Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-12
claim was declared void. and tho paymn,
was permanently stopped.
EECTNEEpfNC ma CT,A1M9


ENGINEERING BIO CLAIMS.
The payment OF the Comanche claim
curing President Grants Administration
was secured mainly through the influence
OF woman. Ths claim was for extra pay
Tor ship named Comsnche that was
quit for the government Inc cram
contended that interference by the gov
eminent. In various matters OF de1aii:
postponed the completion or the snip untii
the prices Of material greatly increased
ana the ship was finally completed az
hVivy loss TO the contractor ABOUT
*.pc.VO9 was secured. The woman VINO did
this piece OF successful lobbying was
thereafter known as "Comanche.
For five or six years after the war
woman and her two daughters MAIN
tanned elegant apartments at the Ariihs-
ton. and distinguished themselves as the
most successful ciaim-egents OF the time.
The mother would take nearly any claim
OF any kind and agree to push II tnro'gh
Tor part OF Its proceeds. Her dsugn-
tiers were skllful assistants. Not word
OF detraction was ever uttered against the
character OF either One OF them Is now
the wife OF a very successful business
man OF Washington.
i went into the Foreign-Afairs COM
mittee-room one day during the iast ses-
sion OF Congress. A MISUNDERSTANDING
woman with a manly swagger entered.
one would intuitively have called her
colonel" How are you, Judge? Cool
morning. Major" Hello Captain" she
said TO the members around. and ths1 she
told them she was one OF the chief move RS
IN the scheme to establish closer M
mercial relations between North and south
America by means OF a new canal, a
connecting steamboat line. or some other
Baron Munchausen plan which / was
never able 10 understand. TIE scheme
did not so through. The lady who Claimed
10 have millions 10 back her made an
unsuccessful effort during the present adj
mlnistration 10 get place as messenger
Tor her son.
A FEMALE FRAUD.
Upon one occasion a Washington lawyer
or repute was visited by an elegantly
attirei lady who stated her case thus:
nave come, a total stranger 10 yol,
without reference, TO make a business
proposition. You are one OF the attorneys
representing the We'll and la Abra claims.
upon which awards have been made by the
American Mexican Claims Commission. L
am aware that the Mexican Govcrumcr;
has declared these claims fraudulent and
protested against their payment i Know
that payment Is withheld at the State De-
partment II am well enough paid for
my service. | believe that l can unlock
the state Department vaults and secure
from the Secretary Of State and the Presl-
dent the authority to pay these claims.
This Is business with me. What do you
think of it?"
The astonished lawyer replied that ne
would consult his clients. and see her
later.
When shall call again?' asked the
lady.
In about n week" replied the lawyer.
In the mean time the lawyer began to
make inquiries concerning her. He learned
that she was supposed TO control several
Senators and Representatives. When she
called again, he told her that before he 1
could make any contract with her che
should tell the names of the parties
through whom she expected TO carry out
her purpose. She named two sena tors.
BY request, they called the next day at
the lawyers office They declared that the
woman had no influence whatever over
them. II was case Of backuail. The
elegantly-attired lady left Washington a
few days afteward.
CONSPIRATORS.
Some years ago there appeared In Wash
ins ton q man and two women. who re-
presented themselves a. a father. mother,
and daughter They were of genteel APP
pearance. and spent most Of their time
in the corridors and reception rooms at
the Capitol How they succeeded In get
ting irtroductions to senator's and MEN,
lers does not appear. Whence their in
nuence came was not known. Certain II
was, that they sowed and reaped a rich
harvest in matters of legislation for
year or two, and IL was only discovered
that they were conspirators after they
had quarrelled over n division OF spoils.
The supposed parents had made fee OF
5000 by Matchmaking a western senator.
Though the daughter was the means or
collecting the fee, she only received 500
as her share When she learned Of the
amount collected by her adopted mother
and father she told the authorities OF
their false relationship and broke up thu
combination.
Within the recollection Of many Of those
at Washington now a certain western
senator was charged with having pur-
chased his seat. The charges were duly
filed and were referred 10 the Committee
on Privileges and Elections. The com
mittee held an exhaustive Investigation.
Sufficient proof was gotten to sustain the
charges Most os the senator's party
assocates. desiring to shield him, agreed
to submit n report which, while admit
ting that fraud was used, asserted that
not a sufficient number Of legislators had
been purchased TO have defeated MS eiec-
ton. Some Of his party associates de-
INJURED from this report, ana II could
only be made a majority report by tie
signature OF "A senator from the opposite
party. The senator whom they decided 10
influence had previously declared in COM
mittee that the evidence of corruption
was clear and unmistakable. Through
very charming woman, however, whose
influence over him seemed TO be hypnotic.
he was induced 10 sign the raport. The
result was that his political opponent
who had purchased his seat held II
through that term, and was elected to
the succeeding term. The report has never
been acted on. 1t still sleeps quietly In
the committees records. The place IN The
Senate which it concerned Is now filled
by Populist
CLAUDE y. KENNETH.