Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-27
THE CREDIT M0RILIER INVEST.
CATION.
Proceedings Of the Wilson SDecial
COmmittee To-day.


CATION.
Proceedings Of the Wilson Special
COmmtttee To-day.
The special committee, Of which Mr.. Wilson
is chairman, to inquire as to the Indebtedness
of the Union Pacific railroad to the government,
and why it is not paid, met this morning at ten
O'Clock, and
JOHN h. ALLEY WAS RECALLED
He testified that he had no recollection Of any
protest having been filed with Mr.. Harlan, the
Secretary of the Interior, by the government
directors of the Union Pacific railroad against
the contract between that company and the
credit mobilier, or any person connected with
the credit mobilier. Witness opposed the Ames
Mr.. Ames, and not on account of any wrong in
il. Thought Mr.. Ames was taking too much
upon himself, which might cause him embar
Question. Was IL not understood at the time
Mr.. Alley, that Mr.. Ames was not to carry out
the contract himself, but all the stakeholder
should be personally responsible?
Answer. No, sir; not at all.
or Indirectly Of
sl0,OC6 BEING PAID TO Mr.. HARLAN?
A. / do not know Of q single dollar having
been paid to any member Of Congress or gov
eminent Officer while 1 was connected with
either the Union Pacific road credit mobilier,
and, to the best Of my knowledge and belief,
the s1o 900 being contributed towards Mr.. Har-
Q. When did you first hear IL?
A. cannot tell the exact time; IL was after his
election; l suppose year and half Witness
first heard Of it from Mr.. Ames.
Q. What were You told in regard to it?
A. MIR. Ames said that DIR. Durant had con-
tributed $4,000 personally towards Mr.. Har-
lans election; that it had just come to light, and
DnIant wanted the company to pay it. Ames
said he
WOULD NOT SUBMIT TO ANY Such THING,
and asked my opinion. 1 told him he was per-
fectly right, and the road should not pay a cent
@. Do you know Of that $40 600 being paid ont
Of the funds of the Union Pacific railroad or the
A. No, sir. Had never heard of any letters
being written in regard to the $4,000, Witness
examined the expense account Of over siOo. 900
in 1861. He and AmeS were not satisfied with
the vouchers, but McComb WAS
q. Was II not understood at the time that part
of this money had been used for improper pur-
poses to influence legislation?
A. They (Durant, McComb and BUSHNELL
claimed that was a secret matter, and most of
THE MONEY WAS EXPENDED HERE IN WASH
/ inferred from what they said that newspaper
men got a good deal of it, and a large amount
was paid to compromise with some other road.
q. Was it not stated that some of it was paid
to get the amendment of 1864 passed?
A. don't think it was. My understanding
was that the money was not spent at all.
Q. In what instance was 1t claimed that this
money had been paid to members of Congress?
A. Well, Durant said Thaddeus Stevens got
$4,000 of it, but in justice to Mr.. Stevens, /
WHAT Mr.. ALLEY COULD NOT REMEMBER.
Witness could not remember distinctly if it
had been stated that the money was paid to
newspaper men. Could not remember the names
Of any newspapers to whom it was said that
money had been paid. He did not know If that
suspended account had since been allowed. Did
directors, containing the records of meetings at
that time, was. Some of the books were lost
during the Fisk raid and he presumed this was
one of them. The bill of items in that account
was read to witness, and he testified that it was
claimed that large portion of the money was
expended in 1862 and 1854. Witness did not be-
heve il had been expended.
The witness was examined at some length as
to various items in this account, but he could
not remember particularly about any item In
April, 1866, the board Of directors authorized a
committee to 60 to Washington, secure certain
additional legislation, and Ii was also an
thorized that such proper expenses as necessary
should be paid by the company Durant claimed
$4,000 HAD BEEN EXPENDED SECRETLY,
and 1T would be improper to say anything about
It.. He said something about q good portion of
it being handed over to a lawyer named Stew
art, and said Stewart had given him (Durant)
proper vouchers. The committee to examine
committee not appointed by the board Of direc-
tors. He thought the committee consisted of
Cakes Ames, Hazard, Dillon, McComb, Cisco,
@. What do you know, if anything, about an
item Of si26 ,oOc,' known as general legal ex-
A. know nothing about that, sir. That was
after left the board. An item Of $4,000 was
paid
AT THE TINE OF THE FISK RAID.
tied for So, 1000 witness was opposed to it. and
advised Oliver Ames to have nothing to do with
it. Sometime afterwards learned that it had
yer Ames and a1 Sg oy
ness had never assented to it. When Judge
Barnard was impeached the matter was brought
up, and Fullerton and Bushnell stated under
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