Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-11-28
HIeH-MINDEp BILL SCOTT.
An Interesting Bit of Correspondence DE-
covered in a Junk Shop.

covered in Junk Shop.
Hon. William L. Scott, the high
minded Democratic statesman who has
been engaged during the greater part of
the present year in the congenial task
of starving citizens of Illinois into
state of meek subsection to his lordly
sway as the owner of a large section OF
Sucker soil, is indebted to an humble
New York Junk dealer for bit of lame
which he may or may not appreciate.
1t seems that the distinguished Penn
sylvanian in 1886 was member OF Con-
gress and a candidate for reelection In
the beautiful character OF the peoples
friend. 1t also seems that the peoples
friend IN this case was beset, as friends
of the people usually are, by enemies
who sought his downfall, and in his ex-
tremity he sat down and wrote this In
teresting letter to Hon. Chauncey NJ.
Depew:
my DEAR Mr.. DEPEw: don't often ask for
favors in the way Of passes, but il / could get
an annual pass good until January l, over the
New York Central railroad-and il would suit
me better If could get it from New York to
Erie-in favor Of Harry Butterfield, it would be
district.
Although you are Republican and am a
Democrat we do not differ much in regard to
our views in connection with corporate property,
and 1 may be able to serve these interests
should I pull through agsiL
81 am sure the pass womb not be used three
times between now and January1.
''Yours truly,
"W. L. SCOTT"
ERIE, Pa, Sept. Is. 1885"
The delicious frankness of this appeal
will not pass unnoticed. although you
are Republican and am Democrat"
says the Erie friend of the people, 1--WE
do not differ much in regard to our views
in connection with corporate property,
and 1 may be able to serve these inter
ests should pull Though again"
This was probably written in igno-
rance of section $500, revised statutes
of the United States, or at least in the
belief that the communication would
never 60 beyond Hon. Mr.. Depew's pri-
vate desk. If he had known that APP
plications for annual passes 60 after
certain lapse of time to a junk dealer
who has weakness for autograph col
lections, he would scarcely have written
my Dear Mr.. Depew" so unreservedly.
Section $500 would have warned him
against such abandon, for It provides
that: "Any member of either House of
Congress who asks, accepts or receives
any money, or any promise, contract,
undertaking, obligation, gratuity or Sc
curity for the payment of money, or for
the delivery or conveyance of any thing
of value, either before or after he has
been qualified or has taken his seat as
such member, with intent to have his
vote or decision on any question, mat
ter, cause or proceeding, which may be
at any time pending in either house, or
before any committee thereof, influenced
thereby, shall be punished by fine
not more than three times the amount
asked, accepted or received, and by i'm
prisonment not more than three years."
However, he did write it, the pass was
received by return mail, and eventually
the letter went with others to the junk
shop, whence it found its way into
print. 1t only remains for the friend
of the people to show that his application
for the pass for Henry Butterfeld was
not crime righteously punishable un--
der the section of the statute quoted
Chicago News Qnd.).