Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-10-21
LOOTING THE TREASURY
Trail of Blood and Doodle Through History
of Spoliation.
Life and Honor Freely Sacrificed to Feed the Rapac
ity of Republican Machine Managers, Who For
Quarter of a Century Have Been Preying Upon
the Industry and Energy of the People.

The history OF the Pennsylvania
state treasury is an ever interesting
though essentially pride-chastening
study for the people. For years it has
been prolific source of graft and from
the time that the late Senator Quay
became secretary of the common
wealth and cX-olicio commissioner of
the sinking fund, a trail of blood and
Doodle has marked its records. Vast
surpluses were unknown a quarter of
a century ago, the fiscal officers of
the commonwealth having been cap
that the receipts and expenditures
about balanced. But Quay soon dis
covered that the sinking fund was an
available fountain of funds and by con-
spiracy with a subordinate official of
the treasury he abstracted large
amounts for use in speculative opera
tions. Since the keen scent of cupid
ity discovered the possibilities that are
in big surpluses, taxes have been null
tiplied to create vast balances.
In a speech delivered at Pottstown,
September 23d, by Eugene c. Bonni-
well, ESQ., .Aof Philadelphia, the shame
full record of this pool of iniquity Is
fully revealed. Mr.. Bonniwell said:
The supreme issue which con-
Germs us today is honesty. Ought
the common standards ordinarily
applied In society and business to
be hagitiously. ignored in the con-
. duct of public affairs, and the
funds of the people OF Pennsylva-
MIA placed at the disposal of cor
rupt politicians and stock gam
blers? There can be no party
lines upon this proposition.
No citizen protesting to be re-
putable can support the so-called
Republican ticket in this campaign
simply because it is labeled Repub-
lican. John Jay, the first chief
justice of the United States. aptiy
said that adherence to party has it's
limits, and they are marked and
prescribed by that supreme wis
dom which has united and asso-
ciated true policy with honor rec
titude and self-respect
The citadel which dominates the
political battlefield of Pennsylva-
MIA is the state treasury. From
It's vaults have issued again and
again the funds tha, have corrupt
ed legislatures, debauched constit-
uencies, nourished bankrupt poll
ticians and financed colossal gam
bles for the enrichment of So-call-
cd statesmen.
The citizen worthy of the name
who proposes to vote for the Re-
publican nominee for state treas
urer must do So ON one of two
grOunds-aither the conduct of the
state treasury In the past has been
of so meritorious an order as TO
Justify the continuance Of Repub-
lican control, or the character OF
the Republican nominee is so sig
naliy inspirtting as TO make GER
tain all honest conduct of the Office
despite his political affiliations.
Tried by either of these tests the
Republican organization hopeless
ly fails.
Record of FIagrant Dishonesty.
Lest the frightful trail of dis
honesty and blood of wrecked
homes and broken hearts has be-
come less than memory, permit
me to fecapituiate the known his
tory of the state treasury. Within
our own time when Samuel But
ler an honest man. was elected
treasurer of the state of Peansyls
yania, in 1879 he refused to re-.
ury because of the fact th.t $500,
900 was represented by nothing
more than promissoly noteslof GER
tain politicians, 1t was meier de-
MED that this money @9S taken
out by Matthew Stanley '0iay and
lost in stock speculationss- When
exposure became imminent Blake
Walters, cashier of tiie site treas
uIy, shot and killed himself.
Amos c. Moves, the retiring
treasurer, a man of sch rugged
fioh-&ty that he was known as
''Sqaafe iYmber" NoIes, took to
his ped and a!e44 within 2 few
months Of broker Heart. and
nothing save thG action of Don
Cameron in contributing the s2G0=
GOO in cash for y2,,ltral purposes,
prevented a puIflc scsg9al that
should PsYc dr%i!gn the RgpubIican
administration from power. II
was as,rted dat at that time Quay
conteaplated suin,ae.
theg two men, in 1855 4 anq nd there
aftF, Quay having been elected
gtae treasurer that year, renewed
his raids on the state treasury
Filowng his brief term w. b,
H4f was elected state treasurer
.qld his friends have always be-
lieved that his gntimely death was
ttused by the frighifUl knowledge
Of the condition of the state treas
ury.
LiVesy succeeded Hart. In 1883
another colossal raid was made on
tue state treasury. With the as
sistance of A. Wilson Norris, then
auditor general of Pennsylvania,
Quay secured from Livesy 100000
with which to purchase stock in u
Chicago traction deal. So deeply did
his connection with this case bear
Ipon Norris that before the end
of The summer of 1888 he had
drunk himself to DEATH
The col0red messenger of the
state department, named Warren, |
who had helped Norris carry the
sRcurities to Philadelphia, was
Was found drowned In the Susque-
hanna canal, and William l.ivesy,
in 1891! fed from the state of
Pennsylvania and has never re-
turned.
Forced to Divide the Loot,
Before he died Norris LEFT let
ter addressed to Senator Quay,
requesting him 10 see that his Wild
ow received the Sl0,0G0 which was
hts share IF this gigantic steal
When Quay refused Mrs. Norris
placed the matter in the hands OF
Biddle q Ward, a distinguished
firm of lawyers. The response was
instant and it Is curious commen-
larry upon the condition of af-
Hairs IA Philadelphia that the gen.
tlemaa who tiea' .lSpLed In as rem
reseltlpg Mr., Quay, and rorestalled
q public scandal of overwhelming
proportions, was the same gentle