The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-10-03
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Echo Of iis Famous iiageS-Tii-
den Controversy.
Intlmstion Of Former President Of
Telegraph Company Was That
Messages Existed Proving the
Case Of the Democrats.
BY z. !. EDWARDS.

The late Dr. Noryin Green, who sue
ceeded William O-ton as president Of
the Western Union Telegraph com
pany in 1878 and whose brilliant man
agement Of that great corporation un-
III bis death in the early nineties
justified the selection Of this quiet
Kentucky physician for that post. was
one OF the most unassuming and mod
est Of men. Moreover he was an en-
lertaining story-teller. relating his
anecdotes IA a quiet sometimes whim.
steal way--for he had a keen sense Of
humor-and at other times speaking
with real dramatic force In a con.
vcrsation which ! had with him one
evening in the spring Of 1884 he
spoke guardedly Of one Of the great
secrets Of the Western Union under
Mr. Orton's management
You may remember" said Dr..
Green. that William Orton and his
very warm and close personal friend
Senator Roscoe conkling, were among
the few conspicuous Republican lead
ers IN 1876 who were convinced thai
Samuel J. Tilden had been lawfully
elected president that year Senator
Conkling was SO thoroughly convinced
Of this that he would take no part IN
the tactics adopted by congress BY
means Of which an electoral commits
sion was appointed as a sort Of um
pire or arbitrator to decide the dis
puted point as to whether Tilden or
Hayes had received a majority OF the
electoral votes: and I have Away.
strongly suspected that Senator conk
ling's belief that Tilden had receiver
a lawful majority Of the electoral votc
was based upon information which h,
obtained from his friend. William Or
ton.
"A short time before Mr. Ortonf
death he and were speaking Of ths
presidential controversy of 1876 Mr..
0rton remarked that he could not un
dcrstand why a more thorough ir
yesiigaticn into the election had nc
been made by those who had chargl
Of the controversy for Mr. Tilden
10 the time Of the establishment o.
the electoral commission IN Januar.
Of 1877.
Mr Orton ! said. 'you. as a Re
publican are sincerely convinced tha
Mr. Tilden received a legal maioTit,
OF the electoral vote or course I. a.
Democrat. have never had any doub'
OF that
III Nr Tilden's Representatives
replied sir. OFton. had properly man
rged that psH OF their investigation
which brought IN the Western usioi
company I have not the slightes
doubt that the country would hav,
been speedily persuaded that Tildei
was lawfully entitled to the presi
dencyt
But Mr Orton. I said. IN IN,
records Of the company examined un
der subpoena nothing was found Il
Justify. or legally to Justify. The claln
That kilograms IA, been sent BY Re
publican leaders IN New York to tn,
returning boards ia Louisiana ans
Florida practically Offering brides {,
the members Of those boards for n,
delivery of the majority vote OF thos'
states 70 the Republicans
Mr. Ortou looked at me queerl,
for a moment. and then he said: .Ah
the trouble was that they didn't lool
for evidence Ia tie ght place: IN,
suhpoouas simply called for telegram
sent TO the returning boards Of Louis
lana and Florida Il was not the husl
ness Of the Western Union 10 delive
any records excepting those that werl
called for BY the subpoena
"Mr Orton said not another word
he left me IN infer that. while no tels
grams we're sent direct TO the re
turning boards Offering bribes. siil
such kilograms we're sent. but t,
persons who would convey the mes
sages 70 the parties most intereste,
BY word Of mouth. However tbat ma
be. there are now no records In To-
telegraph Office. 80 far as know
which VIII shed any light upon %
Hayes-Tilden controversy. but ] hav
always felt that bad there been
more careful scrutiny. a more thoi
ough search. or a search ia other d
rectlons than that taken by the II
den investigators, something woul
have been found az the time whic
would explain the unshakable belle
expressed by Mr. Orton that Mr.. III
den received lawful majority Of n
electoral college
Copyright 1911; BY p ,. Edwards. a