Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-17
Natt Quay Tries to Untarnish
His Record.
1t Requires a Great Deal Of
Securing.
He Denies the Charges Against Him
in Toto.
Hand the Damned Spot Will
Not ..Out."
Associated Press Dispatches.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l6.--ln the senate,
today, th&credentials of Senator Jones,
of Nevada and Mitchell, of Oregon, for
the term beginning the 4th of March
next were filed.
The conference rep ort on the fortifica-
tion bill was agreed to, and Mcconnell
addressed the senate in advocacy of his
bill. directing proceedings of condemna-
tion against the Central Pacific road.
Referred.
Quay addressed the senate in refuta-
tion of the charges circulated against
him. He said, in part: "Never, prob
ably since Alexander Hamilton was
hunted to his death, has one in public
life been pursued so persistently and
Indignantly. The field OF malign effort
has been the entire union. The assaults
were of a character so monstrous
as largely to carry with them
their own refutatiOn. Were it other
wise, could not remain, nor would my
constituents permit me to remain a
member of this senate. Now when no
heated political conflict is raging; when
neither hope nor fear can be deemed the
inspiration Of my utterances, I choose
briefly to confront the accusation with
the truth. 1t is not my purpose to
weary the senate by rehearsal of each
detail of the mass of misrepresentation
Nevertheless, avoiding prolixity, l will
endeavor to make this statement speci-
fic and 80 complete as to be final.
tThe first assertion concerning my
official acts, is that at some time, or
continuously between the years 1879 and
1882, Ialone, or acting with another or
others, used moneys of the state OF
Pennsylvania for speculative or private
purposes. denounce the statement as
absolutely false. In 1877 the Demo-
cratic party elected the state treasurer
and auditor-general, the financial Off
GERS of the commonwealth. A year or
two later, pending their terms of office,
1 became engaged in stock operations.
In some transactions I was associated
and jointly interested with the gentle
man who was at that time cashier Of
the state treasury. These transactions
proved seriously disastrous, and was
compelled to pay portion of his losses,
as well as my own. In doing this it
became necessary to supply an alleged
deficiency he had caused in the treasury.
As portion of the fund for this purpose,
/ borrowed 100000 from a gentleman
who is at present my colleague in the
senate. gave him my judgment note
therefor, the amount OF which paid
to him, dollar for dollar, years ago. Not
until the beginning of the settlement of
our losses was aware that deficiency
existed, and had every assurance that
my associate was able to carry his share
of the losses.
Concerning the charge that again /
used the moneys belonging to the COM
monwealth of Pennsylvania to purchase
bonds or stock of a Chicago street rail-
way, l would say that 1 borrowed the
money upon my own collateral from the
Peoples bank in Philadelphia. The
only negotiable securities held by the
state of Pennsylvania are registered
bonds Of the United States, transferable
in the books of the national treasury,
by the auditor, general secretary of the
commonwealth and state treasurer, act
ing conformity. after having filed certifi-
Gates with the governor in their official
character.
"The charge that / defrauded,
or attempted to defraud, is also
absolutely false. There breathes not
upon earth man or woman
who can truthfully say ever
defrauded, or attempted to defraud, him
or her of dollar. Upon this point
charity to the dead and to the living
forbids my making any personal expla-
nation. Samuel Gustine Thompson,
member from Philadelphia, and presi-
dent of the Young Mems Democratic
association of that city, is one of several
thoroughly conversant with the facts,
who can give them to the public if they
are proper"
Referring to his action as member of
the board OF pardons OF Pennsylvania,
in voting for the pardon of certain mem
bers OF the Legislature and others upon
whom sentence was passed for bribery,
Quay said the facts were thoroughly
discussed before his election as state
treasurer, and subsequently to the SEN
ate. He had no personal interest in the
legislation involved, His vote was in
accordance with the law, and with the
action OF his colleagues, and was COM
Delled by the fact that the sentence
imposed by the court was illegal.
The encouragement filed an opinion
in accordance with their decision.
"The charge that attempted to pro-
cure the pardon OF man named Lynch,
under sentence for forgery, by threats
delivered personally to Mr.. Byers, of
Pittsburg," said Quay, is lie. Equal
1y false is the story OF his escape from
the Pittsburg rioters of 1877, under the
tutelage OF Dalzell."
Quay said he would have to delve into
ancient history to dispose OF the charges
OF bribery and corruption against him,
as member of the Pennsylvania legis-
lature, nearly twenty-five years ago, in
connection with his action for IL
bel against the then editor of
the, Pittsburg Commercial. "With
their Characteristic malgnity, my
assailants have been careful to en-
phasize the fact that the case was never
pushed for trial. They fail to state that
the libel was retracted, and that the
defendant paid the cost OF the case and
the fees OF counsel. In the preliminary
hearing, an effort was made to
show that l was rich man;
that my wealth was unlawfully acquired.
1 had been prothonetary for Beaver
county from 1856 to 1861, when 1 re-
signed to 60 into the Union army. 1
served as private secretary to Governor
Curtin; military agent of the state in
this city; chief of the state depart
ment OF transportation and telegraph
and for three terms was member OF
the Pennsylvania legislature. Ny rec
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