St. Landry democrat., 1892-03-05
Grave Charges Against Foster.

in the grandeur Of simple purity of
thought and action before the people
he seeks to serve, Murphy j. Foster has
got his pure white robe in some aw-
| fully dirty mire. Saturday morning the
| Times Democrat Of New Orleans had
the following:
Thursday evening last the Item printed an
| article Of so startling character that, although
| it was couched i'll very positive language, many
| of Mr. Fosters political opponents hesltated to
| believe the serious charge contained therein
| against himself and 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
bIibery-the wholesale pledge of offices for
vOtes-t0 the ward leaders of this city, and
that his effort had the sanction and assistance
of the members of his State committee.
The Times-Democrat did not mention the
matter cn 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 tWhO have been denounced
by the Fosterites and their organs as unspeak-
ably immoral and corrupO in securing the cleo
ton 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 indigDa" denial OF charge that so nearly
touched the reputation of men who have been
claiming q monopoly Of the virtue and
pur ty of the State.
No such DENIAL however, has been made.
The Items charge was met Wlth 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
mcnt III regard to the attempted bribery:
yesterday the Item. as serious duty to the
people, who We're being shamefully deceived
by Mr. Foster and his chief allies, i'll their
allty and their abhorrence of 'bossism' and
corrupt deals,' published the following grave
ana cOndenninS accusation:
The Item charges that Murphy J. Foster, In
Nc n anlfy 1tta ap1(N ,praI
ant, has made offers of bribery-the wholesale
pledge of offices for votes-and that this scan
daou5 secret effort to secure the support of
the very ward leaders 81 bittery denounced
and yilitietl in public, had the sanction and as
stance of the members of his State Commit
tCe who were most conspicuous for proclaim
active aid Of these influential political factors,
even though their course had been dictated by
their constituents in the most direct and un-
mStakahle manner!
"The Item also challenged Mr.. Foster to test
the accuracy of its statement Of the shameful
offer i'll the courts in suit for libel
This paper is now prepared, if the truthful |
ness of its averments is questioned, to give the
names OF Mr. Fosters aders and abettOrs in |
the scheme-three of them being prominent |
members of his State Committee, and two of |
them conspicuOusiy self-assertiye as political |
puriSts.
"The offices rendered to the much-assailed and |
denounced ward bosses to tempt them from
their pledged allegiance to the regular Demo-
cratic ticket and to betraJ the Democratic con-
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.
"Three memberships of the Board of Harbor
Masters. Other patronage not specified.
1.-The people will not fail to realize the full i'll
tent and purpose of this scandalous. this out
'agcous proposition
These charges are openly made and Mr.. Fos-
er is challenged to deny or dispute them or to
20 before court SO that their truth can be
proved or dsprOved They are are of the grav-
'st character, if made against any one, and
more than usually grave when made against
political leader like Mr.. Foster; and he owes it
o himself and the faction he leads to accept
he Items challenge and to prove, il he can,
hat he is gultlesss OF these charges.
The following telegram to the Alex
lndria Times gives later particulars:
New Orleans, Feb. 29.-Mr. Murphy j. Foster,
'fter silence of three CT four days, emphati-
ally denied in the New Delta this morning
through Capt. John Fitzpatrick. This denial
8 regarded by Fosters political friends as a fa-
al blunder i'll the light Of the fact that he had
lruttschnitt confesses that deal was
Fitzpatrick will tomorrow make
ull and complete statement of his talk with
'oster in such way that the latter will have
0 respond.
Foster does not want to go into court. because
e is cornered, and if he goes on oath he will
e c0mpe led to tell the truth or perjure him
elf. he knows that witnesses can be produced
0 show that he was party to the attempt
d bribe, and for this reason he will not 60 in
0 court. lie is in the same position of Matt
,uay, of Pennsylvania. when the New York
World dared him to sue it for libel. He knows |
hat under oath his guilt will be established,
nd for that reason he will not go into court
lis supporters here are disgusted and they ad- |
lit that the charges about the dcker are true
nd that they have lost their fight and McEn-
ry will be tie next governor.