Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-06

Sir Hector's election agents throughou
the province, and money was spen
lavishly to keep Thomas McGreevy IL
his scat in the House OF Com
mons for the city Of Quebec
The books contain abundant evi
dence of Mr.. Murphy's handicraft il
the manipulation and distribution OF tn,
money. There are entries of payment
aggregating hundreds OF thousands o.
dollars distributed over the records nov
before the committee, and the energy
with which the liberal members are
pushing the investigation is no doub
stimulated by the reflection that it wa
by the use of the big bribery fund the
Conservative party managed to hole
its own in the province of Quebec in the
elections Of 1878 and 1891.
or the final estimate of S5s1, 70(
awarded to the firm for work done or
the Equimault dock S35, 900 appears by
the books TO have been paid out in do
nations" to politicians, as Murphy
called them, and from the receipts oil
the entire work the FIVE members of the
firm made net profit of over $40, O0C
each.
1t was during the progress of this
work and another equally profitable
dredging contract at Quebec that the
largest contributions were given for
political purposes. According to the
| evidence most of this went TO principals
| and agents at election times, but con-
siderable amounts were also paid TO GER
tain newspapers. Entries TO cover these
expenditures appear all over the books
of the firm under mysterious headings,
and the fact that Murphy's testimony
alone has thrown any light upon these
entries, while other members Of the firm
and the bookkeeper himself profess en-
tire forgetfulness or ignorance OF the
whole affair, gives color and credibility
TO his evidence.
A GIFT"
Upon one point alone Murphy's recol-
lections depend entirely upon his own
unsubStantiated statement, and that is
In connection with the payment Of $40,
900 directly TO Sir Hector Langevin.
This sum he has sworn to having given
the Minister Of Public Works personally
as gift" Among the documents fled
in the case was one in the handwriting
Of the firms bookkeeper, purporting to
be a correct copy from the books fur
nished to Murphy. While the latter
was under REORGANIZATION he was
asked to explain an item OF $4,000.
That" he said, 81 gave to Sir Hector
myself, in his house in Quebec, $4,000
on each occasion: and it was to be Sec
ret, so that neither Robert nor Thomas
McGreevy would know anything about
it," This payment, Murphy went on
70 say, was made at the suggestion Of
Nicholas Connolly. Nicholas Connolly
denied upon oath all knowledge of the
transaction, without, however, being
able TO give any explanation Of the
manner in which the money so charged
in the firms books was paid.
Mr.. Henry F. Perley, the chief engin-
eer of the works upon whose RECON-
mendation several changes most bene-
fetal to to the contractors were made in
the original plans, was the recipient Of
one Ofthese little "gifts" that has since
cost him his position. Ia January, 1887,
Murphy came TO Ottawa with a present
OF $4,000 for Mr.. Perley. He went to
his house with it, and it's acceptance be-
lag refused Murphy induced Mr.. Perley
10 accept present of some article of
jewelry, and next day sent 50, 900 worth
10 the house. Some time after Perley
was astounded, he says, to learn the
value OF the present, but instead of
it gave Michael Connolly a
prOmissory note for the amount Of the
bill. Unfortunately, however, as he ad-
mitted before the committee, this was
scandal had been made public.
AN EXPLOSION.
Meanwhile the relations between the
brothers McGreevy had reached the
straining point, and these relations,
which have thrown so much discredit
upon the tory party's methods, are
really the outcome OF the open rupture
which followed their disagreement.
They auarreled over the booty and
finally Thomas sued Robert for some
$3.50, 900, claimed as due on a number OF
speculations. Murphy sided with Rob
ert.
In the fall Of 1889, while Parliament
was In session, Murphy wanted TO go
straight TO the opposition ana give
away the whole story, but his accom-
plice was more cautious. So they In
trusted we'll known conservative with
the task Of bringing Thomas and his
friend the Minister OF Public Works to
terms. One Of the conditions OF peace
was that Thomas McGreevy should
acknowledge that he knew and was sat
isfed with his brothers. distribution of
the moneys. But this would have been
commital and Sir Hector, they said,
would not agree to the compromise.
There was one other resource and
Murphy and his partner straightway
took their budget of scandal TO M. j.
Israel Tarte. fiery little French Cana
dian, who edited an independent Con-
sentative paper called La Cdnddien,
Mr.. Tarte early in April last year took
the documents TO Sir John Macdonald,
but met with very little success in that
quarter. Sir Hector was summoned to
Earnscliffe, asked to explain and ap-
pears TO have persuaded his chief that