The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-28
Reported for the Daily Exchanged
Circuit Court for Hartford County.
BELAIR, Hartford Co., Nd, May "a, 1858
he spring term of this Court adjourned to-day.
REPORT OF THE TARIFF BRIBERY lNVES-
TlGATING COMMITTEE.

grapher.
The Committee, acting upon the belief that the actio
of the House in nstituting the investigation had beer
based mainly upon the published report of committe
of the stockholders of the Mddlesex Manufacturing
pany referred to that paper for information the
per starting point in making the Investigations will
which they charged. They there ascertaned tina
Richard S. Fay Jr had acted secretary of com
mttee that the investigation had been mainly conducted
and the report prepared by him.
After further Introductory remarks the COMMITTEES
give the following summary of the facts they COM
within the range of their inquiry:
The firm of Lawrence, Stone e. Co. composed Of
Samuel Lawrence W. W. Stone Jarvis Slade o. H. Perry
and Henry Jenkins Its principal place of business wa
in Boston, with a branch in New York. where large
share of its business was transacted.
Messrs. Lawrence, Slade and Perry were the Boston
partners and Mesrs Stone and Jenkins had charge
New York house.
The Middesex Manufacturing Company is corporation
created by the laws of Massachusetts, with capital
million Odollars, engaged in manufacturing wooden goods
created in the way with the amount of capita
and engaged in the same kind of business.
Samuel Lawrence the Treasurer of both these
porations, and the firm of Lawrence, Stone Co.. the
selling agents.
All the goods manufactured by the companies went int
the hands of Lawrence Stone CO.. were sold by them
and the proceeds accounted for and paid to Samuel Law
renee, Treasurer.
The finances of the Boston house were managed b,
Messrs. Lawrence and Sade Mr. Perrys business bein.
at the mills and not at the counting house. Hence Mr.
Perry not to have been in any way connected will
the matters which the committee have been endeayorn
to investigate.
The New York house seems to have been mainly unde
the control of Mr. Stone and Mr. Jenkins and does
seem to have had any direct connection with the mat
tiers that have been brought to the attention of the Com
mittee.
1t appears from the evidence that the manufacturers
of wooden goods having for several years past despaired
obtaining any legislative protection by increase
on woolens have been seeking to accomplish the
sulthy reducing the rates wool dyesu and other
materials that were used by the manufacturers. To th
end they have been diligently engaged in collecting
publishing such statistics and arguments they consider
ed proper prepare the public mind for that step In th
way small amount of money was expended prior to the
commencement of the last session of Congress.
The evidence satisfied the Committee that Mr.. WocO
was sent here and authorized to pledge any amount
money and to any means, however corrupt insure
the the enterprise He does not seem to hav
had any considerable sum of money here it'll him. And
from all the evidence in the case, the Committee in
cned to the opinion that he only authorized 10
Use the payment of money in the event of the success
the measure.
Iisproved that s74 900 was paid to Mr. wolcott sool
after the adjournment of the last session of Congress- b.
Lawrence Stone Il Co. evidently for the purpose of full
filling his alleged promises and understandings made
during the session to secure the passage of the tariff
This was in addition to some $500 advanced for ex
penses during the session. The proofs do not show thai
he paid dollar of this for the purpose fo
which it was advanced with the exception of 81 900 e
George Ashmun, of Massachusetts.
Whether he falsely represented to Lawrence Stone
Co. that he had made promises which required this sun
to enable him to meet whether he had in fact made
promises which he afterwards failed to comply with, may
be matter of controversy but there is doubt that hi
cheated somebody, and appropriated pretty nearly thu
1857
The first payment was by a draft drawn by the Bos
ton house upon the New Y ork house, dated March
IL, 1857, for. s25 OOC
The next was made on the 18Th of March and was
paid by Mr.. Stone IN negotiable paper and check
upon the Metropolitan Bank, New York. and
On the I4tb of March he was maid bv Mr. stone the
the further sum Of. So 9S.
slade in Boston $50 OOC
Making in the aggregate. COZ
The further sum of $4,000 paid through Mr.. Ezra
Lincoln to Thurlow Weed of Albany N. " and S. 0f
paid by the New York house various persons in
comparatively small sums.
This makes an aggregate of sS7 III O6 which is tn,
whole amount found in the books of Lawrence Stone
Co.. charged to the expenses incurred in the passage of thu
the tariff of 1857.
of the O6 dsbursed by the New York house there
was paid to D. NJ Stone, editor of the Journal. 50
h E nous %,
s6,O7t
The balance of the S. 900 was paid for travelling ex
penses, newspapers, pamphlets, &c, &c.
In addition to this it appears from the testimony of Mr.
Slade that Lawrence Stone Co received from other per
engaged interested in woolen manufactures SOM
$4,000 or $13,C00 which disbursed by them in ad
dition to the $S 900 which appeared upon their books
Mr. Shades testimony was taken on the Sd of May, a
Philadelphia, when he could have to the book
and papers of the firm and he could therefore give
count of the disbursements of this sum.
1t is due to Mr. Slade say that he testified with entr
ankness and candor and that the committee consider hi
statements entitled to full credit
As this was the first ntmaton the Committee had iron
quarter that there any expenditure beyond tn
SS7 000 they have not since been able find any
the disbursements of this additional And the brie
time allowed the Committee before they will be dsorgan
ity for further inquiry
OF the sum paid to Wolcott, S13 64579 in
cia paper endorsed in blank and negotiable by delivery
4 q was paid in checks sundry banks in the cit
of New York drawn by the New house of Lawrence
Stone Co, and $4,000 was paid in bank bills by MI
Stone in Boston.
One checks for SO on the Metropolitan Bank
n. V received by Wocott from Lawrence, Stone & Co
taken to the house of Francis Skinner & Co. in Ne,
York by Wocot, and exchanged for three checks tn
American Exchange Bank of New York, two for So 90
each and one for 81 OO0 He inquired of Mr. Smythe tn
number OF that firm, who made the exchange for not
broker intmatng that he desired to invest the
in negotiable paper The first drafts drawn in favor
r Moicott Tor We're paid IN currency at the cour
tiers of the Banks. OF this sum $4,000 drawn by Nj
Hewet the cashier of Lawrence, Stone Co.. from the NJ
ropotan Bank with the statement (which he supposed
at the time to be true that the money be take
to the West to buy wool
In few days afterwards the cashier of the bank il
formed Mr. Hewett that the money had all come back
him in heap Under these circumstances the Commi
tee supposed there might be clue the Distribute
of the money obtained by examination the
with tins view the Committee sent their clerk James
Sheridan to the cities of New York and Boston with il
structions to trace the funds received by Mr. Wocot
their destination as far possible.
Mr. Sheridan showed himself well qualified for the il
quiry, and was more successful than the Committee ha
any reason TO anticipate lie succeeded in tracing the who
of the notes which made the of received
Woleott from Lawrence, Stone 4 Co., as well oth
notes, amounting $40 go 49, which Mr. Wolcott M
chased from o. NJ. Bryant a New York broker with IL
checks of the Exchange Bank, sundry Boston banl
Boston brokers' where they were eposited for collie
ton by Mr.. Wocott, and credited to him
laye of his whose used conceal his come
| ton with the transaction.
During the summer of 1857 Mr.. Wocott seems to hay
been dealing extensively in negotiable paper In Sc
tember 1857 he deposited with the Hamilton Bank
notes amounting in the aggregate to 81 062OS, and
the same time had deposits with various other banks
brokers, the amount of which the committee have not
certaned
Between that time and the first of November he grad
ally withdrew his deposits from the banks and about Il
first of November he engaged in banking himself in par
nership with Elk Ex-Governor Gardner of Boston And n
committee have no doubt that much the largest norton
the 900 which remained in his hands after the payme
of $500 to Mr. Ashmun has been appropriated by We
colt to his use, and constitutes portion of Il
capital OF the firm OF Gardner, Wacot Co., bankers
Boston.
There is not particle of evidence that any part of Il
sum expended by Lawrence, Stone 4 Co. to inf1uen
the passage of the tariff of 1857 into the han
of any member of Congress And if any reliance cou
be placed in the evidence of Mr. Wolcott it shows .
Tentatively that portion of it did But the Coz
mttee must be permitted to say that they have not OF
particle of confidence in the evidence which Mr. W,
colt saw proper to give before the Committee He ties
hes that he received money to be used in inuenc,
the passage of the tariff of 1857. All the evidence
the case fatty contradicts the statement. He says
paid no money to any person to influence the passage
the tariff. George Ashmun testfes that Mr. Wolco
paid him 81 900 for that purpose and other
evidence is, beyond all controversy, wuly and oorruI
| ly false.
1t sproper for the Committee to say that they are DC
fectly aware that the testimony of Mr. Sheridan to h
facts of which he was informed by bankers and broke
| in New York and Boston would not be competent
establish charge of corruption against any member
officer of Congress, of fasehood against Mr. Wolcott
any body else, and while it is qualification
the Committee that the proofs furnished by Mr. Sherid
show no member of the House to have been connect
with the expenditure of the money they regret that the
necessitated to state that it shows that 900 was pa
to Mr. A. R. Corbin then clerk ofthe Committee on Clair
in the House. and which Mr. Stones letter and draft She
was paid him in accordance with previous understan
ing; although the latter sought this payment
the ground that it voluntary his part and Civ
as triing gratuty by way of acknowledgment for sn
dry acts of kindness and advice. Mr. Corbn sneered
little at Mr. Stones stupidity in paying him 81 600 for
services in aiding the tariff when in fact, he had as
says, done all he could to defeat it.
The member of the committee to whom Mr. Corbin d,
ers to of those he urged against the
says that at the time, he had acquaintance with
Corbin and feels he had exchang half doz
words with him any subject, until he met him in h
committee Mr.. Corbin's testimony howey,
leaves room to doubt that this paid to him
his advice and assistance and for the advantages wifi
his official position gave him of ready to membe
of the House The committee have doubt either b