The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-30
LIKE 4 MODERN NERO
Career of" RObber Governor
Of South Carolina.
DEATH RECALLS QUEER STORY
Frank J. Moses, Recently SuffOcated
I'm Boston, Played n Conspicuous
structi0n TimeS-A Man without
Moral Principle and CRATER.

/ From the Richmond News-Leadcr
/ one Of the most picturesque and COM
pIete scoundrels this country has ever
known came to the kind of miserable end
| that might have been expected for him
when Franklin j. Moses was suffocated
/ yesterday i'm his room in a boarding house
near Boston He was one of the few mon
We have known who seemed to be devoid
absolutely of moral character, or even a
suggestion of a sense of honor of any
/ kind. Physically, he gave no indication
/ of his inward state In his younger days
/ he was rather a handsome, we'll appear
ling man, with a keen, Clear-cut and
/ kindly face and pleasant manners, some
/ dash and occasional flashes Of what
amounted almost to intellectual brill
4 liancy. He never was devoid of physical
/ courage but would accept insults ap-
parently because he did not have the
moral sense TO be ashamed. or to realize
that there was honor to protect, or rea-
son for resentment.
lie was born Of an old and well-estab-
lished family originally Jewish. and had
every opportunity TO be gentleman. At
the age Of twenty-three his prospects
were unusually good. He was the private
secretary to Gov. Pickens, Of South Caro-
lima, received everywhere and recog-
nized as promising. and his family was
wealthy, his father being lawyer OF
unusual ability. afterward chief justice
Of the Supreme Court in reconstruction
days
HOisted Flag Over sumter.
Frank Moses solicited. and by force Of
his official position obtained the privilege
Of hoisting the South Carolina flag over
Fort Sumter after its evacuation by the
Federal forces in 1861. lie was eager to
be spectacular and prominent, and wore
ono of the finest uniforms in the Confed-
crate army. He was a dainty rascal in
some respects and usually avoided active
service, perhaps not because he was
afraid of being hurt, but because he de-
spised eXertiOn or personal Inconvenience
of any kind, and cravcd the neighborhood
OF vice. So he was gratifying his passion
for that, he was not at all particular as
20 his company or surroundings. although
he loved ease and luxury as fervently as
"a cat.
Probably he was the first of the very
few young men Of the South who desert
ed his people and race and went over to
the radicals at the close of the war. So
far as anybody could discover. he had no
principles of any kind. political or other
wise. He never was cruel In his disposi-
ton. but probably If he had been in
NerO's place he would have Out-Neroed
Nero, except that he never would have
been faithful 90 any woman three months
at "a time He liked excitement, how
ever, when there was no mess or labor
connected with il; and. no doubt. after
he had exhausted the gaming hells of
Rome would have roasted a few Chris
uans or other unpleasant persons and
give some scores Of citizens-especially
such as had won money of him-to the
wild beasts as matter Of amusement
and interest without turning moral hair
or considering that what he was doing
might possibly be wrong or disgracefuI
SaturnaIia of Reconstruction.
He threw himself into the saturnalia OF
vice. corruption. and debauchery, which
came with the first reconstruction govern
ment, as a tired man throws himself into
warm bath. He gloried and luxuriated
in it, and he cared nothing how much
public shame and hate he drew upon him
self He was elected circuit Judge and
sold decisions and used his office for the
promotion of vice as careIessly and as
much as a matter Of course as if It was
the natural and accustomed order of
things Then he was elected adjutant
general and a member of the State legis-
lature. in which latter body he promptly
assumed charge and control of the negro
members, who were fascinated by having
a native-born white man with the appear
ance, name, and manners Of a gentleman
consort with them. Black and white. male
or female, were all the same to Frank
Moses. He led his gang of cornfeld hands
and village mulattoes upon the treasury
IN series of grand and historic charges.
They looted right and left and never
ceased while loot remained. Moses him
self seemed to steal for the very love of
stealing and of TiotOus. decent. and ex-
pensive living. He saved no money 10
speak of. but scattered his plumber with
a lavish hand Anybody who might be
used by him in any way could get money
from him-uSually in the shape of a war
rant on the State treasury.
"The RObber Governor"
People who cannot recollect that time
cannot conceive it. In the train of the
male carpet-baggers who came flocking
down on the carcass of the PROSTATE
State, like so many vuitures. there was
a host of woman camp followers and ad-
fashy. smart. and wild.
every one eager and ceaseless in pursuit
of money, like all their kind. 1t is a
matter Of official record, we believe. that
at party given by some women of this
sort in a VIGOROUSLY and publicly disrep-
utable house Frank Moses, then speaker
Of the house of representatives. spent
$500 in champagne in one night. and
paid the bin with an order on the State
treasurer ~igned by himself as eaker.
for Legislative supplies" With this rec
ord, he was elected governor in 1S72-"Our
Young Native Governor" ne was heralded
by his negro followers at the time; The
Robber Governor" as ne was called by
the white people, and has been remem-
bered ever since
As governor literally there was no limit
TO his public and private. his official and
his personal debaucheries and corruption |
He gambled in public gaming bells. drank |
N public bars-aithoUgh he never was \ /
drunkard-consorted ai.d drove about the
streets of the capital city of the /
State in open carria ges with lewd women /
Of all shades of color. He seemed 10 be
absolutely devoid OF the sense of shame |
He sold pardons to the most notorious /
criminals, appointed the rankest and most |
gnOrant blackguards TO the noblest |
places for the most debasing purposes
purposes not to be named in print
Downfall Came at Last.
Even in South Carolina in reconstruc- |