St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-01-17
CAMPAIGN FRAUDS.
Mail Lists of the Voice Sold to Quay
and C1arkson for $3.50.

ana CI2rkSOu fOf SzSO-
The proprietors and publishers of
the Voice, the organ of the prOh1b1-
ton party, make some very unpleas-
ant charges against Quay, ClaTkson
and Dudley, managers of the republl-
can campaign. Itisto the effect that
two clerks in the Office of\the Voice
stole the Voices mailing lists, and
sold them to Quay and Clarkson for
$3.50 and a promise of other sItua-
tons. These lists, it is alleged, were
used during the recent campaign TO
defeat the objects of the prohibition
party, the 80, 1000 subscribers to the
Voice being flooded with pro-republi-
can, anti-prohibition literature in the
place of their regular organ. The
story covers nine columns of last
weeks issue ofthe paper, and is back
ed up with the worn confessions of
thetwo thieving clerks and fac-simile
copies of brief notes from ClarksOn
and Dudley. These notes, however,
are not in any way compromising,
except in so far as they show that
Clarkson and Dudley were in cores
pondence with the thieves. The
Voice pays its respects to the gentle
men this way: "High-toned ladies
and gentlemen of the party of virtue
and sObriety, of temperance and NOR
atty, permit us to introduce to you
Hon. Mathew Stanley Quay, senator
from PENNSYLVANIA, chairman OF the
republican national committee and
receiver of stolen property; Hon.
lanes S. C1arkson, republican dicta-
tor of Iowa, vice-chairman of the re-
publican national committee and re-
ceivcr of and negotiator for stolen
property; Hon. w. w. Dudley, per-
sonal representative of President
elect Harrison, treasurer of the re-
publican national committee and
conspirator to abet and reward a
confessed thief"
After the lists were stolen the sus-
pected clerks were Swallowed, and
eventually proved to be in communi-
cation with the national republican
headquarters. One, adeafmute, was
discharged. and was promptly given
a paid position as chairman and or
ganizer of an alleged national organ
ization of republican deaf mutes.
This organization, the Voice says,
consisted of the discharged clerk and
adeafmute reporter on a local paper.
The other clerk was retained until
Dec. 81, and then confronted with
the evidence against him. Under
threat of immediate arrest both
thieves made full confession.
The deaf mute, SAMSON, says in his
story: MIR. ClarksOn and | had an
interview. | showed him the circu-
lars and lists. The latter contained
the names and addresses of between
40, 900 and $4,000 subscribers of the
Voice. C1arksOn asked if could not
get the names and addresses of 81
900 clergymen, and also of 500 900
farmers. | did not think | could.
For those lists already furnished
Clarkson asked what price l wanted.
| said 5000. He then said that the
price was fair if the work was effec-
tive. Ithen added that | would have
to give up my place in Funk & Wag-
nails after this transaction, and
would like to have employment on
the national republican committee in
raising funds on plans usually en-
ployed by Funk & Wagnalls. He
then said: We will make it $3.50 in
all, and suggested that | still remain
in the office of Funk & Wagnalls, in
order to gain more information, es-
pecially, if so,.about the prohibition
party being in the pay of the demo-
cratic party, and report it to him
~(Clarkson). | told him | did not
think so. He then gave me a $5Obill
for the surrender of the circulars and
lists, and made an appointment for
Monday morning.
SAMSON and the other clerk, Dur
fee, who was waiting outside, went
to a saloon to divide the money, and
had some drinks of whiskey. The
deaf mute said he got only $50 for
the stolen lists, and he gave Durfee
500. Durfee subsequently saw Clark
son, Quay and Dudley, and was
promised government appointment
at $500 a year. One of the letters
published in fac-simile is as follows,
the body of the letter being in type
writing, like a more famous letter
from the same gentleman:
WASHINGTON, Dec. %, 'SS.
Charles A. Durfee, Esq.-My Dear
Sir: Your favor just received. In
reply | would say that as soon as |
am ready l shall be glad to have
your services in the matter that Mr..
Clarkson and l were talking to you
about. 1t will necessitate your COM
ing here, and | can arrange, | think,
for YOU to have a room to sleep in
in the headquarters building. We
will settle about the details when
am ready for YOU to come. Very
truly yours, w. w. DUDLEY.