The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-25
MULHAIL "REyELATTONs.o

More and more 1t becomes evident that Colonel
Mnlhall was worker. all right He worked
through years number of rich and gullible bus.
mess men and manufacturers with the pretense
that he could achieve wonders In congress and
had the government in his pocket. Nobody ,else
in this world is SO gulible so helpless as the
capable business man on strange ground. Null
hall was very ordinary kind OF faker His
type is familiar in all walks of life All the
equipment he needed was an activefmind, a
prompt imagination. some command OF words
and limdtless assurance. When any action was
favorable to the interests he was supposed to
represent. he promptly claimed 1t as his achieve
ment and. like Little Jack Horner, who sat in
the corner. promptly and proudly proclaimed
What great boy am tn When there was a
failure, he was prolific and profuse of expla-
nation. The members of the Manufacturers as
sociation swallowed It ALL Evidently to them
Mulhall was mighty and mysterious man. in
innate with the intricacies of politics and legs-
lation. so far beyond their knowledge and ex-
perience. deep In the bowels OF every situation
They looked on with open mouths admiring minds
and flowing pockets, while Mulhall addressed
himself his wonders to perform. They accepted
him with the same docility and faith with which
the business sometimes follows the lead
OF the affable stranger who knows where he
can tap wire- from the race track and secure
advance Information with which to beat the
poolrooms.
All Mulhal's letters. as developed in the pend
OF
for a sensation or political advantage. tell the
same story. He was working his dupes keep
ing before them the old bait OF pretense OF pro-
found knowledge and vast influence. An instance
in point was developed Monday. when letters
were read in which Mulhall had told his gaping
customers OF confidential talks with Senators
Nelson and Capp, and evidence OF his power
sent advanced copies of a subcommittee report
OF course. the business men who were paying
Mulhall were deeply impressed. They did not
know that nearly anybody could secure a copy
of the report from the document ROOM Senator
Nelson happens to be in the senate now and on
the committee OF inquiry; and he promptly took
the stand and swore he had not the faintest
recollection of Mulhall. and certainly never had
with him any conversation Of significance or
|
Importance. Confronted with the man he had
indirectly and privately accused of intimacy with
himself. Mulhall crawished and doubted and then
failed to remember clearly. Lapse of memory
is the familiar and favorite refuge OF every cor
nered liar. and has been since the art Of perjury
was discovered.
1t is difficult to understand why all this time
and money Is being wasted on Mulhall. Thou.
sands of dollars have been spent already in put
ting into the records the letters Of political
green goods man to his dupes. 1t was all right
for the New York World to spend $4,000 for
the documents. from the Worlds point Of view.
Possibly the publications drew into the cash
bags of the World profitable return. in pennies.
We cannot see why the United States congress
should continue to further the enterprise or to
annoy the country with details of the operations
of long successful but shallow cheap and OBJ
vious swindler.