The morning news., 1894-09-02

OuOHS Win members OF the House and
senate; she got bill for the payment of
tne claim introduced in both houses. And
II she can ever get it called up and voted
on, the chances are that she will get her
$50 900 "0l
The Corpening claim created quite a
sensation during President Grants ad-
mlnlstratlon. 1t was for large sum of
money 1or carrying the mails through
some western states. The amount of the
cIalIn was augmented by the cost of stock
tudI dled IN the snow, and extra expenses
OF countless kinds IL was pushed bv
MRS Corpening, who had two very bright
lady assistants. Though there was
nothing really in the claim it was made
TO appear perfectly valid. 1t passed both
houses OF congress and was signed by
PRESIDENT Grant. MIR. Cress well, the
postmaster General ordered il paid.
Some OF the personal associates of A
senator claimed to be able. through the
senator, to cause the disbursing officer to
withhold payment. They declared to the
original claimants that they would stop
the payment unless a handsome sum was
given them. The sum was refused
Inc payment was held up. A rumor of
these proceedings reached congress.
A JOINT resolution was passed ordering
the Postmaster General TO stop payment
until an investigation could be made. The
investigation was made. The claim was
declared void and the payment was per
manently stopped.
ENGINEERING BIG CLAIMS.
The payment of the Comanche claim
during President Grants administration
was secured mainly through the influence
OF a woman. The claim was for extra
pay for ship named Comanche that was
DulIt Tor the government The claim
contended that interference by the gov
ernment in various matters of detail post
poned the completion of the ship until
the prices of material greatly increased
and the ship was finally completed at a
heavy loss to the contractor. About
500, 600 was secured. The woman who
did this piece of successful lobbying was
thereafter known as "Comanche"
For hVe or six years after the war a
woman and her two daughters main
tanned elegant apartments at the Airing
ton, and distinguished themselves as the
most successful claim agents of the time
The mother would take nearly any claim
OF any kind and agree to push it through
Tor part OF the proceeds. Her daughters
were skillful assistants Not q 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
went into the foreign affairs committee
room one day during the last session of
congress. A determined-looking woman
with manly swagger entered One
would have intuilively called her
Colonel" !" How are you, Judge";
"Good morning Maior'': Hello. Can
tain:' she said to the members. and then
she told them that she was one of the
chief movers in scheme to establish
closer commercial relations between
North and South America, by means of
new canal, connecting steamboat line,
or some other Baron Munchausen plan,
which | was never able to understand
The scheme did not so through. The
lady, who claimed to have millions to back
her, made an unsuccessful effort during
the present administration to get a place
as messenger for her son.
Upon one occasion a Washington law
yer of repute was visited by an elegantly
attired lady, who stated her case thus :
81 have come, a total stranger to you,
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. | am aware that the Mexi-
can government has declared these claims
fraudulent and protested against their
payment. l know that payment is with
held at the state department. If | am
well enough paid for my service, | believe
that | can unlock the state department
vaults and secure from the Secretary of
State and the President the authority to
pay these claims. This is business with
me. What do you think of it2n
The astonished lawyer replied that he
would consult his clients and see her
later.
when shall call again2" asked the
lady.
In about a week, " replied the lawyer.
In the meantime the lawyer began to
make inquiries concerning her He
learned that she was supposed 10 control
several senators and representatives
When she called again he told her that
before he could make any contract with
her she should tell the names of the par
ties 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 de-
clared that the woman had no influence
whatever over them. IL was a case of
blackmail. The elegantly attired lady
left Washington a few days afterward.
QUEER INFLUENCES.
Some years ago there appeared in
Washington man and two women who
represented themselves as a father,
mother and daughter. They were of
g0uUGel appearance, ana spent most OF
their time in the corridors and reception
rooms at the capitol. How they sue
ceeded in getting intro5uctions to sena-
tors and members does not appear
Whence their influence came was not
known. Certain il was that they sOwed
and reaped a rich harvest in matters of
legislation for year or two, and it was
only discovered that they were con-
spirators after they had quarreled over a
division of spoils. The supposed parents
had made fee Of $1,000 by blackmailing "a
western senator. Though the daughte ter
was the means of collecting the fee, she
only received 5000 as Der 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 the 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 TO the committee
on privileges and elections. The commit
tee held an exhaustive investigation
Sufficient proof was gotten TO sustain tile
charges Most of the senator's party
associates, desiring to shield him, agreed
10 submit a report which, while admit
ting that fraud was used, asserted that
not a sufficient number OF legislators had
been purchased to have defeated his cleo
tion. Some of his party associates de-
murred from this report and it could only
be made a majority report by the sigma