Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-06-27
Gen. H. Y. BOynton in Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette.


lated facts in the story OF the diabolioal
safe burglary conspiracy in the District
of Columbia in the Grant times have re-
GENTLY been quite widely reproduced In
order to discredit the Presidents ap-
pointment of Judge Fisher OF Delaware
as first auditor of the treasury.
While the quotations from the history
Of the crime are accurate and while the
use made of them would be fair and I'M
answerAble II there were no features of
the case which modified them it is just
both to the President and Judge Fisher
to say that there were such elements and
that they were Of character to remove
any objection 20 the appointment OF
Judge Fisher, which may bs urged upon
the ground that he was involved in the
safe burglary conspiracy.
The fullest presentation of the sup
posed case against the President aud
Judge Fisher is found in the Washington
correspondence OF the Chicago Herald.
Under date of June 10th Mr.. Powers tsle-
graphed SIS follows:
Probably none of President Harri-
sons appointments has caused more I'M
favorable comment than that Of Judge
Fisher OF Delaware, who has just been
made first auditor of the Treasury. Mr..
Fisher first came into notice during the
excitement incident to the famous bur-
glary conspiracy, in some respects the
most Infamous crime that has been CON-
mitted in this country because that il is
the only effort that officials OF the Fed.
eral government OF the national cspitsl,
and intimately associated with the Presi-
dent and the heads Of two departments,
ever made to blackeD the reputation OF
honorable gentlemen in order to save
gang of unoonscionable rascsls from
exposure. This conspiracy was Matched
n the office Of the United States
district attorney of the District OF
Columbia, and mainly the invention
OF Dick Harrington, the assistant diatrict
attorney. The district attorney at that
time was Judge Fisher OF Delaware,
whom President Harrison has Just APP
pointed to be the first auditor Of the
treasury. AS district attorney he was
mere figure-head, the work of the office
being entirely in the hands OF Harring-
ton. This indicates how efficient an
auditor he will be. Although ne was not
one OF the conspirators, he was not in
trusted with the prosecution. He was at
no time taken into the confidence OF the
outside lawyers who were assigned to the
thies and all his slight connection with
the affair was with the oonspirators. The
only connected story OF this, the moat
disgraceful episode OF Official life il
Washington, was written by General
Boynton, the Republican correspondent
of a Republican newspaper, and pub
iished IN 1877 in the American Law Re-
view.
The first point at which District At
torney Fisher came into the case is thus
described by General Boynton; TO dis
crAdit the testimony q Esyes e.
Whitley sWure api warsslt 3nH n7t
z 8 rsatad To- prriuFY al tha GLOSS OF
his testimony ana wnlIs inc case WAS De.
fore the Jury. The affidavit was drawn
by Judge Fisher, the nominal district at
torney. Hayes was promptly discharged
by the criminal court, on the ground
that il was an unwarran.ed and hsgitious
attempt to influence the trial then 10
progEess.i In this 'unwsrranted and
hsgitious attempt Judge Fisher, then the
officer whose duty it was to punish viola
tors Of the Law, and now frat auditor
was an active part.
"Further on General Boynton says
Throughout the trial the situation about
the Office OF Judge Fisher, United state
attorney for the district, was standing
scandal. 1t was the headquarters for th
defence. Here the defendants and thei
frisnds gathered to consult before eacl
days session of the court, and here the,
reassembied upon adjournment. Tn
dinrsputable witnesses who were brough
here from New York by the secret ssr
vice, those whom Somerville decide
useful in the common cause, orowde
here; they, together with the prominen
officials, contractors and operators of th
district ring, under the very eyes OF III
department Of Justice and of Congress
"a dry goods store in Baltimore wa
cracked, aud one of the men arreste
for it found an opportunity OF teliin
Harrington that he knew too much abou
the safe burglary to be- kept in jail Ions
and Harrington at once took measures |
get him released on bail"
General Boynton says: "Oharles Fishe
son Of the district attorney, and an ri
sistant in his fathers office, with Evan
dressed up man named Green, fro
Baltimore, TO perHopate wealthy eitize
of Georgetown named Edes. This me-
was accepted as surety for Snyder al
the latter was released on SO 900 bal
Fisher, Evans and CLERK OF the polii
nection with ths case.
.Shortly after this Judge Fisher I
signed the district attorneyship, al
President HARRISON, after that csref
examination of the history which
friends say ne gives to the history
every man whom he appoints to otiig
has selected this man 81 tine tittest, with
the range of his knowledge, to be fl
auditor Of the treasury
Mr., Powers, who is q clear as we'll
an able and conscientious writer
thua presented the full strength OF WI
can be found against Judge Fisher in
record Of conspiracy.
In his introduction he frankly sta
that the Judge was not one Of the CT
spirators and that his connection 9th
wise with the affair was Blight though
his sympathies are declared to have ot
with the guilty.
Being now summoned as witpt
through the above quotations. from
American Law Review, it is only fair
point ont wherein these extracts, gs Il
stand, dc not weigh against Judge Fis
with the force which they appear to hu
and why they should not operate to
qualify him for present appointment.
In the opening OF the article from
Law Review from which the above g
tations are T. ken the parties to this
famous plot were thus indicated:
''Tha Washington safe burglary {
spiraoy we'll deserves to be classed am
celebrated cases. The parties TO its {
esption and execution, or to ita non
fessionai de enoe before Congress ard
courts. embraced all ranks OF sooi
from the lowest order Of thiayes to
very ar utocraoy and orsoksmen; Il
the detectives who co-operated Will
these to the principal suonrdluafes,
to the chief Of the governments Sc
service force; from the vile order
u ~ a. L. :.