Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1889 — ONE OF DUDLEY'S PLOTS. [ARTICLE]

ONE OF DUDLEY'S PLOTS.

ASSISTED BY MATT QUAY AND J. 8. CLARKSON. Th® Trio Charged by a Frahll Ilion Organ with Having Bribed an Kin-ploye to Steal Its Subscription List—Corroborative Testimony Furnished. [New York dispatch.] The proprietors and publishers of the Voice, the organ of the Prohibition party, make tome very unpleasant charges against Quay, Clarkson and Dudley, the managers of the Republican campaign. It is to the effect that two clerks in the office of the Voice stole the mailing lints of that paper and sold thsm to Quay and Clarkson for $250 and a promise of other situations. These lists, it is alleged, were used during the recent campaign to defeat the objects of the Prohibition party, the 50,000 subscribers to the Voice being flooded with pro-Repub-lican literature in place of their regular organ. The story covers nine columns of this week’s issue of the paper, and is backed up with the sworn confessions of the two thieving clerks, and sac simile copies of brief notes from Clarkson and Dudley. These notes, however, are not particularly compromising except in so far as they show that Clarkson and Dudley were in correspondence with the thieves. The Voice pays its respects to the gentlemen this way: High-toned ladies and gentlemen of the party of virtue and sobriety, of temperance and morality, permit us to introduce to you Hon. Matthew Stanley Quay, Senator from Pennsylvania, Chairman of the Republican Committee and receiver of stolen property; Hon. James S. Clarkson, Republican dictator of lowa, Vice Chairman of the Republican Committee, and receiver and negotiator for stolen property; Hon. W. W. Dudley, personal representative of Presi-dent-elect Harrison, Treasurer of the Republican Committee, and conspirator to abet and reward a confessed thief.

After the lists were stolen the suspected clerks were shadowed, and eventually proved to be in communication with National Republican headquarters. One, a deaf mute, was discharged, and was promptly given a paid position as chairman and organizer of an alleged national organization of Republican deaf mutes. This organization, the Vo ice says, consisted of the discharged clerk and a deaf mute reporter on a local paper. The olher clerk was retained until Dec. 17, and then confronted with the evidence against him. Under threat of immediate arrest both thieves made full confessions. The deaf mute, Sansom, says in his story: “Mr. Clarkson aud I had an interview. I showed him the circulars and lists. The latier contained the names and addresses of between 40,000 and 50,000 subscribers io the Voice. Clarkson asked if I could not get the namt s and addresses of 54,000 clergymen and also of the 500,000 farmers. I did not think I could. For the list already furnished Clarkson asked what price I wanted. I said S2OO. He then said the price was fair if the work was effective. I added that I would have to give up my place in Funk NV agnails, after this transaction, and would like to have employment on the National Republican Committee in raising funds on plans usually employed by Funk & Wagnails. He then said, ‘ We will make it $250 in all,’ and suggested that I shall remain in the office pf Funk & Wagnalls in order to gain more information, especially about the Prohibition party bring in the pay of the Democratic party, and report to him (Clarkson). He then gave me a SSO bill for the surrender of the circulars and lists, and ’made an appointment for Monday morning.” Sansom and the other clerk, Durfee, who was waiting outside, went to a saloon to divide the money. The deaf mute said he got only SSO for the stolen lists, and gave Durfee $25. Durfee subsequently saw Clarkson, Quay, and Dudley, and was promised a Government appointment at $2,500 a year. One of the letters published in sac simile is as follows, the body of the letter being in type-writing like a more famous letter from the same gentleman : Washington, D. C., Dec. 22. 1888. To Charles A. Durfee, Ebij. : Dear bm—Your lavor just received. In reply, I will say that as soon as I am ready I shall b? glad to have your services in the matter that Mr. Clarkson and I were talking to you about It will necessitate your coming here, and I can arrange. I think, for you to have a room to sleep in in the headquarters building. Wcwill soon settle about the details when I am ready for you to come. Very truly yours, W. W. Dudley.