The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-04

evidence showing now the Pfesluem was kept du
vised OF how votes OF Senators were settled"
WHAT APPEARS AS THE "cHAsE MOVEMENT" 80
CALLED
Soon after the commencement OF the trial James
+ Legate special agent OF the Post ONCE Depart
ment In Kansas and New Mexico came to Washing
ton on business connected with his position. He was
sent for he testifes by N. @. Taylor, formerly of
tennessee Commissioner OF Indian Affairs, and by
nm desired 70 AID IN procuring votes for the acqutia
OF the President, and for she details or the plan
OF operations was yeferred to General Thomas Ewing
who was largely engaged as attorney to contractors
IN the indian bureau, who thereupon referred Leg
ate to Perry Fuller for further explanation OF the
modus 0psrdndf, Mr.. Legate being assured that he
sum Of money either in purchasing goods for the
Indian Department or otherwise. Perry Fuller Is an
Individual whose connection with the government
and Senators was very intimately related to Indian
disbursements. Fuller, 1t appears, is likewise the
sonin.law Of Mrs. Ream, where Senator Ross
lodges and was likewise the host OF that gentleman
at breakfast on the morning the vote was taken. 1t
IS CHARGED that Fuller informed Legate that the only
way to accomplish the acqaita of the President was
Chase for the succession; that Pomeroy's vote must
be secured as Justification for Ross and to aid in
paid down, was mentioned as the considera-
ton Mr.. Gaylord, a relative OF Pomeroy's, was
the parties that Mr.. Gaylord's taxing part in the
business should be taken as guarantee OF the
Legate to Mr. Edmund Cooper late private secre-
tary to the President and later still and then Assis
benc so Mr. Cooper into s epes
OF negotiations with Mr.. Legate to procure Mr.
Pomeroys vote, ana to enable Legate to act under.
understood by the friends OF the President,
and the means by which funds might
Cooper assured Mr. Legate that in addition to the
democratic vote the President was sure OF the votes
OF Senators Fessenden Crimes anu rfuin9a VI .ia
and although the latter was embarrassed py some
declarations that he had made that the President
ought to be impeachedn yet he was sure or holding
him ultimately; that the President depended upon
the vote OF Senator sprague Through the influence
OF the Chief Justice who was 80 violently opposed to
impeachment that he could not speak pleasantly on
the subject" and that Cooper believed the vote or
Senator Anthony would follow that OF MI Spragu,e'
The most obvious criticism on Mr.. Legate's credi-
bity Is that he was pdrticeps In corrupt enter
prise. and, upon his own showing, willing one.
| Therefore 1t would seem to be proper to examine
how far his testimony Is sustained by facts and cir.
cumstances or corroborated by the testimony OF
| other witnesses whose testimony Is unmpeached.
In the first place. then, Legate's relation to the
| parties is one In which he might naturally be EN-.
ployed Second he testifes that for the purpose OF
carrying this negotiation his leave Of absence was
extended at the request OF General Ewing and Mr..
Ross and in this he is corroborated by the Postmaster
he was introduced to Mr.. Cooper by Perry Fuller and
in this he is corroborated both by Mr.. Fuers test
he was In the negotiation with Legate about the pur
| chase OF Mr.. Pomeroy's vote, and endeavors 10
avoid the evidence OF corruption on his lCooper,sl
| part In the manner hereinafter get down. FHth-He
Is corroboraed In many particulars BY Mr.: Gaylord
| as to his being here and being introduced to
| Mr.. Cooper upon this business, and the several
| negotiations between himself and Cooper. sixth
series Of kilograms between himself and Gaylord,
the dates Of which and contents are only to be ex-
planned consistently with Legate's account
| Seventh-CoOper admits and Gaylord swears to
communications, both personal and IN I writing be.
| tween them, as described by Legate. Eighth-Perry
| Fuller himself testifes after much cross-examina-
ton, that he was empowered by Cooper to
dependent upon the event Of the Presidents acqut.
tai. Nnh-Legate Is sustained In his statement that
York to be settled in the way Legate indicates by
| the fact that Rsley and Gushing, Of the Internal
Revenue Department, testify they prepared such
Cooper without the knowledge OF Mr. Rollins the
Commissioner, or without any record Of said lists
the Treasury Department, which could have been
known to Legate only in the way he asserts. Tenth
obtained an interview with Mr.. Blocker, o
the Internal Revenue Department. there a
r%s he States eVsnsSLesste states that ae
he returned from New York Cooper becam,
alarmed lest the connection between them had II
be calling at his room except late at night and moi
TO have appear that there was intercourse between
| them.
The most complete and stringent confederation o.
the truth OF Legate's narration appears In the &C
| count which Cooper and his associates attempt 10
give Of the transaction and the strenuous exerton:
they make TO impiicate senator P0meroy with them
s'g judgment Of your Committee they Essentially and
| completely fail Also by corrupt attempt 10 sup
press Legates testimony and get nd OF him as wit
ness, and In the words Of Perry Fuller, ITO dry up
| this Investigations
The account Of Cooper, Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury ad Interim OF his transaction with Legate
U.s. substantially, that Mr. Legate called on him, SC
| far a. appears, without previous Introduction
nxed Mr. Pomeroy would be willing not only to con- on
troll his own vote, but suf1cent number OF votes to
| insure0the acquittal OF the President"
| That In pursuance Of this plan he procured the
interview with Gaylord through Legate, and after
wards wrote to Gaylord and procured other inter.
upon terms, because, as he says Gaylord alleged, Mr.
POmeroy required $4,000 In money to control his
and four other votes but Cooper admits that
serts that it was wholly for the purpose Of
catching Mr. Pomeroy and n,ot that ne REQUIRED
| entertain the propositions that such letter was
brought to him, which he knew to be In the hand.
writing OF Mr.. Pomeroy and read and shown to him
by Legate In the presence Of Gaylord on his first
introduction and that he never saw or had any per-
sonal intimacy with Mr.. Legate after he saw Mr..
| Gaylord.
Is THIS CORRECT ACCOUNT OF THE TRANSACTION
In the first place Mr.. Pomeroy testihes that he
he never carried any such letter Mr.. Gaylord testi-
es that he never saw or heard read any such letter.
and IL Mr.. Coopers object had been simply TO catch
| Mr. Pomeroy, would he not have retained the letter
when II was shown him, II being all the evidence he
desired - catch Mr.. pomeroy Thus there would
| the fisherman"
AS your committee was engaged in examining the
question OF the alleged nvolution OF Mr. Pomeroy In
this affair two striking pieces OF Information were
| i. Mr. wykor and Mr. worrell, clerks In the Treas.
ury Department, testified that a Mr.. Luce, also a
clerk In that department, had said In conversation
| that he had been offered $1,000 by some persons,
whose names he refused to tell 10 the witnesses TO
write q letter and sign the name OF Sena.
tor Pomeroy TO II, pedging his support TO
the confirmation OF the Presidents nominations, and
also in OF impeachment and that Luce had fur.
Their stated that he could write Pomeroy's hand 80
| that Poneroy could not distinguish 1t from his own
signature; that when offered this sum he was as.
| sured the letter would only be shown or read and
then would be brought back to him and destroyed In
his presence, that he might be safe from prosecu
| ,on for forgery.
| 2 The fact was asserted by Thurlow Weed In his
| newspaper that the President had such letter
Luce was thereupon brought before the committee,
| and upon being confronted by Wykon and worrell
| testified that he had stated substantially a. above
set forth; that II was true, a. stated, that he was
offered the 81 900, and had peremptorily declined 10
| write the letter requested although form or
draft OF letter produced to him. but that within
week afterward he had heard that the copy OF such
letter was on nle In the Post ONCE Department,