The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-20

Attorney of New York, an office to which he
was elected last November by the votes of
the most disreputable part of the Democratic
party of New York, against the active pro-
test and efforts of such eminent and respec-
table Democrats as Samuel d. Babcock. ex-
PRESIDENT OF the Chamber of Commerce. one
OF the first business men of the city of New
YORK, Arson Phelps Stokes, the we'll known
banker, Wheeler III. Peckham, the distin-
guished lawyer, Charles Ii. Marshall and
Robert b. Minturn, honored representatives
of names honored in New York, John d.
Jones, the well known insurance man, Ham,
ilton Cole, E. Ellery Anderson, Alexander
Hamilton, Frederick j. DePeyster and hun
dreds of other respectable and self respecting
Democrats. These men may have opposed
Col. Fellows because of his war record, as
they knew very well that he, New York
man by birth and training, became Rebel
colonel in the pay of the disloysl State of
Arkansas, tried to destroy the Union by
force of arms, and only ceased his efforts
when captured by the Union army at Port
Hudson and shut up where he could do no
harm they may have opposed him bees use
they did not believe it fitting for man who
had accepted favors from the infamous Tweed
to hold the office of prosecuting attorney
of the city of New York, especially
at time when the important cases of the
doodle" aldermen were coming up for trial.
In 1872 when William NJ. Tweed was indicted
Fellows was assistant district attorney of
New York, and of course familiar with the
case against Tweed. About two months
before Tweed's trial Fellows went out of
Office. Tweed was first tried in January,
1873, and on the 31st day of that month the
jury disagreed, standing eleven for convic-
tion and one for acquittal. A letter pub
lished by the New York Times last year
is interesting in this connection. 1t was ad-
dressed to William M. Tweed, and read as
follows:
NEW YORK, Feb. ], 1873.
Dear Sir;-I am sorry to have to avail myself of
your generous offer of yesterday, but have not
reed anything from the Gentleman referred to,
and am situated as follows: have $923.00 to
pay to-day, and have $500 to pay it with. AS
part is for rent and the rest note in bank. can
return II as soon as see those gentlemen, which
Yours most truly
j. r. FELLOWS.
Lengthwise Of this note, in the upper left
hand corner, is written, in the handwriting
Of S. Foster Dewey, William NJ Tweed's
private secretary:
/ Gave Fellows ch'k for 1923. Feb. ], 1878.
On the back of the note, as it was filed
away, was written by William NJ. Tweed in
his grabbed hand,
]. r. Fellows, February 1873
Why did Boss Tweed, on the very day
when the jury disagreed. feel SO grateful as
to make generous offer" to Col Fellows
and why did Col. Fellows accept the
generous offer?" Was it that Fellows had
been 'spower for good" to Tweed as the
Argus thinks he is power for good" to
the Democrats of Maine? At about the same
time that the New York Times printed this
letter the New York World, good Demo-
cratic authority, found some other evidence
that reflects on Col. Fellows's character asa
'power for good, mo less than suit
against him for gambling debt in resisting
payment of which he plead that gambling
was immoral.