Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-27

ned before this committee that he was inter-
ested IN the matter. q. 1 asked Won while
ago why you wanted 10 know whether there
was money in IT. A. For the purpose of tear
With Mr.. Butler and Mr.. q. O. Washburae,
who were assaihng the measure, and when
ever got any points 1 would give them to
those gentieuea heard that there was being
printed at the Government Printing Office a
his .ory of Greenland. I said to Mr.. WASH
burne, There is one Of Stewards Jobs that will
crop out by and by He did not seem to be-
heve 1t. bat nrged him 70 ser d down to Mr..
D.trees TO some of the proof sheets, which he
did. and fount. that il was So"
The following il the testimony of Mr.. Robert
W. Latham, the purport Of which has heretofore
been In dispute:
Roleri W. LatAdm sworn and eramiaed.
BY The Chairman:-Q. State your residence
and occupation A. / reside In New Bruns-
wick, New Jersey, and am connected with
railroad business. o. l want TO ask you what
knowledge, If any, you have in reference to the
Alaska ma tier, and the payment o. money or
the distribution of money growing out OF II
Alaska matter directly or indirectly. Mr..
Painter some time ago-l think II was last
summer-remarked to me that he understood
that Governor Walker was counsel for the
Alaska people. Mr.. Painter said 10 me, Have
You any interest in ~" Sand L. "Not a bit.'
Said he, ~ reckon Governor Stanton is inter
ested in II. He Is yeur FRIEND. Had You not
better see him and see how the matter standsr
i saw Governor Stanton, and told him that
Mr.. Painter had called my attention to the
matter, and wanted to see if there were any
fees in II. He said he would see Governor
Walker and see. He saw Governor Walker
and came back and reported to me that
there was nothing in it. i dropped
it. When the money was paid and
York. l happened to be in town, and Mr..
Pointer said 10 me, You see Walker has lost
his checks, and this thing is gong to be inves
tigated, and you will find that your friend
lS md hu sSld inns
that was in il also. Said IL Mr.. Painter,
l have told YOU that had nothing at all to do
with IT." "Well,' SAID he, lit is going to be in
vestigated." told Mr.. Stanton that the mat
ter was going to be nvestigs ted and took no
further notice of It. l was in New York al the
time when Mr.. Stanton gave'his evidence be-
ceived $500; and when l heard it 1 was sur
prised. because Mr.. Stanton had stated TO me
all along that he had no interest in it. He af-
forwards explained to me why he said SO: that
counsel that he could not divulge 1t. This
was entirely satisfactory to me. l cared no,h-
ing about it. After this investigation COM
menced 1 met Mr.. Painter, and he said, " La
here in reference to slip of paper which was
found on Robert j. Walkers table with a list
Of reporters who have received some s25,UOo or
Of that p WELL" said he, /" the reporters all
say that they never got cent. Tnere
,s ,s great deal OF % %raseality in this
L,
the reporters never got a cent, it Is very
strange that their names should be down
there" ''1t is sad,' SAID he, sthat Governor
walker has collected il from the Alaska party,
and has not paid IL out TO the reporters" Said
l, al know nothing at all about 1t / went
up and told Governor Stanton what Mr.. PAN.
ter bad said. Said he, will you come down
10 Governor Walkers with mel' Said l,
Eyes" We walked down, and L repeated the
same thirg TO Govern or Walker. The Governor
was exceedingly violent, exceedingly so, and
pitched into Mr Martin, to whom il appears,
Mr.. Painter alluded as the maker of the afii Ia
Wit. 1 think he told me that he alluded to Mr..
Martin. We had some considerable converse.
ton on the subject. amounting to nothing ex-
excessive abuse of reporters and everybody Of
that sort, and pitching in generally. He was
exceedingly eloquent. l like eloquence, and
listened to him with a good deal OF attention;
but cannot repeat his r-marka row; and taere
dropped the mater. i never nix with these
matters. q. State the last conversation you
had with MIR. Painter about this matter! A.
saw MIR. Painter again on the SUBJECT after
had thas con versation with Governor Walker,
and Just told hIm what had occurred.
q Nou say that Mr.. Painter suggested or de-
sired ven to call on Governor Walker, A. No.
sir on DIR. Stanton. Z. What object or motive
did he name in wishing you to call on Mr..
Stanton A. understood him to mean that
he wanted me to look INTO the matter ana see
how 1t stood. / dropped IL as soon Is report.
I'd that there was nothing In it. q. Did he
suggest 10 You that he wished 10 be employed
n
he wished 10 be employed q. DO you know
what attitude Mr.. Painter had stood In towards
that measure previous to that time, whether for
it or against it } A. No, sir; knew nothing
OF il al all until my attention was called to IL.
BY Mr.. Plants q. Was he at that time op-
posed to the Alaska matter I! A. l don know.
did mt make any inquiry aboutit.
by the Chairman "a. Did he state that he
was advocating or opposing it or that he would
do so! A. do not recollect that he said how
he stood towards it. 1 may have surmised, but
l don't think that would amount to anything,
because might be wrong.
BY Mr.. Plants:-Q. Fer what purpose did
he want you TO see Mr.. Stanton about the mat
ter! A. To see how it stood, and what was
wanting TO know how 1t stood A. suppose
the reason would have followed after l ascer-
tanned.
By the Chairman %. Did ne ever suggest
and desire you to so regard il A do not
recollect that he did; because l Keep everything
of that sort confiden tial with almost every body
y. Did he ever indicate to you in any shape
that il this conversation with you was revealed
he would take steps in the public press in rela
ton TO 1t! A. Oh no, sir; he never said
word to me on that subject. He did say TO me
that if Governor Stanton revealed private
conversation which had passed bet ween him
and Mr. Stanton, (about which / knew moth
ing,) Mr. stanton would be sorry for II,
and that he would assail him or attack him.
y. In the papers! A. don't know. q. In
that allusion to the affidavit as to the paper
found on Governor Walkers table, did Mr..
Painter carry the idea TO you that sucn paper
had been seen or found, or that II existed! A.
He certainly did carry the idea 70 me that there
was such paper in the shape Of an afhdavit IN
relation 10 a memorandum found on Cover
nor Walkers table. q. Did he carry the idea,
or intimate, that he was one who should nave
shared in that money, If Governor WALKER had
distributed 1t according to the expectation!
A. He did not; because whether ne SAID 1t or
not was satisfied that his name was not on the
paper. He said that the names of several re.
POrters ere on the paper, and he mentioned
the reporters OF the World and of the Herald
q. Have you had any conversation with Mr..
Painter SINCE the statement affecting him came
out in the papers! A. Oh! yes, l meet him
nearly every day, when I am in town. 1 just
rday and have had frequent conversations
with him. q. l mean as TO this statement
which Mr.. Painter had made in relation to the
steps he would takel A. No, I don't think
there was anything definite. He Just said that
the matter had come out l do not recollect
any specific con versation.
BY Mr.. Broomall:-Q. Mr.. Painter Is the
reporter OF one or two papers. IL he! A. nm
derstand So know he Is, because he has sent
over dispatches for me frequently. @. State
whether he il industrious IN hunting mp in.
formationl A. think he u about the most in.
dustrious reporter there Is in town. U. State
whether or not he resorts to all sorts OF con.
trivancss TO get the first information7 A. I De-
heve he does. q. State whether or not he ID
remarkable for his skill and dexterity in Oh.
tanning the earliest informadonl A. should
say he was equal TO any OF them. Q. How
long have You known him! A. have known
Mr.. Painter for ten years, reckon. q. Init.
matelyl A. Yes am NOT hert except while