Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-01-31

tioh Will nave tfe salutdfy eiitct Ol UlSaDuS-
irg his mind of the delusion that the employ
qulsite TO procure the passage by this Leg
isiature of just and wholesome laws.
Mr. Northrop appeared before your COM
mittee, while sitting in Philadelphiain May
last, and declined to testify. Upon the
meeting, however, of the present Legisla-
| ture. Mr.. Northrop notified the committee
of his willingness and desire to submit his
testimony. He was accordingly sworn and
examined His testimony will be found to
conflict with that of the other witnesses, to
which your attention will be hereinafter
| directed
Mr.. Schoield declined to appear before
the committee. and submitted letter con-
tanning his reasons therefor, of which the
| following is copy:
PHILADELPHIA, May 3, 1868
DEAR SIR-With all due Difference to the
honorable committee of which you are
chairman, | regret, from professional rea-
| sons. which must be obvious to your mind,
that | am not able to testify as requested in
your letter of the l4th ult
Very respectfully, your OBJ DIT servant,
ALBERT r. SCHoFIELD, Atty at Lac,
No 1922 North Twelfth Street
Hon NJ b. Lowry.
Upon Mr.. John Jackson, the officer in
charge of the subpoena failed to serve person
al notice. but left copy of the same st the
| house of his brother, -atlow jackson, which
we have reason TO believe he received, but
he did not appear before the committee.
| Your Committee desire to direct attention
to the following, which appear among other
conflicts of testimony:
Mr. Tatlow Jackson testifes that he sent
the money to Harrisburg on the advice of
4 ho, hat nf INV
other person" :" Mr.. Northrop. on the con-
trary. testifes that Mr.. Schofield told him
that Mr. Jackson had promised him (Scho-
| feid) certain payment for services in con-
nection with the bill ;" that he wished him
| (Northrop) to SAY to Jackson that he
would require twenty five thousand dollars;
that he (Northropl replied that ''he knew
nothing about the matter, and ''as tar as
he was concerned desires no connection with
a matter of money that on his return to
| Philadelphia he reported to Mr.. jackson
the request of Schofield, informing Jack
son at the time that he (Northropl did not
see the necessity for money. Mr.. William
III. Witte testi6es that he never spoke to
any member of the Senate or of the House
or to any person on the subject of the bill
that he has no knowledge of what means,
if any, were used to influence any person
with reference to it''-that he rendered
no service to Mr. Jackson and that 'he
did not hear anything said about the use of
FIVE thousand dollars to procure the passage
OF the bill through the House. " Mr.. jackson,
on the contrary, testifes that Mr.. Witte
knew he tJackson1 sent the money, and
that he (Witte) was willing 10 assist him
| by his personal influence. And Mr.. q.
Northrop testifeS that he was requested by
flr. jackson to communicate with two
gentlemen whom he (Jackson) believed
would assist him in the matter-that after
reaching Harrisburg, Mr.. jackson sent him
a check for two or three thousand dollars
''by one these two gentlemen that after
the bill passed the House, he returned to
| Philadelphia. and one of these gentlemen who
had been to Harrisburg, acting in behalf of
Mr.. Jackson in this matter, and who had
known of his having the money ami the
amount OF it, asked payment out OF it for
his and the other gentlemen = services =
that he asked for three Thousand two hun
dred and fifty dollars which he paid hin"
that Mr. jackson aiterward approved of
what he had done and that the said two
gentlemen with whom he conferred, and to
one of whom he paid the money, were Mr.
| William II. Witte and Mr. Albert Il. Scho-
field -
Your committee have reason to believe
that Mr. Albert r. Schoield Mr. Willi M
| Ii. Witte and Mr.. George Northrop were
of one mind in this matter. and they
combined to extort thirty thousand dollars
! from Mr. Tatlow Jackson by false and mis-
chievous representations and that, after a
| pretended otficiousness around this capital
in aid of his bill, TO which bill no one was
opposed, they intended to divide the money
| he.wean them-that theynever intended to pay
| any part OF 1t to any member OF either
! branch OF the Legislature that they did so
| appropriate to themselves five thousand
dollars, and that, but for the exposures in
the Senate aud the appointment of this
committee, the balance of the money, to
Wit: twent FIVE thousand dollars would
have been likewise retained aud divided
among them.
Your committee would express their re-
gret that one OF the principal witnesses has
declined to testify in the case, thus render
ing the testimony somewhat defective, and
| placing himself IN no enviahle attitude in
relation to this matter. While Mr. Tatlow
jackson, who employed this witness as his
attorney, has come forward, and, with a.
candor which does him credit, freely gives
his testimony, this witness has. as we think,
very improperly, sheltered himself under
the pretext of professional duty. 1t is for
the Senate to say how far he shall be pro-
| tected by this excuse
In conclusion, your committee beg leave
| to report that they have examined all the
witnesses In the case that it was In their
power to reach, and to recommend that the
Speaker issues his warrant for Mr. Albert
X Schoheld, who has evaded the committee
by refusing to testify, and that he be brought
before the bar of the Senate, to answer such
lnterrogatories, touching the subject of this