The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-28
SUBSIDY PoMERoY DEAD.
Ahe Corrupt Kansas Senator Who Was
CauRht Rribin- a Lecislafnre.

WORCESTER, Mass, Aug It's C. Pomeroy,
eA-1 .. nited states senator from Kansas. died at
"nitenesrille this morning, aged &c. The
cause OF his death was Brights disease.
samuel Clarke pomeroy was native of Massa-
Ihuselts, having been born in southampton on
January 3, 1916. He graduated at Amherst col
iege and removed TO New York. Some years
aiier ne returned to his native town and went
In 1898 he was member OF the state legis-
Iature. He was active in organizing the New
England EmigFant Aid Company, OF which he
was financial agent In 1854 he conducted n
colony TO Kansas, locating in Lawrence and
making the first settlement for the territory
Aiterward ne removed to Atchison, and was
electeq mayor OF that town in 1859. He was
conspicuous in the organization of the terri
tcrial government, ana was IA member of the
Tree state convention, which me. in Law
renee in 1889. He was a delegate to
the national Republican conventions of
1856 nnd 1860 During the Kansas
famine in lS60-6l Pomcroy was president of the
relief committee. He was elected United States
senator in 1861. reelected in 1867. and was a
thiTd-term candidate in 1873. But charges of
bribery presented suddenly before the legisa-
ture caused his defeat A legislative committee
reported the matter to the United states Senate
resulting in an investigation OF the matter by
that body and a majority report finding the
before the courts of Kansas, and alter long de-
lay entered q nol{e pr0sequi stating there no
evidence upon which TO secure conviction
Inc ex-senator then removed TO Washington,
making his home in that city He was the
documents
Pomeroy was the William H. Calkins of Kan
sas The following account OF the famous
prlpery case was printed in the PoSr-INTELLI-
GENcER of January IL, ls9f:
ne senator's friends sure OF victory.
commence, and the senator at his ho-
tei laughed and joked as he chatted of
tne sn,, prospects. As the speakers gavel
felI there were enough members in the hall
ready to cast their ballots for Pomeroy to
eiect him. Nevertheless, when the vote was
TAKEN twenty minutes later Pomeroy did not
receive one vote, and John J. ingalls, became the
onited states senqtor by an overwhelming
majority The act that accomplished this mira
Gle has become famous
The actor was state senator named York.
VINO al the falling OF the gavel rose and walked
down through the hall with two bundles of
greenbacks in his hand. He stopped in front
oi ta the ne speaker and handed the money
saying that when he was through he
had speech to make which would materially
influence the election. There was a dead hush
as the speaker counted the parcels and an
nounced that they contained 5000 in green
Dacks. Then York told how Pomeroy had given
MN this money TO vote for him. He said he had
nad three interviews with Pomeroy, and that
foEieroy had talked of money at the first one,
and that he had offered him 5000 Tor his vote.
York told him he must have 5000, and at the
tnlrd interview, which took place three days
before the election, Pomeroy gave him 5000 in
cash and said that he would give him 5000 the
next Uhy ana SlOUc after the election. lie had
carried out his promise to the 5000, and the
$7,OO0 which he handed to the speaker was the
corruption money with which York said Pomeroy
had tried TO buy him body and soul. He asked
that this money be used to defray the expenses
OF prosecuting Senator :. G. Pomeroy for bri berry
and he evidently thought he taking the
place OF one of the Lords ayenging angels when
he denounced Pomeroy and told him how he
had entrapped him into his scheme. As he went
on with his speech the convention became wild
aud when the ballot was taken Mt its close there
was not a man who dared to vote for Pomeroy.
Ingalls, had been decided upon as the opposition
candidate and he was almost unanimously
elected. Papers for the arrest of Pome-
roy were gotten out, but though he denied the
alleged bribery, he was too sick to
pear at the trial and shortly after this he
left Topeka. An investigation of the election
was he'd here in Washington and Pomeroy was
whitewashed by it, but he was again arrested
for bribery and suit was brought against him
in the Kansas courts, and the result OF the trial
was that there was not sufficient evidence to
convict. Whether he was free from stain or not,
he is always spoken of as ''subsdy Pomeroy" by
Kansas people, and the story OF his career has
been embalmed in fiction. Mark Twain, in the
"Gilded Age" evidently refers to him rs his
Senatar Dilworthy, and he here tells the story OF
his downfall as it occurred. Since this election
ex-senator Pomeroy has spent the most of his
time in Washington City. He is connected with
various religious organizations and charitable
affairs, and Ii he has been bad i'll the past he is
certainly good now.