as
siStance to Mr. Dorsey in the distribution OF the
immense corruption fund used by the republic
/ cans in that year. Tie sources OF this fund are
| graphically stated by Mfr. w. Z. Fishback,
| whose long adherence to the republican party
| has probably made him familiar with Its meth
| DDS, in the following words:
"Much of this came from those over-worlSed
and under-paid individuals who own the infant
Rrhf ph nnrf a
/ and uncertain existence by means of the foster
| ing tariff laws enacted for their benefit; gentle
men who lobby for legislation in the interest of
| American labor and go straightway and forget
! what manner of men they were and import
semi-civilized Poles and Hungarians, who ter
rOriZe our people and shock the world by their
atrocities Some came from Star Route con-
tractors-Jay Hubbell assessments, and other
sources. The marines are told, and are ex-
peeted to believe, that these vast sums of
money were used in the work of organization"
n Plea for Honest Elections, p. 10.
In consideration of his valuable services in
war and peace Mr. Dudley was made commits
sioner of pensions, and worked so conscien-
tiOusy for civil service reform in that office
that when Gen. Black succeeded him there
were ,472 republicans and twenty-eght demo-
Gratis employed at the pension office. In ac-
cordance with letter from Mr.. Dudley, dated
Sept. 20, 1881, PA letters were torn out OF the
official letter-bOoks of the office by his private
secretary, w. III. Scudder, and made away with
just before Gen. Black took possession. Among
them were letters to Benjamin Harrison, A. q.
Porter, John c. New, Daniel Macauly, Fred
Knefer, Col. r. S. Robertson, j. w. Gordon,
w. Il. Holloway, L. Kitchener, w. r. McKeen
and other Indiana politicians Notwithstanding
this precaution, enough material was left to
show that the whole office had been continu-
ously employed for the purpose of republican
campaign work, and especially for influencing
the soldier vote. Employees were given special
leave OF absence for political work,
and stated specifically the nature of
their work in their reports. Exam.
lining boards were formed to accommodate re-
publican candidates. Official circulars were
sent out to affect the soldier vote. Pressure of
delay and unusual requirements in applica-
tons for pensions was brought to bear on
democratic soldiers in order to induce them to
vote for republican candidates. The printed
evidence of these shameful proceedings covers
over one hundred pages.
With these facts in view the distrust of Mr..
Dudley, which is somewhat prevalent in In
diana, is not remarkable. Indeed 1t is quite
possible that the present street-car complica-
ton may be quite effective agency for the
publication of the ballot