Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-01

Pardonlng- Board scandal caused a turnover
in politics. Although Quay's robbery of the
State Treasury was not known outside a lin
tied circle, it was thought that enough peo-
pie were aware of the acts Of Quay and his
friends to prevent him getting into Office
again, especially into the treasury. But at
the Republican Convention in 1885, State
Treasurer was to be nominated, and Quay
wanted "vindication." It was then that
the Philadelphia Press said that his nomina-
ton would ''take the lid from of the State
Treasury and uncover secrets before which
Republicans would stand dumb" He did
not, however openly announce himself as a
candidate. James McDevitt, and honest and
wealthy Irish Roman Catholic and Staunch
Republican, was a candidate for the Office.
Quay pretended to favor his candidacy in the
all of 1884, and kept other candidates ont Of
the field uutil the time for electing delegates
to the convention. Then a series of news
paper articles called attention to McDevitt's Is
religion-the farmers of Pennsylvania are
strongly antagonistic to Roman Catholics
and thus it was easy for Quay's heelers, al
ready advised what to do, throughout the
State to secure the election of delegates suf-
ficient to nominate Quay for State Treasur-
er. McDevitt was thrown overheard in the
convention. quay was nominated. His
election followed as a matter of course. on
May l, 1886, he assumed the duties of State
Treasurer, which Office he held until 1887,
when the Legislature made him a United
States Senator.
MATTHEW GUARDS THE STATE FUNDS
The State funds are used in Pennsylvania
in ways unknown in any other State. Large
sums are given out to banks at a nominal
rate of interest. The banks are such as are
in league with the "boss" who leads his par
ty. He causes the treasurer to loan money in
sums great and small to banks, and there is
q division of the earnings which accrue in ex-
cess of the two per cent. interest paid the
State. regular supply for the party cor
guption fund is thus obtained, and many
frauds have been perpetrated. Banks have
been charged with a specified sum when a
much smaller amount was actually loaned
A certain bank in the northern part of the
State was charged with $4,000, and actually
had $25,0O0. The remainder was used in
some kind of secret operation the magnates
of the ring at Harrisburg. Quay while
treasurer had the final word as to the dispo-
sition Of the money. Much of Quay's
strength comes from friends whom he holds
in.that manner.
The Peoples Bank of Philadelphia is an
institution of which the self-confessed brib-
er, pardoned by Quay's influence, W. II.
Kemble, is president. The bank was estab-
LLohou lOv tuo purpOso OF securing 0thbo
funds. The fact of its president having con-
spired to defraud the State never caused a
change. Thus Kemble has grown rich on the
profits of the hundreds of thousands of dol
lars of treasury money in his safe. After the
Johnstown disaster, it was urged that Gov.
Beaver call session of the Legislature to
appropriate money for the stricken city
Quay interposed vote. There was no mon
ey in the treasury to pay the expense Of the
session, and means would have been required
to secure funds which would call public at
tention to the condition of affairs.
When the Brooks Liquor bill was before
Philadelphia and Pittsburg exempted from
its provisions. The liquor-men Of Allegheny
raised $50, 900 to avert the threatened danger.
William Friday a prominent wholesale deal
or, was the representative of the Allegheny
men. He saw Quay. The latter agreed to
secure the desired amendment. 1t is report
ed that the money was divided between him.
self and we'll known coadjutor who has held
an important Office at Philadelphia. Friday
retnrneu to Pittsburgh happy. When the
blL came before the Senate Quay became
alarmed. The pressure assumed proportions
too strong for even Quay to resist, and the
Senate passed the original measure. There
was clamor from the liquor men of Alle-
gheny and portion of their money was re-
turned. Quay would have carried out his
bargain If he had had the power, for in such
transactions it is said he has always been
true to the clients who employ him.
There was deal all this time which was
intended to benefit Philadelphia liquor-deal-
ers, and sum much larger than the Alle-
gheny purse was raised.
AGAIN "BoRRows" FROM THE TREASURY.
One morning while A. W. Norris was Au-
ditor- General, he was driven in a cab to the
house of a friend in Philadelphia. Norris
left the vehicle, passed up the door steps.
rang the bell. was admitted, and a little later
closeted with his friend. "I'm cursedly
nervous ~ he exclaimed, as he drew pack
age from hisyest pocket. "Do You see this ?''
hundreds Of thousands U@ 9e Of dollars IF State
funds. It is going to carry Quay through an;
enough of lingering Treasury money. I'm
afraid of smash up" Then Norris told his
friend of Quay's latest raie on the Treasury,
concluding with the remark: "If this affair
turns out like the '79 business, I'll skip to
Canada"
The Philadelphia railroad syndicate bought
the plant, franchise, ETC., of the North Chi
cago Railroad Company at Chicago and is
sued bonds which carried with them stock in
Cuo Oompduys 1n0 luVeSLIneub WIS COuSlu-
cred good one. A certain member of the
syndicate, under obligations to Quay, gave
Quay chance to pocket some of the profits.
He was offered 100000 in bonds of the
North Chicago Railroad Company, each bond
carrying with it share of the capital stock.
To buy the bonds, however, it was necessary
to raise 100000 in cash to pay for them.
Quay cooly took that sum of money out of
the State Treasury and sent it to Philadel-
phia, and SO paid for the bonds.
Not dollar of his own money did Quay
use; he simply took the State money, which
was embezzlement, and purchased 100000
worth Of North Chicago Railroad bonds, to-
gether with the accompanying stock. The
profits of the transaction to Quay arose from
the sale of stock which practically cost him
nothing. He sold stock as high as eighty
two or eighty-th and, of course, made a
large sum of money. The bonds were used
to make the State Treasury good. Hart, the
State Treasurer, knew about the transaction,
and, it is said, shared in the profits.
These are few of the interesting episodes
in the career of the present chairman of the
Republican National Committee.
Drunkenness-Liquor Habit-All the
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