Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-01-21
How the Popular Will Was Be-
feated in the Joint Caucus.
DESPERATE .AOTIOS EMPLOYED.
Reckless Use OF Money, Coercion and
other Vicious Methods Rcsofted To.
Hired Ruffians Called Upon to Intimi-
date Respectable Business Men.


date Respectable Business Men.
HARRISBURG, Pa, Jan. 1e.-There are
some dark pages in the record of past po-
litical happenings in this state, but no
part of its history is so black as the story
that must be written of the events OF the
five days in this city Immediately pre-
ceeding the joint caucus which termin-
ated the contest for the United States
senatorship.
1t is picture so revolving, SO directly
opposed to what an educated, Intelligent
people would willingly recognize even as
a probability in an enlightened commu-
nifty, where there is supposed to be at
least tacit compliance with law, and even
partial regard for order and decency, that
there will be no surprise If the plain story
of the repulsive details will find many
people who will hesitate to believe it.
Yet even the calm contemplate on that
comes after the heat of the conflict has
died away cannot rid it Of its hideous feat
ures Never before was there so wanton
display of political depravity; never be-
fore was the power of the bribe giver so
recklessly exercised and, 1t is safe to say,
never before were the wishes Of the people
of the state so flagrantly ignored by their
public servants.
Such were the desperate tactics of des-
perate plotters and, while they proved to
be of temporary advantage, the spark OF
victory that comes to the people out OF the
embers of apparent defeat is that, by its
complete exposure, the viilainous abuse OF
power will lead to its own undoing; will
lead to the total political humiliation OF
those who practiced it. Representative
Ia ,.ll re- Of ha N fa
the city during thnt turbulent time, and
when they went home they carried with
them new ideas of practical politics" and
the lesson will linger long in their men,
ories, and will spur them to renewed ef-
forts to rid the state of the despoilers OF
its fair fame.
Hired Thugs Abundant.
The plan of battle is accredited to Sem
ator Andrews, who was the sponsor and
chief backer Of Candidate Penrose. When
it proved to be the only way in which the
will of the people could be defeated Sem
ator Quay gave it his approval. Long ago
1t was inaugurated by sending paid spies
to ingratiato themselves with those inter
ested in Mr.. Wanamaker's campaign, for
the purpose Of gaining and betraying their
confidence This requires low cunning,
and entire absence of self respect, and 1t
will be accepted without reservation that
men who would undertake such work
could not be men worthy OF belief. But
all their lying, all their deceit all their
base treachery of friendship-supposin
such men to be capable Of such sentiment
awaited them nothing, and had no result
save to add to the flame of Indignation,
which will lead to n swift retribution.
An alleged detective firm, known as
Barring a. McSweeney, furnished these
agents" There Is not a decent detective
in the state who recognizes this agency.
1t is known at all the police headquarters
within the jurisdiction of this common
wealth as almost as dangerous as half the
offenders againt the law with whom they
have to deal No mission is too nefarious
for it to undertake, and proof of this lies
in the fact that the one sensation these
marplots attempted to create, by the arrest
of T.. A. Van Valkenburg, was based upon
the alleged affidavit OF a mythical person,
or at least of some one who has not yet ven-
tured to show his face to the light and who,
, by some, is thought to be an ex-convict. Yet
they dared to attempt to imperil the I'D
erty Of an honest man by such means. Ii
was nothing that would bother their con-
science, but what of the people who en-
plOyeu tnem! rOTf ultcr dAi, ShSoO AaeeSA
must stand the condemnation, because
the clement of pity is SO strong that it can
extend to the poor, misguided and de-
spised wretches soddened in the moral at
tributes by long careers of depravity.
But the work Of this agency extended
further 1t had its hirelings on hand here
10 take their share in the despicable work
outlined IL could not supply all the helI
that was needed. From other quarters
thugs, jailbirds and nondescript ruffians
were gathered to harass and to annoy and
| TO autagonize the respectable people who
! came here to make known their views to
/ the men who had been elected by them to
express these views by their votes. Spies
dopged their footsteps. No one was safe
| from this espionage. Old friends of Quay 5
friends who had rendered him faithful
J service for years, were dogged and spiet
sssxA