The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-15
gp,cral Dispatch to tho Intelllrencor.


CHARLESTON, w. Va, Nov, H.
There is much being published concern
Ing the shortage In the accounts OF the
late secretary OF state. William II, Chill
ton, and considerable misinformatlon
regarding ii seems to be in the posses
sion OF newspaper men throughout the
state, Many Of the criticisms on the
state administration for It's alleged tenn,
porlzIng with the matter are unjust, un-
intentionally so, perhaps, as they are
based upon lack of knowledge of the
circumstances In order that the read
ers OF the Intelligencer may understand
the status OF the case an effort has been
made to get ut the bottom facts. The
Information on which this dispatch is
based comes from gentleman very
near TO the state administration, and
who Is posted upon all the details.
II IL no secret that the Republican
managers had from Democratic sources,
during the campaign of 1896, informR-
ton to the effect that there were ar
rearages in the secretary of states
office but no advantage was taken of
the fact, as II was understood that the
state was secured by bond and that the
matter could easily be adjusted, and
there was no evidence that 1t had not
been.
II appears, from the information
gained that when the administration
changed hands, Mr.. Chiffon did not
know that the shortage which stood
against him still existed, and spoke of
Il TO his successor, Mr.. Dawson, as be-
ing all right, he having so understood
from his deputy, who had charge OF the
office for him. Chiffon, when informed
that no settlement had been made with
the auditor, was greatly distressed
about the matter. and agreed at once
to make the shortage good. No report
from January | to March from the
secretary Of state was on file, AZ he had
been led to believe His brother. who
had been running the office, made the
report two or three months after.
II was discovered by the state officials
that Mr., Chilton's securities on his bond
were not good for the amount due the
state, about $4,000. They felt, II ls said,
that their duty. as state officers, was to
get the money due the state. Chiffon
and his friends gave satisfactory assur-
ances that every dollar would be paid,
Chiffon has valuable coal lands, by the
sale OF which he will realize enough to
pay the Indebtedness and leave him in
dependent. He showed the stnte author
tiles that to force him TO pay the money
at once, pending a deal being negotiated
for the sale OF the land, would result in
q great sacrifice of the property. With
this understanding II Is understood
It,,,tN ha I,tF he
itor within which a settlement is to be
made, or suit entered.
The publicity Of the matter was made
through Democratic sources. and this
phase Of the matter is decidedly inter
esting as affOrdlng an insight into some
things that are occurring within the
Democratic ranks. Not long since the
now famous Mcdonald trial came up In
the circuit court of Kanawha, McDon-
aid the Republican president of the
county court, being charged with irreR-
ularlties in office. The law firm of Chill
ton, MacCorkle and Chiffon were Nc
DOnald's attorneys The Daily Gazette,
the Democratic organ here. during the
progress Of the trial published biased
reports Of the evidence, bitterly de-
uounccd Mcdonald. and reflected on cv-
erybOdy connected with his defense. So
intense did the feeling become that from
a prosecution II became n persecution
Some Of the relators In the case we're
Republicans, acting in good faith; many
were Democrats seeking party advan-
taEe 10 get control Of the county court;
others were gotten into the scheme on
the rcprcscntatIOn thnt ig WnH merely
TO be an investigation. Tho Gazette
was no bitter In IT'S politics that the
Democratic sChemers began 10 use II
for their purpose. To help along the
Mcdonald persecution they began to stir
up the Chiffon shortage to break down
McDOnald's lawyers. one OF them being
Chiffon himself They finally induced
the editor OF tho Gazette, which Is
looked upon as the organ Of Col. John
r. McGraw. candidate for II. s. sena-
tor and leader of the rival faction op-
posing the Chiffon leadership In state
politics. to publish n card calling for
Information regarding the shortago
This with the exception OF n brief cd
hHFiHi. referring 10 the rum6fs al 4
Hhortngc, on october 8, was the first |
publication regarding Il In tho Gazette. |
The Gazette from that time was forced |
by the Democratic political enemies OF |
Tho ChlltonB 90 make the references
moro definite. In the hopes OF breaking |
down McDonalds counsel. II was I'm |
this way that the shortage matter bc. |
came public property II was the ro-
Pult of the f0ctlOnnl enmlty To Chiffon. |
In the meantime, the state admlnlstra-
ton IN not neFlcctlng the states lntrr- |
est In tho uuilpr and Viit 400 In IL that |