St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-03-11
INES were pretty live

SI&1 clans were TO De
daily met with Each
had an axe to grind. 1t was a busy
day for adventurers and sharpers.
Every device that human ingenuity
could invent was in vogue for money
making purposes. Men of respectable
.ty when at home often turned crooks
after sojourning at the nations capt.
tol for 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-
ministration 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 / will disinter
one of these schemes for the purpose
If exhibiting the folly Of some of the
,lotters of that day.
Shortly after President Grants in
Auguration in the spring of 1873 he
sent a messenger with a note re
uuesting me to call at once at the
White House. On entering his Office
! 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-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 up
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 l have been receiving these
letters. l want you to make an in
vestigation at once The persons en-.
gagged in this work must be punished
Ut 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.
Secretary-I wish to refer this tele-
gram of Senator Morton's to the
president.
70 the President:
A conspiracy has been formed to
overrun southern Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio and to keep the colored vote
from the polls in the southern states
Several thousand nonresidents will
vote in Indiana. Men and money are
needed. I send man to you who has
been in their council
o. P. Morton.
President-Yes, have thought that
matter all over, and had 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
for the regular business
Secretary-Mr. Cook will furnish
you any amount you require.
Personal---very. well. 1 will take
the responsibility Have Captain
c. select dozen men to go west
ind south with funds and organize.
The mere fact of good organization
will deter lawless bodies from at.
tempting to defraud the people at the
polls.
Additional conversation, March Gath.
1873.
Secretary-Mr. President, have you
determined how you will reimburse
Mr.. Cook for the money furnished last
October?
President-Yes, have. The bishop
has suggested Rev. J. Hale Barney to
act as secretary In the matter. An
point him Immediately, and as our
mails are so large and 60 to clerks to
be arranged and briefed before we
see them, you will have all letters on
the subject addressed to him. Call
upon our friends, and allow no one to
contribute over ten dollars, and, to
prevent publicity and trouble, direct
the remittance to be made by single
ten dollar note. Registered letters,
drafts, or express would necessarily
tend to publicity. Mr.. Secretary, you
will make an alphabetical list Of
every contributor. to which we can
hereafter refer.