Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-01
THE HEAD OF THE G. o. P.
THE STARTLING CAREER OF THE
RENOWNED MATTHEW
STANLEY QUAY.

STANLEY QUh1.
He is Accused OF Acting the Part of
Political Boss, Receiver of Brides,
Betrayer of His Benefactor, De-
frauder ofthe National Government,
Whitewater of Criminals, and
Robber of the State Treasury.
Two months ago the New York World
printed charges of very serious nature
against Matthew Stanley Quay, United States
Senator from Pennsylvania, and chairman of
the Republican National Committee. But
according to the Evening Post: "In conse-
quence of the generally untrustworthy char
acter of the Worlds stories, little or no at
tention was paid to the matter; the news
papers througout the country barely men,
toned It," Therefore, continues the Post a
number of prominent and well-known
and independent" Pennsylvanians Of both
political parties "begged the Ecening Post
to take the matter up, and give it the benefit
of publication in its columns. We accord
ingly have made en- independent investiga-
tion of the charges preferred against Quay
by the World, and found on impeachable
testimony lin many cases the testimony of
Quay's own friends) that these charges were
substantially true. The main facts contained
in the World story, therefore, together with
other essential details, are accordingly re-
printed in the Euening Post"
The startling story of political infamy oc-
cupied more than fifteen columns in the
World, and eight and one-half columns in
the Post. The NORTHWEST presents con-
siderably condensed account of the Posts
story, which yet includes the salient points
of the exposure of Quay's careers as de-
scribed in that journal.
MATTHEW Is BORNE AND BECOMES A BOSS.
Matthew Stanley Quay was borne in 1888,
at Dillsburg. Pa, the son of clergyman.
Early in life he removed to Beaver. He re-
ceived only a fair education. He studied law,
but preferred politics to the bar.
He began his public career as an Office
holder as Prothonotary of Beaver county.
This was accomplished apparently by skill
full manipulation of votes. He secured from
the Governor Tin August, 1882 place in the
One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment.
and went into the field. Then it was that
he showed his fondness for Intoxicating
drinks, which has remained with. him ever
since.
Quay only served year with his regiment
in the field.
Quay was elected to the Pennsylvania Leg
islature in 1865. At that time he was poor
man, but before half his first term had expired
it was seen that he had plenty of money at his
command. He started weekly paper, The
Radical, in his own interests. He undertook
the erection of building bigger than any
other structure in Beaver, except the
churches and court house. Speculation as to
the source of his suddenly acquired wealth
was very general. Doubts were openly ex.
pressed as to the manner in which it had
been obtained. Il was soon known how he
got it.
| In 1876 there was contest for Senatorship
between Simon Cameron, Gov. Curtin, John
w. Forney, and Thaddens Stevens. Quay,
already known as "boss," was the candi-
date of the Curtin followers for Speaker Of
| the House. Quay, who, it was generally be-
lieved, owed all he was to the war Governor,
resigned his own pretensions to the Speaker
ship and joined the Cameron forces. 1t was
reported that he had received $13, 900 for bis
work in Curtin's behalf, and that for his
treachery to Curtin he received $4,000. He
was also made Chairman of the Committee
of Ways and Means. Quay's course caused
sensation because it was considered sure
thing that if he had been elected Speaker
Gov. Curtin would have been elected Sena'
tor. Money had been used extensively in
Philadelphia and elsewhere to secure Our.
tins election, and make Quay Speaker
| Quay had, it was said, the handling of large
fund in behalf of the patron he betrayed.
BR1BING REVENUE OFFICER.
In October, 1858, Quay was charged with
attempting to bribe A. P. Tuition, Supervisor
of Internal Revenue for the Eastern District
of Pennsylvania, to prevent the seizure of 9
distillery in which Quay was interested. He
proposed that Tuition allow the irregular dis.
tillery to 60 unmolested, and promised thai
Tuition should receive $1,000 week. The
profits of the concern would have beer
enormous if unmolested. One account places
the profit Quay expected to realize at $50, 600
An exposure took place and was emphasized
| by the severe comments of the Pittsbure
Commercial, edited by @. II. Brigham. Al
that time R. w.. Mackey was the great Re
publican "boss" of Pennsylvania. His
methods were the same as Quay's. He saw
against Quay, and insisted that Quay bring
an action for libel against the ditor. A suit
was accordingly begun before Alderman
Neeper as committing magistrate. Neepel
was follower of Mackey, and the result can
therefore readily be imagined.
| In the course of examination, Quay de-
MED that he had 'sextorted" $4,000 from
Gov. Curtin's friends for his support of the
latter for Senator; that he had betrayed
his benefactor, Gov. Curtin, for $4,000 in
favor of Cameron; that Robert Mackey, the
State Treasurer, paid him money for his sup.
port as a legislator, or that he had ever at
tempted or proposed to bribe Supervisor
Tuition, an Internal revenue officer; for the
purpose of defrauding the Government. he
admitted, however, that he was building q
house at Beaver which would cost $4,000.
The defence attempted to make the COM
plainant explain how he had suddenly be-
come SO wealthy. But the magistrate ex-
cluded the question and all similar questions.
were plainly designed to cloak Quay's past
dealings. After long but useless attempt to
get at the truth Editor Brigham's consul ad-
dressed the magistrate in part as follows:
when party makes an accusation against
another before magistrate, he is bound to
appear upon the witness -stand and submit to
the cross-examina'ion of the accused or his
counsel touching all the matters in relation
to which he may have testified in chief. We
consider that we had right to interrogate
Quay specifically upon the several matters
and things brought out in the examination
in chief. When / attempted to get at certain
facts in CROSS objections were
continually made by consul on the other side,
and these objections we're sustained. In
every effort made to elicit further informa-
tion from the witness we were met by con-