New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-21
MR.. HARRITY'S HELPERS.
INCIDENTS IN THE CAREERS OF ELDER
AND UPSHAW.
THESE ARE FINE INSTRUMENTS TO USE FOR
CLEVELAND AND REFORM" - THEIR
ACTIONS CLOSELY WATCHED BY


making further inquiries into tile recoros al"
.,o rros.nt work of the assistants employed py
Chairman Harrty, Of the Democratic Na'iohai
Committee. and yesterday the Republican lead
ers at No. SIS Flfth-ave. gave out some oi '"c
resplts Of their investigations in the statement
ubicb follows Chairman Harrity has learned
during the last few days that the statements
nut ont from Republican headquarters revealing
full knowledge Of projected Democratic irauos OF
fbe ballot are inuring the prospects OF ms caildi-
date. Fear of detection is already operating W
check the carefully planned Democratic colomza-
tion and repeating in New-fork City and It's
vicinity.
Mr. Uarrity's two manstays for "low down
rol;tical work in the line OF negro ana whe
colonization and repeating are A. d. Cpshaw'
formerly Mr.. Cleveland's Assistant Commissioner
NJ Indian Affairs, and J. w. Elder. MI Cpshaw
has an Office downtown. where K o. Stlh, VINO
assisted in organizing last month the bogus Ma
tiopal Democratic League Of Colored Men, occu-
nes desk The aim of this organlzahon' as
already stated, was TO secure information oi 'ie 'ie
whereabouts of purchasable negroes who could
be used by the Democrats in the donptiul States
Sixteen negro "heelers" from New-iork went
over 70 Philadelphia to start the movement and
all rode on tickets purchased by Mr.. tpshaw
II
Company written Democratic Natlonai Ooh-
mttee paper This order is in possession OF the
Republican National Committee.
The EXPOSURES made of the subsequent employ
n,ent of disreputable Baltimore and Washington
negroes and their transportation to New-io ork 10
work under Upshaw and Elder, have been thoi-
ourhlv verified by the local press more ac-
compished gang Of scoundrels never trod shoe
leather than Mr.. Harity's assistants were aoie
TO gather together TO labor under his guidihs
direction. Several hundred have already been
registered in New-lork and Kings counties
Others have been sent up the river to interior
cities The immediate director of this barefaced
scheme is Captain J. w. Elder, Mr. Harrlty 5
confidential political scavenger.
Captain Elder is well known to the ponce from
Texas to New-York. According 10 the statement
of his stepson he went TO Pamela County, Texas
in 1861. Hero he ingratiated himself In 'he
affections of widow who worked fifteen negroes,
one of whom he sent into the Confederate Army
as substitute while he stayed home. ran dis
tiJlery and played poker. AT the close OF the
war mis- stepson returned TO find his mother dead
and Elder in full possession of the farm and stock
He compelled Bldcr to disgorge, whereupon the
valiant captain annexed the two best mules, four
horses and q buggy. He scurred from the coun-
try pursued to the border by his angry 'stepson
The Rogues Gallery of the Secret Service Division
al Washington has evidence OF his record that
under pretenoe Of turning 1t over to the Federal
forces Elder seized and sold 1000 bales OF con-
traband cotton. Subsequently, in 1865, ne was
indicted in Panola County, Texas, for highway
robbery upon the person OF one ID. W. Leach.
B. n Harris was the foreman of the jury pre-
senting the indictment. Before he could he
brought TO trial Elders stepson had driven him
from the State AT the point Of pistol, and his
career in that region was ended.
Nine wears later Elder turned up in the police
records of New-York City. On the first Monday
in June, 1874 the Grand Jury of the City and
County of New-York, through David b. Turner,
foreman, presented indictment against Mr..
Iarrity's present assistant, charging him with
winding and personating officer. Captain Elder
had devised q new game for raising the wind, and
had once more into the arms OF justice.
On the twenty-third day of May in that year. he
read that a number of masked burglars had been
captured by the police. He at once waited upon
Sigmund L. Otto, who had been interesting him
self in the detection Of these criminals and rep
resented himself as Detective Elder for hf-
teen years member OF the police force, and at
,emnfed TO secure S25 in payment of his services
in apprebending the suspects. Mr.. Otto promptly
Turned him over to the police, and he was
sent 70 the Tombs in default of 81, 900 bail.
On the twerity-third of June Mr. HarrIty :
tri.nd Flder was arraigned Before Recorder
Uaclxett, where he withdrew his plea of not
guilty and pleaded guilty as indicted. Upon
his pledqe to leave the city and never 10 re-
turn. Assistant District-Attorney George W. Lyon
moved suspension of judgment and his discharge
from custody He took the first train for the
South.
Elder next turned up in Washington He had
married, and was beating ana ABUSING DIS "iie'
She annlied for divorce in the District OF
Columbia, counts charging personal ABUSE, III
n,oralitv, drurkenncss and other offences. Pages
Ao.aA of tho transcript of record Of Supreme
Court. District of Columbia, tell an abominahe
sorv of Elders conduct Among the evidence
presented BY his wife was a series OF letters
from Elder TO her, demanding that she shonid
raise funds for their support at the expense oi
her virtue. One in particular, dated ocP'en''er
Is. 1877, outlines plan ~ whicn sic was "
eptrap a wealthy Southern man, VINO WAS n'a"
ing a trip to New-Yor< TO purchase hoIso'. '
Harrity's assistant is on record as "o''0e
house where his wife was to receive 'iHs i'ioi'
of the family while he himself was 10 qui''S
run over TO New-Yorll and appearing on 'le Sc'"'
&c the injured husband, wind up the "H.s'
game, by stripping him OF what he hau'
astonishing epistc is signed your pa"S' W
Baby" =.
After this second unfortunate ma'rimohI" "a
perence. Captain Elder entered upon his cav
for the publication OF politics. lie was III oi'',
afaton with prominent Democratic POM ioi'"9 i'1n
in MARYLAND incidentally he suborned perJuiers
and manufactured evidence TO he used III claiihS
and nension cases In an investigation by com
mttee of the House of Representatives,, irst ~ 2
SION, Forty-eighth Congress, Report -. u, w
Elder was shown 10 have procured Two crinid hd
naIs 10 give neriured testimony. Ore of these hau
been indicted for burglary, and arrested Ior
counterfeting or handling counteriG1 m"nmsSccu mCmeS
dhe other haa an sswDdlng in correction with
pensions Captain Elder was enthusiastic ior
Cleveland and Reform in 1855 lie Is at II agali'
faithfully waitlhg uhuel NnaI, a,nr,;s;on For GOV