The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-11-13
BurIse's Downfall.
HOW He AND HIS MONEY SOON
PARTED.

- w hat Dlu lie 10 w I'LL LIS hohe.'
and tnen answers, | think correctly,
as to what Major Burke did with the
proceeds of the bonds which he alb
stracted from the State Treasury"
The following portion of the edito-
rial in the Caucasian he had marked
around with blue pencil
"When he went to Honduras to
look after his interest there he left his
family so poorly provided with means
that friends had to come to their re-
lief. His Bessemer specnlations were
all on paper, and his Honduras claims
were given to him by President Bar
rios"
The Item - You think, Colonel,
that Major Burke was actually as poor
as is here represented
Col. R.-There is no doubt about it..
If yon will read this other part of Col.
Battles statement, then let mo ex-
plain a bit, | feel sure it will all be
clear to your mind, too.
Here the Item gives an extract from
the Caucasian, needless to reproduce
here, which closes with this paragraph:
"And this brings us down to our the
DRY of what Burke did with the money,
or at least much the larger portion Of
tit was used to keep up the Times,
Democrat in the eorlier years Of its ex.
istence."
The Icm-Now III take your ex
planatory remarks, Colonel.
| Colonel R-There were two nego
tiations with Mr.. Clinton, the ex-aud
itor of State, for his paper, the Times
The first agreement was broken of
owing to an untimely attack in thu
Democrat, unknown to Major Burke
on Mr.. Clinton himself. However
Burke was eager and Clinton realizet
that he could squeeze good pric,
out of the would be purchaser, and so
late in November, 1881, he consented
to the trade. The evidence clicitet
by the grand jury expose leads inevl
tably to the conclusion that thel
Burke pledged the consolidated bond
surrendered by L. X. Bryant in ex
change for coustitutionals, and uset
the proceeds to pay Mr.. Clinton 70
the Times. At that period Burke lie
leved that there would be immens
profits in a first class newspaper; h
had two years in Office ahead; the mo
ney would roll in abundantly witt
which to redeem the distracted bond
before he could be called to stric
account and all would be we'll.
He was a boomer, however, an
launched his plans, which included
, the Susie B, and a corps of canvas
sers, all Of which fairly ate up dollars
Then came the unforeseen. A .disas
trous food not only prevented the ex
, pected rich returns for his heavy out
lays, but added to the latter With
t characteristic inpetuosity and deter
mination to turn evil into benefit;
possible. Burke organized cost
p schemes for the relief of the food sui
ferers. He nov realized that a IT
] election was absolutely requisite t
prolong concealment of bis defaul
and give HIM time to reconp. In tbi
he succeeded, and when the Expos
a ton chance came (Which enterprise
by the way, the Major at first OF
posed) he fanciel he saw the opport'
; nifty of salvation.
V | have seen him figure ont scol
: of times the utter impossibility of ne
- ting less than $4,000 profit on b
Exposition hotel; but the rains fe
for tifty-four' days, the first visto
i MADE reports SO doleful that thousant
u were deferred from coming at all, an
y the Majors expected profits were Ell
tered on the other side of tue ledge
" As a side effort, but one in which |
J deemed 100000 gained dead su
6 thiog, was the Stansbmv lithograpl
7; ing establishment, in which, too,
u failed TO realize his fond anticipation
u Thus You will see how the none
y went. Disaster followed dsi.ste
II while Burke kept dipping deeper al
o deeper Into tue States strong DO
g. with the gamblers desperate hope
win back the sunken funds and mal
all things square without detection.
Then came the desperate strngs
for another term in office, in order
avert disclosure until be could reali.
on his Hondurean concessions i
failure and bis bold play for legi
. lative vindication-this also to ga