The Political Scandal of the Missing Orphans' Funds
A fierce campaign battle erupts as the Post-Intelligencer accuses gubernatorial candidate Henry J. Snively of embezzling money meant for orphans.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Democratic orators are endeavoring to make their hearers believe that Henry J. Snively holds receipts for the money paid him by the Catholic Knights of America for the benefit of the Fallon orphans. Possibly there may be some who believe this, but they must be of the unreading and unthinking class. Mr. Snively admits in his statement that he still holds the money of four of these orphans. The truth of the matter is simply this: Mr. Snively received that money from the Catholic Knights of America. By his own admission he still holds the portions of four of the orphans. No amount of Democratic oratory can get around that stubborn fact.
“No amount of Democratic oratory can get around that stubborn fact.”
This 1892 campaign mudslinging highlights how long 'trust fund' issues and accusations of financial impropriety have been central to Washington politics. Even then, the debate was fueled by the weaponization of personal history to attack a candidate's fitness for office.
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