The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1892-03-05

The Times Democrat of Saturday last says:
Thursday evening last the Item printed an
article OF so startling Il character that, although
1t was cOuched in very positive language, many
believe the serious charge contained therein
against himself aud certain members of his
State committee. The charge was that Mr..
Murphy J. Foster, in his capacity as candidate
and Governor eXpectant, had made offers of
bribery-the wholesale pledge Of offices for
votes-to the ward leaders Of this city, and
that his effort had the sanction and assistal Ve
Of the members of his State committee
The Times-Democrat did not mention the
matter on Friday, believing that Mr.. Foster
and the members OF his State committee could
not and would not rest under the charge of
having deliberately tried to purchase the aid
of those ward bosses (who have been denounced
by the FOsterites and their organs as unspeak-
ably immoral and corrupt In securing the eec-
tiOn of the Foster ticket in the coming prima-
rles. Not only the Times-Democrat but the
community at large, expected to see a prompt
and indignant denial OF a charge that SO nearly
touched the reputation of men who have been
claiming a monopoly of the virtue and
purity of the State.
No such denial, however, has been made.
The Items charge was met with silence, and the
Items challenge to an investigation has been,
so far, ignored.
Yesterday the Item reiterated the charge
more specifically and made the following state
ment in regard to the attempted bribery:
Yesterday the Item, as a serious duty to the
people, who were being shamefully deceived
by Mr.. Foster and his chief allies, in their
boastful averments of superior political NOR,
ality and their abhorrence of 'bosslsm' and
corrupt DEALS published the following grave
and condemning accusation
The Item charges that Murphy j. Foster, in
his capacity as candidate and Goyernor.expect-
ant, has made offers of bribery-the wholesale
pledge of offices for votes-and that this scan
dalous secret effort to secure the support of
the very ward leaders so bitterly denounced
and vilifled in public, had the sanction and as
s.stance of the members of his State Commit
tee, who were most conspicuous for proclaim
ing as turpitude in others, acceptance of the
active aid Of these these influential poilteal factors
their constituents in the most direct and un-
mistakable manner!
"The Item also challenged Mr.. Foster to test
the accuracy OF its statement of the shameful
offer in the courts in a suit for libel
This paper is now prepared, if the truthful
ness OF its averments is questioned, to give the
the scheme-three of them being prominent
members OF his State Committee, and two of
them conspicuously self-assertiye as political
purists.
1.-THE offices rendered to the much-assailed and
denounced ward bosses to tempt them from
their pledged allegiance to the regular Demo
stituencies that had trusted them with
leadership, were the following richly endowed
ones:
Tax collector, First District
Tax collector. Second District.
Tax collector Fourth District.
Tax collector, Sixth District.
Tax collector, Seventh District
State assessor. First District.
State assessor Second District.
State assessor, Fourth Distrist.
State assessor, Fifth District.
'FThree memberships of the Board of Harbor
Masters. Other patronage not specified.
The people will not fail to realize the full in
tent and purpose of this scandalous this out
fageous proposition"
"These charges are openly made, and Mr.. Fos-
ter is challenged to deny or dispute them or to
go before court SO that their truth can be
proved or disproved. They are are of the gray-
est character, il make against any one, and
more than usually grave when made against a
political leader like Mr. Foster; and he owes it
| to himself and the faction he leads to accept
| the Items challenge and to prove, ii he can,
that he is guiltlesss of these charges"
The following telegram to the Alex
andria Times gives later particulars:
| New Orleans, Feb. 29.-Mr. Murphy J. Foster
after silence OF m three Ss OF four days empnai
| that he attempted to bribe the ward leaders
| through Capt. John Fitzpatrick. This denial
| is regarded by Fosters political friends as ia
| two interviews with Fitzpatrick and that
Kruttschnitt confesses that a deal was
| attempted. Fitzpatrick will tomorrow make a
fun and complete statement Of his talk with
Foster in such way that Tho latter will have
| to respond.
Foster does not want to go into court. because
he is cornered, and II he goes on oath he will
| be compelled to tell the truth or perjure him
SELF He knows that witnesses can be produced
to show that he was party to the attempt
ed bribe, and for this reason he will not so in
to court. He is in the same position of Mat
| Quay, of Pennsylvania. when the New YorE
| World dared him to sue it for libel He knows
that under oath his guilt will be established
and for that reason he will not go into court
His supporters here are disgusted and they ad
NIT that the charges about the dicker are true
and that they have lost their fight and McEn
| cry will be the next governor.