Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-11-09
The Minister to Chill, Like the
Wicked, Stands on a
Slippery Place.
Notwithstanding Secretary Blaine's
Friendship He Is Liable
to Be Recalled.
Harrison Trying to Ascertain If tho
Unnaturalized Minister IL
Involved in the Cronin
Conspiracy.
Watching Egan's Case.

WASHINGTON, Nov. "a member OF
the cabinet says the case OF Patrick
Egan, minister to Chill, Is being care
fully watched at the white house. The
reports OF the Cronin trial are eagerly
scanned by Private Secretary Halford
or some other clerical assistant of the
president, with a view to learning what
connection, if any, Egan had with the
conspiracy. Cuttings from the news
papers containing copies Of the cable
grams sent to Egan through the hands
of Alexander sullivan have been placed
on the presidents desk and, no doubt,
have had tho attention Of tho president
himself. It is further said that the
president feels all the more like giving
personal attention to this matter Tor tho
reason that no is satisfied If IL were left
TO the state department nothing would
ever be heard OF IL. The same au-
thority declares the president is sorry
he consented TO the sending OF Egan
TO Chilli, though that shrewd politi-
clan deceived Mr.. Harrison himself,
without the assistance of Blaine. The
story OF Egan's appointment is an in
teresting one. OF course MI. Blaine was
always favorable TO Egan's aspirations.
There was no difficulty on that score.
The problem was how 10 make an i'm
preston on the president. An opportun-
ity presented itself last winter when tho
Pigott discovery was made. Egan car
ried the proofs of Pigott's r~ascality 10
New York and thence dispatched them
to London by the hand of q Chicago
priest. Before returning west Egsn
visited Blaine at Augusta. OF course
Mr.. Blaine was put in possession of the
whole secret. On his way home Mr..
Egan stopped at Indianapolis and
was granted an audience by the presi-
dent-elect. The great secret was also
impaired 10 General Harrison, though
he was not informed that Mr.. Blaine
shared that honor with him. Egan
shrewdly suspected that General Har
rison would not be pleased 10 learn that
Blaine had been told before he was.
Egan impressed upon Harrison the im.
portance OF the secret, which he said was
shared in by but four persons in America,
the pre~sident-elect, Egan himself, Alex
ander Sullivan and one other person in
Chicago. Egan also impressed il upon
NuO VLColAA6nb ehdh NhC "a wa
great secret, Patrick Egan, was a very
great and patriotic citizen. The presi'
dent elect had his vanity a little nat
tered by the confidence reposed in him,
for il Is human nature TO be proud OF
the possession Of important secrets.
When the Pisott part OF the case against
Psrnell fell to pieces so ingloriously
the president was reminded of the fact
that IL was DIR. Egan h had DONE II
all. When Blaine brought Egan's name
to the white house the president told
his secretary of state about the manner
in which Eyan had told him the story
of the Pigott discovery before anybody
else in the world knew il, and Blaine
listened ~ IL he had never heard OF IL
before. "a clever man, that Egan,'
said she president, and so Egan was
sent as minister 10 Chilli. But az last II
appears the president is getting hi:
eyes open. Perhaps Mr.. Blaine viii
o have enough influence to save Egar
from rooall.