The Green Forest tribune., 1911-02-24
.A MES were pretty live.

 $Na&a clans were to be
 daily met with. Each had an axe to grind. It was busy day for adventurers and sharpers. Every device that human ingenuity could invent was in vogue for money making purposes. Men of respectable ity when at home often turned crooks after sojourning at the nations capi- tol for a time. The war had left its demoralizing influence upon many and the opportunities for acquiring wealth were numerous and varied. For long time before General Grant took his seat in the presidents chair, there had been a looseness in the ad- mtnistration of government affairs resulting in organized frauds that would not be tolerated in this day.
 The Credit Mobiler conspiracy, the whisky ring and many other monu- mental steals were being carried on in high-up official and private circles. The big fellows set the pace and the smaller crooks lettering about the city felt quite safe in taking a hand in what was going on. Some of the de vices resorted to by the lesser fellows were quite ridiculous. I will disinter one of these schemes for the purpose 2f exhibiting the folly of some of the Jlotters of that day.
 Shortly after President Grants in Auguration in the spring of 1873 he sent a messenger with a note re questing me to call at once at the White House On entering his office I found him at his desk He pointed to a nearby chair and bade me be seated Reaching into a drawer of his desk he took out two long black cigars, and handing me one of them he bit off the end of the other and put it between his teeth. Straighten ing back in his chair, the big black cigar was pointed upward at an angle of about forty-five degrees. As the smoke curled lazily above his head saw that there was something in his manner indicating that his usually placid temper was riled. Picking uT a package of letters from his desk he turned towards me and said: Here Colonel, is a matter that needs your careful attention. During the last few days I have been receiving these letters 1 want you to make an in vestigation at once. The persons en gagged in this work must be punished It is an outrage. It is probable that there is more than one person in the scheme"
 President Grant spoke with great earnestness, and 1 saw that he was not a little disturbed and that his idea was to let no guilty man escape. The circulars he handed me were printed in letter form and had been sent through the mails to many postmaster. throughout the south and west. The : circulars read as follows. l give then verbatim.
 Executive Mansion, Washington,
 Oct. 18th, 1872. Memorandum of conversation betweeI the president and his secretary.
 Secretary-I wish to refer this tele gram of Senator Mortons to tht president.
 10 the President:
 A conspiracy has been formed tt overrun southern Illinois, Indiana ant Ohio and to keep the colored vott from the polls in the southern states Several thousand nonresidents vii vote in Indiana. Men and money ar, needed. I send a man to you who ha. been in their council.
 o. P Morton.
 President-Yes, I have thought tha matter all over, and had long tall with the man the senator sent. Wha does MT. Cook say about money? Yo, know that we have none, and that tn, committees means are all necessary for the regular business.
 Secretary-Mr Cook will furnisl you any amount you require.
 President-Very well, will takt the responsibility. Have Captair C. select a dozen men to go wes and south with funds and organize The mere fact of good organization Whl dCICl ldWltSS OOuleS rom 9t tempting to defraud the people at tn, polls.
 Additional conversation, March 24th
 1873
 Secretary-Mr. President, have vo, determined how you will reimburs MT Cook for the money furnished las October?
 President-Yes, I have. The bisbo, has suggested Rev. J. Hale Barney fl act as secretary in the matter Ar point him immediately, and as on mails are so large and go to clerks f. be arranged and briefed before " see them, you will have all letters n, the subject addressed to him Cal upon our friends, and allow no one f contribute over ten dollars. and. f prevent publicity and trouble. direc the remittance to be made by singl ten dollar note. Registered letters drafts, or express would necessaril tend to publicity MT Secretary. yo will make an alphabetical list c every contributor, to which we ca hereafter refer