Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/309

 appropriations and of corporation tendencies. In presidential elections Mr. Gould often contributed heavily to the Republican campaign fund, and his check was always solicited and joyfully received. In 1880 his money was probably part of that which bought Indiana for the Republicans, and it was charged that he obtained reward from President Garfield in the appointment of Stanley Matthews as associate justice of the Supreme Court, whose views relative to the Pacific railroads and other corporation questions were understood to be favorable to Gould. This charge, of course, was hard to prove, and may be unjust to both Garfield and Matthews.

In 1884 Gould supported Blaine. He was present at the celebrated millionaire dinner given to Blaine at Delmonico's two or three evenings before the election, and which, with the Burchard incident, probably turned the evenly-balanced scales of public opinion against the Maine statesman. Gould's money was powerful and his presence was contaminating, and the public distrusted any of its servants who seemed to be friendly with him.

One of the most sensational stories about Mr. Gould's career is told by a prominent politician now in Washington.

"His next appearance here after the 'Black Friday' excitement," said the politician, "was when he tried to bribe Congress to let up on the Union Pacific railroad, which then owed the government $1,000,000,000. He desired the passage of a bill giving favorable terms to the railroad in adjusting