The daily state chronicle., 1890-12-10
< RITTENHOUSE GUILTY.
POLK,S PRIVATE SECRETARY >
DEAL WITH BLAINE.

tAtlanta COnSClGutlOu.)
OCALA, Fla, Dec. Tt now appears
that all the trouble among Alliance lead
ears is due to the Vaccinations of Rlt-
teuhouse, President Folks troublesome
secretary.
This man was also traced to the front
door of James g. Blaine's residence, In
Washington city, three or four days at
ter the appearance of the Washington
Post interview, in which Rittenhc use
said that the Blaine reciprocity idea was
acceptable to the Alliance, and he was
not far out Of the way on silver, and
that if be would come little nearer to
Alliance platform on other matters, the
farmers would not have an unklnd feel
ing for him.
The whole story has been brought out
by communication signed by sixteen
members of the investigating committee
and handed to President Polk by Col
onel Beverly of Virginia.
Rittenhouse's Guilt.
In this letter the investigators say that
facts have been developed which show
that Rittenhouse is not a proper person
to be the private secretary of the Alll-
ance President and that these facts are
sufficient to throw suspicion on the sec
retary's conduct. There is no longer any
doubt that Rittenhouss will be shipped,
and his interest in this affair becomes
insignificant in comparison with the
light thrown upon the plans of James
G.. Blaine, but the matter Of greatest
Importance to the Alliance is the fact
that the disclosure rids the leaders and
order of a troublesome man and a
breeder of discussions.
Polk, Livingston and Macune are now
on friendly terms, and the breach which
SO seriously threatened the prosperity of
the order week ago has now almost
disappeared. No one here believes that
Polk had any knowledge of what Ritten-
house was doing 1t is simply matter
Of regret that he Was so unfortunate in
the selection of a subordinate.
He Acknowledges 1t.
1t is said that Mr.. Vincent, delegate
from Kansas, received letter from Rit.
tenhouse acknowledging the authorship
| of The Giobe-Democrat special, and
| making charges against Macune and
other members of the order. This letter
was expected here by the evening :
mail, but did not arrive.
The men who traced Rittenhouse to
Blaine's door are Mr.. N A. Dunning,
one of the editors of The Economist,
and Mr.. j. T. Tillman, of Tennessee, a
member Of the national executive board
of the Alliance. The interview in The
Washington Post appeared on November
| 14th, and Rittenhouse was traced tc
Blaine's house, in Jackson park, on OF
about the 10th.
The Blaine Conspiracy.
Mr.. Dunning said:
| eve heard that he had an engagement
with Blaine, and we went there to SET
whether it was true. Gray and I went
to the State department, leaving Tillm AZ
on the watch at Blaine's house. Wnel
Rittenhouse went into the State depart
ment he was dressed up so that we die
not recognize him, but we knew him
when he came out, and we followed hin
through the White House grounds t.
Blaine's house. We stood there behinC
the bushes and saw him 60 up to ths
door and knock. He did not get in be
cause Blaine was sick, but We under
stand he got an interview nexrday."
Mr.. Tillman says:
II was called to Washington by th
chairman Of the executive committee tt
examine the secretary's books, and tn
financial condition of the order abou
November 25th.
Judge A. D. Dunning requested MI
to meet him in front of the White Hous,
at 2 o'clock p. m met him and Col
B. F. Gray in front of the White House
and Dunning requested me to accom-
pany him and Gray in front of Blaine
house at the park. Dunning and Gra,
said to me that Rittenhouse was endeav
oring to make arrangements with Blain
to throw the influence of the Alliance t.
the support of the Republican party il
1892, and that Rittenhouse was to hav
a secret conference at 2:30 o'clock wit
James 6. Blaine to effect that arrange
ment. About that time Rittenhouse ap
peared, handsomely dressed, and wear
ing a high hat, at Blaine's residence
At this time Dunning and Gray arrived
and Dunning said We had done grea
days work in discovering Rittenhous
and the Blaine conspiracy, and we ha
done a great days work in behalf @
the Alliance to discover and stop sue
conduct. Rittenhouse went in, accom-
panied by leading Republican, sal
to be Dick uintop."
The Antecedents of Hinton.
. After this intertervisw it is a matte
of interest to know the antecedents q
Dick Hinton. He Was prominent in tn
John Brown agitation in Kansas befor
the War, and during the war was Colo
mel Of negro regiment. Subsequent
he occupied q government position in
by reason Of his part in the labor agits
ton in which he advocated the primo
} Piles of the Henry George party. Whe
that party split he went off with the 81
, cialistic wing, which he defended Late
he went out to survey lands, and he
, still connected with the irrigation su
vey. H;s reputation is that of an adro
t politician and agitator. 1t is stated hel
that Col. Dick Hinton's secretary,
a Hidnes, the correspondent of the s
/. Louis Globe-Democrat. 1t is also sal
: that kittenhouse obtained access I
/ Blaine through Hinton, and Blaine
g brother, who has position in one of tt
v departments. The statements of Du,
3 ming and Tillman give good grounds f,
: suspectlng that James G. Blaine kne