The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-27

the Senate committees. This was due to q
complication growing out OF the conflicting
interest of the Alabama claimaDts. the
marine insurance companies and the South.
ern Senator'S who had claims for cotton
losses during the war senator Mcdonald
would have nothing 20 do with the BUSH
ness so long as he was Senator. but when
he left the Senate he entered
into an agreement with Risley and
took an interest in the Jewett claim. He
also engaged with Risley TO look after the
claims which had been accumulated by the
late David Ogden. q well-known commits
sion merchant of New York. The Ogden
claims were represented By j. ). Flasg. of
No. Is Broadway.
Mr.. Flagg had been reading clerk of the
United states Senate. and was well ac-
uuainted with the routine work OF prose-
cnting claims. He engaged Risley to help
him with the Ogden claims. aud Risley
having found Senator McDonalds lnf1u-
ence valuable brong ht him In also. In this
way RisIey and Senator Mcdonald came
10 represent the largest block OF claims
name of the Indiana ex-senator was used
in drumming up business for the COM
bination.
CARDS SENT OUT.
''Risley advised me to get cards printed"
said Mr.. Jewett in q recent interview.
with Senator McDonald's name first as
counsel. distributed many thousands Of
these cards in seeking TO make contracts
with claimants and to renew contracts
which had lapsed OF been dropped. My
arrangement with Risley was that he was
TO DIVIDE with Senator McDona Id"
Here's a specimen Of the card that was
freely distributed:
JAMES c. JEwETT,
SHIPPING AND COMMISSION MERCHANT.
No. 81 William street Rooms 2, 8 and 81
PosToFFIcE Address Box. 4o96; CABLE AID
DRESS, VENETIAN, NEW YORK.
COURT OF COMMISSIONERS OF ALABAMA CLAIMS
Claims properly prepared and successfully
prosecuted on contingentc0mpensatio for losses
1861, TO and including 1865.
WAR PREMIUM PAYERS during the late war are
guaranteed repayment OF their actual outlay.
Counsel of this Office before the above court at
Washington and In New York:
Hon JOSEPH K. MCDONALD, OF Indianapolis. late
Hon. JOHN Z. RIsLEr. No. 2, Wall street. New
York.
When the Alabama claims were settled
and 1t became necessary to divide MP the
fees there was n little difficulty In arrsng-
ing the Ogden matter. The net fees In the
Ogden claim. amounting TO $4,000. had
been deposited In the First National Bank
pending the settlements between tho Ogden
estate, Flagg, Risley and Senator McD0n-
AID.
The Ogden matter was finally settled,
and Senator Mcdonald gave q full release
30 each one of his associates. His share of
the $4,000 is said to have been in the
peighborhood Of $4,000 The attorneys of
record in these cases were Donohue, FlaRg
and Risley.
The fees in the Jewett claims were much
larger. Risley was the sole attorney of
record In these cases. and the money passed
through his hands. 1t is said that he paid
Jewett 800. coo. RIsley had trouble with
Jewett, and in 1889 be brought suit against
the latter before Judge Ingraham. The
referee who was appointed took volumes
of testimony, and in 1890 Risley was award
I'd judgment for $4,000.
Charles +. Beach, of New York, was en-
plOved to push this case to the Court OF
Appeals. He received formal instructions
early IN January TO proceed with the suit.
He employed Paul Jones. of Temple Court,
Co draw MP the papers. These were about
ready to file when the nomination of Risley
TO be minister to Denmark was announced.
AS soon as Mr. Beach learned OF this nomi-
nation he sought an interview with Risley,
and advised him of his intention to bring
the suit. The result of that interview has
not been disclosed by Mr.. Beach. but 1t is
said preparations for the suit are still in
progress.
WILL NOT PROSECUTE THE CLAIM
As far as the Mcdonald interest is con-
cerned. there Will be no prosecution of any
claim against Risiey. John III. Butler. the
surviving partner. in looking up his letter
book of that period. has discovered that
Senator Mcdonald wrote letters to Risley
giving him receipts IN full for ell claims in
these cases. 1t has been recalled by him
that ar one time on bis partners return
from New York he said that he had had q
settlement with Risley and that he would
not have any thing more to do with him.
Dir. Butler inferred that RIsley had pushed
hard bargain with Mr. Mcdonald. and
that the latter was glad to be no longer
connected with this New York crowd. A
friend of Mr.. Butler said yesterday: "Sen-
ator Mcdonald probably found himself
with men in whose integrity be had no
confidence and made haste to get ont be-
fore he was compromised. There is no
doubt in my mind that Risley failed to &C.
count for McDonald's proper share OF tho
fees In these cases. but he probably satis-
fled himself that it was better TO take
what be could get. Risley. am convinced.
is q bad man. but have refused to become
attorney in this proposed litigation becau SO
1 was not sure that the motive of the men
back of il was the BEST"