The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-03-25
INES were pretty i've

TSgsE# shabby genteel politi
s11azzs clans were to be
daily met with Each
aaa an axe to grind. It was busy
aay Tor adventures and sharpers
every device that human ingenuity
souiu invent was In vogue for money
nehihs purposes. Men of respectable
NY When at home often turned crooks
aieer soJouning at the nations CAPT
toi LOT time. The war had left Its
uemoralizing influence upon many
ana the opportunities for acquiring
neeith were numerous and varied
nor long time before General Grant
eooK MS seat In the presidents chair,
there mad been a looseness in the ad-
ahlnlstrat1on Of government affairs
resulting In organized frauds that
woaia not De tolerated in this day.
me Credit Mobiler conspiracy, the
WHISKY ring and many other monu-
nental steals were being carried on
~ hlgh-up Official and private circles.
me 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-
wees resorted to by the lesser fellows
were quite ridiculous I will disinter
one OF these schemes for the purpose
u exhibiting the folly OF some of the
,lotters Of that day.
Shortly after President Grants in
4uguration in the spring of 1873 he
sent messenger with a note re-
quesflng 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 babe me be
seated. Reaching into 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-f1ve degrees As the
smoke curled lazily above his head i
saw that there was something In his
manner indicating that his usually
placid temper was riled Picking up
a package of letters from his desk he
turned towards ne and said: Here,
Colonel, Is matter that needs your
careful attention. During the last
few days have been receiving these
letters. want you to make an in
Vestigation at once. The persons en-
gagged in this work must be punished
It is an outrage. 1T is probable that
there Is more than one person in the
scheme"
President Grant spoke with great
earnestness. and saw that he was
not 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 postmasters
throughout the south and west. The
circulars read as follows. I give them
verbatim
Executive Mansion. Washington,
Oct 18th, 1872.
Memorandum Of conversation between
the president and his secretary.
gram Of Senator Morton's. to the
president.
To the President: /
A conspiracy has been formed 10 |
oYsrrun southern Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio and to keep the colored vote |
from the polls in the southern states
Several thousand nonresidents wall |
vote in Indiana. Men and money are
needed. I send man to you who has
been In their council T.
O. p. Morton.
President-Yes. have thought that
mattes all over, and had a long talk
with the man the senator sent What
does Mr.. Cook say about money? You
know that we have none. and that the
committees means are all necessary
or the regular business.
Secretary-Mr. Cook will furnish
you any amount you require
President well. will take
he responsibility. Have Captain :
- select dozen men to go west
ind south with funds and organize.
rhe mere fact of good organization
will deter laWless bodies from at
empting to defraud the people at the
,oIls. I
additional conversation, March Gath.
1873.
Secretary--Mr. President, have you
determined how You will reimburse !
Tr. Cook for the money furnished last ],
october? .
PresidentYes, / have. The bishop 4
as suggested Rev. J. Hale Barney to n
al ali secretary In the matter. Ap- t
oint him Immediately, and as our S
aaiIs are so large and go to clerks to / u
4 arranged and briefed before we b
60 them, you will have all letters on p
ID subject addressed to him. Gail il
non our friends, and allow no or to Il
oyer ten dollars, ana, to Il
reyent publicity and trouble, direct fl
81 remit tance To be made by single Il
a dollar note Registered letters, d
ID ffs al express would necessarily II
sssd fo pu Hill Secretary, yosl 4
Il; ai.a 81 abeticaI list Of
psry cont Ibutor % which We ear $