Year: 1876

Who Frightened Marsh to Run
Away.


There is mystery about Marsh's fight
which ought to be cleared up. The mutual
recriminations between the republicans and
democrats when the subject was discussed in
the House were disingenuous and puerile,
and neither side touched the pith of the
question. Marsh left Washington, after his
discharge by the committee, on the half-past
one p. NJ. train on Thursday, March 9,
arriving in New York the same evening in
season to retire to bed at his usual hour. He
spent the greater part of the following day in
this city, leaving in the four P. NJ. train.
On the same day Cabinet meeting was held
in Washington, which adjourned at three
p NJ. Between the end of the Cabinet meet
ing and the departure of Marsh from New
York there was an interval of an hour, a
period long enough for him to have received,
by telegraph from Washington, intelligence
of what had been done in the Cabinet. On the
next morning March 4, all the newspapers
printed an Associated Press despatch from
Washington, dated March 3, giving an
account of the Cabinet proceedings, in
which it was stated, among other things, that
the President chad determined not to
shrink from the responsibility that rested
upon him, and he therefore asked the Attor-
ney General to take immediate steps to pro-
ceed with the criminal charges against
General Belknap and Messrs. Marsh and
Tomlinson, and all others shown by any
evidence to have had part in the fraudulent
transactions that were the subjects of atten-
ton. In the determination of the President
there were full and thorough expressions of
opinion favoring such action as the President
had determined upon without delay" If
between the adjournment of the Cabinet
meeting at three p. NJ and the departure of
Marsh from New York at four P. NJ this
decision was communicated to him the
motive of his alarm and sudden flight is
sufficiently apparent.


In the discussion of this subject in the
House to which we have alluded Mr.. Blaine
stated on authority that the indictment
neither of Belknap nor Marsh was under con-
slderation at all in that meeting of the Cabi-
net and he argued that Marsh could not
have been frightened out of the country by
proceedings which never took place. But
the report of purpose to indict and punish
him would have had the same effect on the
mind of Marsh as the fact, and there was
time enough for him to have heard of the
report before he fled. The report may have
been false, but Marsh had no means of know
ing that it was false. Certain it is that there
was such report in Washington after the
adjournment of the Cabinet meeting, and
that it came from such sources that Mr.. Co
bright, the experienced and cautious agent
of the Associated Press, had no doubt of its
truth and sent it forth to the country, on the
same day. as authentic news. If Mr. Blaines
statement be true Mr.. Gobright was imposed
upon, and the same person who gave him
false news would have q stronger motive for
deceiving Marsh. If the purpose Of the de-
ception was TO secure his flight tho same
false news would naturally be told to some
person in Washington who would telegraph
it to him at once and cause him to abscond.
The fact that he fled on the very first north
ern train that left after he could have re-
ceived the spurious news of what had been
done in the Cabinet makes it credible that
this was the reason of his sudden flight


Marsh seemed in doubt whether the news
was genuine, and such doubt would ex-
plain his vacillation. The inquiries he made
of the conductor indicated a purpose to re-
turn to New York in the first down train he
might meet. He got off at Peekskill and
paced the platform in such state of nervous
trepidation as to attract attention. AS the train
was about to start he jumped on, but before
it got under full speed he hurried out of the
car and leaped of, with some danger to his
life, waiting two hours in Peekskill and 60
ing on in the next train. How was that in
terval employed? Did he telegraph to his
counsel in New York to procure q more au-
thentic account of the facts from Washing
ton? Did he receive at Peekskill the sub
stance of the Associated Press despatch
which was sent that night to all the news
papers of the country There was time
enough for such information and motive
enough for seeking it.


There is only one person who had q strong
motive for inventing such false news, and
that is General Belknap himself With
Marsh out of the country and not daring to
return Belknap is safe from impeachment
and indictment unless other evidence can be
discovered. 1t is more probable that the
agent of the Associated Press was deceived
and Marsh scared in Belknap's interest than
that the committee were willing to connive
at or the President to promote the escape Of
the most important witness in the case. Mr..
Gobright should be summoned and made to
tell from what source he received the false
report of the proceedings at the Cabinet
meeting.