New-York tribune., 1868-05-26


binding He was thereupOn asked what disposition he
had made of the of $4,000 $4,000 thereabouts,
which had been referred TO in his testimony OF the day
before, and which the Committee had reason 20 believe
had been raised for the purpose of cOrrupy influencing
the trial OF the President To this he refused 10 answer
and to every question which would tend to show where
the money obtained, the purposes for which was
obtained by whom It furnished, and in what man
ner it used, and TO whom 1t was paid he declined
to answer, alleging only, that not deposited with
him used for any purpose connected with the impeacn
ment OF the President and that he would answer no sc
question whatever in way but by declaring II had
nothing to do with the Impeachment of the President
and in his (the witness's) own judgment IL was
not material TO the investigation 1t was
obvious to the Committee that this course was aproper
there end TO all investigation because every
witness not seeing the materality OF his testliylng
could shape the same answer and no case depehueht
upon circumstances detached facts to be made out
by different witnesses, could under such an admitted
claim Of right be ever successfully prosecuted. The
Committee were therefore obliged 10 stop the examina
ton at that point upon most Of the matters material 10
TO be inquired OF the witnesses but as the House was
not present and by not appearing and OBJ
iecting until after the House had adjourned Whch the
Committee believed cOntrvance on his part that
he might be held for contempD, aud, as the portions
Of the investigation might be much embarrassed II MS
examination went no further, the Committee, unwilling
to lose any time proceeded 10 examine the Wlthess
further 10 the genuineness OF certain Writings anu
telegraphc dispatches made by him IN his own
name or under assumed names here, again, your Com
mttee were met by refusal Of the witness TO answer
as to the genuneness of ms signature IN some cases
admitting it only where it to kilograms IN which the
impeachment or trial of the President distinctly
mentioned and to others where it alluded TO i'm
cipher accompanied by such expressions convinced
the Committee the kilograms had reference to some cor
rupt combinations in regard the trial OF the President
flor
consultation dismissed and ordered to appear before the
Committee for examination Thursday, 2lst inst, at
1880 O'Clock IN. On Thursday at the hour appointed
the witness did not appear but at about O'Clock in the
day the Committee received certificate Of his physician
which is as follows:
"WAsHINGTON, u. c., May 81, 1863.
al hereby certify that Col c. W. Wooey is under my
professional care and unable TO leave his apartments
and confined TO his bed by reason OF rtave eyeT the
result Of gastric arrangement. d. W. BLISS, NJ d.
This was accompanied by n statement Of the witness
that he Ill, together with long argument upon his
rights privileges and constitutional exemptions. The
Committee accepting the truth OF this claimed Illness
did not send for the witness but with their in
vestigatOn in another direction. Your Committee have
since learned however that wOOley was wen enough
that DAY take, and did take the evening train for
night ride NewYork and no has not appeared before
your Committee since, but has sent teegraphic cerh
cate of some physician NewYor that he is there sick
It Will thus be that WOoey the witness has thus
far baed and hndered the investigation ordered by the
House, by contumacy in refusing to questions, by
evasion and by avoidance.
The ground taken by the witness in refusing TO answer
questions put TO him, assumes that he Judge Of
the materalty of the testimony, and OF each question
put that all inquiry upon every topic was TO be shut of
by his ipSe drit that it not material TO the
subject of inquiry, and Of which materiaty he was
the sole Judge and about which the Committee and the
House could have nothing say He claimed that the
vvffn AZ civ fiOu IL m
whether that false from such decision
there can be appeal For example, II the Committee
could show dlide that certain person had received
$4,000 Of $4,000 stolen notes OF given bank Mr. Wooley
claims the right decline TO the question whether
he drew the notes his check which
delivered the receiver and thus destroy the
Meeting link the chain OF testimony showing the theft
OF course this claim cannot be permitted for moment
or TO state the claim in other words, is that the witness
and tribunal is Judge Of the maeraty Of the
TO be ehcted Not for the purpose Of showing the
materaty OF the question put Wooley but 10 show
the contumacy Of witness ms corruption and untruth
funess and to Justify the Committee in asking that
severe and exemplary punishment be imposed on him for
his contempt OF the authority Of this House and the jus
tice OF the nation.
The Committee beg leave report the facts and cir
eumstance so far they been developed connect
ing Chas W. Wooey with the subject matter OF the in
quiry with which the Committee charged showing how
have from wooey the frankest and fullest statement Of
every fact known believed by him to be true. IL
seems from the evidence that Chas w. WoOley Is law
YER not in general practice but attending 20 cases before
the Bureau OF Internal Revenue generally arising ont OF
alleged frauds in whisky, Or in the language OF Judge
Dunlevy witness before the Committee. and Wo0leys
associate counsel in their cases:
He lawyer by profession, speculator and trader
and does good deal in stock speeulaons IN ne horses
&c He is Kentuckian, considers himself kentucky
gputl Kentucky "a
large property and he has good deal Of money
The language Of Judge Duneyy aptly describes per-
son fitted be- and from the evidence 1t appears TO the
Committee he Wooey Is the manager or one OF the
managers Of the Of that body OF men who are
defraudng the Government and popularity known as the
" Whisky Ring"
His first appearances as connected with the impeach
case the evidence fixes the date is on the
lh OfMay, by telegram sent TO NewYork from one OF
the Presidents Secretaries W. W. Warden data Of fhe
Baltimore SnLl In answer to this telegram from
Wooley -
" WILLIAM H. WARDEN
Executive Mansion, May 4th.
Despatch me your opinion of the situation VIII see
you Wednesday morning"
The reply is
WASHINGTON. D. c., May 4, 1868
9. W. WoOLEY, FIN Avenue Hotel ~ Y. City
More assured today than that the President will
be acquitted Such is the opinion Of many welposed
who have heretofore felt Of conviction inform
that they have doubt the result and that this
persons who assert unquafedly that johnson will re-
moved are those who know least Of the inner working,
DC. The best informed either admit that there Will be
acquittal, or are in doubt. Answer. w. W. WARDEN.
Mr.. Woolley next appears about the time at a
meeting in the room of Thurow Weed the Asor House
NeW-York, at which were present Mr. Weed, Mr. Z. ID.
Webster, Mr.. Sheridan Shook, and Mr.. wooley. To ap
precate the Importance Of this meeting 1t is convenient
TO describe the persons present their connections with
the exterior and interior workings Of the Government as
IL will be observed Mt Wardens dispatch says:
The only persons that assert unqualnedly that John
son will DO removed those who know least OF the inner