The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-18
THEY MAY STILL BE GULLED.
EX-sLAVEs LEARN 40 WISDOM
FROM MANY EXPERIENCES.

Three Ola Negro women EnCh Want
ed $500 From the PostoIHce Depart
mcnt-Thc Agent" Had Been to
see Them-Crusadc Against Swind-
Iers Is to BE Pushcd-IIow Croker
Is Viewed by PoIIticinns-1IiIes Is
Now Recognized.
Washington. Aug. l7-(SpecaD.-Th
crusade against the gang of swindlers
ongaged in robbmg former slaves by
promising them pensions is being carried |
on by the officers of the postotIice depart
ment and the commissioner Of pensions. |
Before long the entire gang will be round
ed up ana punished
a number of victims have already ap- |
piled 10 the authorities at Washington |
for relief. A few days ago six old coll |
orcd women. who were formerly slaves. |
called at the postofiice department and |
endeavored to collect $500 each. which they |
had been told the government would give |
them.
They were referred TO Acting Assistant |
| Attorney General Barrett. They told him |
| that they lived near Alexandria, Va, and !
that man had been through that neigh |
| borhood looking up former slaves. lie
told them lac was an agent of the gov
! ornment. sent out to locate all the OLD
! slaves. He collected what he called a.
| registration fee" from each one Of them
taking as much as his victims would give
! lie directed them to come up to Wash
| ington and have their names registered
at the postohice department. ana in re-
turn each one would be paid $500 lie
gave them circulars to be distributed
among their friends who were also ox-
slaves. They did not know his name, but
were fully impressed that he was their
friend.
MIR. Barrett explained to them that they
had been swndIed, and requested them to
furnish him with the circulars they had
received to aid him In locating and punish
ing the man who had defrauded them
Appeals are daily made at the pension
office by colored men and women, who
have been victimized by these pension
fraud schemers.
a Political Gymnast.
Southern and Western politicians are
greatly amused over the efforts of Dick
Croker to pose as a governing factor in
| national politics. The New York news
papers are largely responsible for the large
crop of vulgar egstism cultivated upon
the Croker reservation. as they have sup
piled the soil, furnished the implements
and labored Ike 80 many slaves in his
behalf. A few days ego when Croker re
turned from Europe, he had some of his
newspaper friends prepare an interview
for him, setting forth his conversion to
the anti-eXpanslon doctrine and annOunC-
ing his allegiance to the Bryan standard.
The managing editors of the New York
dailtes suffered several double ble-baCk-actiOn
fits, and as soon as they recovered from
the shock. spent several hundred dollars
Of their employers hard-earned money in
| te,egraDhlug their correspondents in all
the leading cities to get interviews on Mr.
! Croker's daring political backward somer-
sault. The result OF their efforts to secure
comments upon Croker, outside of New
York, was positively ludicrous.
Apparently the New rorKers fancled the
world at large was at a standstill await
ing TO see what effect Croter's change Of
political heart would have on national
affairs The Insignificant number OF in
terviews with prominent politicians on the
| Croker hp-hap must have been disheart-
ening 10 the enterprising New York edit
ors. 1t was difficult for them 10 realize
that the statement Of Croker was received
with marked indifference throughout the
country.
The fact is beyond the limits or the EN-
pire state there are but few national
-
for Croker. In the South and West he
is looked upon as a handicap to the Demo-
cratic party. No matter how pure and hon
orable his political motives may be- he is
regarded with distrust and suspicion be-
yond the borders of his own sta e. and in
many sections his advocacy OF a man or
Il measure Is believed to be a source OF
weakness rather than strength. There
fore the average Democrat Is disposed to
ignore Mr. Croker and his self lf-assumed
political leadership.
Miles Now Has Say.
, There is a perceptible change in the gem
, eral policy Of the war department since
Secre tary Root succeeded Cen. Alger
Mai. Gen. Miles, the handsome command
. ing general of the army IS no longer a
stranger to the private office Of the secre-
; tary on the contrary. Gen. Miles is IN
frequent conference with Secretary Root
and the secretary and the general fire.
quently consider war measures and issue
general orders without previous consulia-
r ton with other bureau officers.
Under the Alger administration Adjutaut
General Corbin was always taken into the
confidence Of the Secretary Of War, and
. Gen. Miles frequently kept IN Ignorance Of
important general orders until they reach
: ed him IN printed form through he round
about channels Of official routine. While
there is no lack Of cordiality or confidence
between the new secretary and the adJI-
tant general, the latter does not have "a
I monopoly Of the official secrets Of the de-
p partmeut 20 the exclusion OF Gen. Miles
The rehabilitation Of the commanding gem
eral ae an active participant ~ The bust
, ness Of the war department. Is very gra tify-
z ing TO Gen. Miles and his frends IL Is
q pleasing to nim to be consulted on the
general policy Of the army, and it is under
r stood that the energetic efforts now being
put forward TO increase the fighting force
r in the Philippines is largely due 10 his well
e seasoned experience ana practical advice.