Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-24
TINE alleged ooNsrIH.acY.


Secretary Leach says IL wac not I'm
the Interest OF senator sauIsbsry.
In Thurrday's Philadelphia Press Frank
willing Leach, Senator Quay's private
secretary, who tells such fanciful yarn
about the alleged discovery of q Demo-
cratic plot to buy the senatorship of this
State, prints the following card
Sm: One OF the head lines to the article
concerning the Delaware aenatorship, In to-
days Press. does very great injustice to
distinguished citizen OF that State which
beg may be corrected. / refer to the fol-
lowing: "Pior TO Buy Republican Votes In
the interest OF salisbury"
In the interview which your representa-
tlves had with me Senator Saulsbury's name
was not mentioned, nor does the context OF
the article make any reference to the ven-
cradle Delawarean.
beg to add, moreover, that while / am
NOT prepared to mention the name OF the
gentleman In whose interest the Democratic
conspirators were scheming, yet I do not
hesitate to say that Senator salisbury was
not the man. FRANK WILLING LEACH.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 10th.
WHAT CHARLIE M'FEE sArs.
A dispatch sent from Washington last
night week TO the Philadelphia Times was
as follows Mr.. Melee, private secretary
to Senator Gray, returned to-day from
Dover, where he has been spending few
days pending the vote on the senatorship.
He says that he met the leaders In the
contest and was in position to know what
was going on, and he was quite sure that
| none Of the prominent men on the Demo-
cratic side were implicated in any attempt
| to buy Republican votes. He thinks that
the story must have originated FROM n
scheme which was charged during the
campaign that two Of the Kent Repnbli-
can candidates were nominated with the
understanding that they would vote. for
Salisbury If he could secure the united
strength Of the Democratic members OF
the Legislature. II was very evident
when the election was over that the feel
ing between the supporters of Senator
salisbury aud MIR. Wolcott was so
embittered by the oampsin that Mr..
salisbury could not secure the solid
vote, nor could 1t be transferred to any
one else 20 that il was simply three
cornered fight. with two OF tho Demo-
cratic corners dividing the Democrats
and the one Republican united on the
Republican. candidate. This, Mr.. McFee
thinks, may have led to the story, but he
does not say that even this was done.
IFAcH's GOOD EARS,
The thinnest feature OF Mr.. Leach'i
story of now he discovered the alleged
plot--Rside from his wonderful luck IL
dropping in on the conspirators wher
they were fed-hRnded in their crime-ii
his statement Of how he heard the detail.
Of the scheme discussed in room No. II
at tho Clayton Honse, while concealed il
an adjoining room. The room adjoining
No. 80 on one side is No. SO
J which is occupied by permanent
bosrder ct the house, and therefor,
not accessible to transient guests
On the other side of No. so is I
large parlor. But even II Mr. Leach hat
heen In either OF the rooms adjoining No
SO, he must have been possessed of {
wonderful pair of ears to have overheard
, the discussion OF tho details of such
| plot. A conversation OF this characte
would naturally have been carried or
, with ba.ed breath, and conversation
. in ordinary tones in one room
, cannot be overheard In the others
The conclusion is inevitable that IL sucl
! q conference as Mr.. Leech describes hat
, taken place, he must have been in th
! room, concealed, or else had the detail
revealed to him by one of the oonspira
] tors Otherwise his story must still b.
] regarded as q "fake.n