Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-01-17
The Credit MobIller Investigation.

The Credit Moblller Investigation.
\ Washington special says Judge Po-
lands statement of the case Of the commit
tee. and their reasons for conducting the
investigation in secret, made stronger i'm
preston on the House than the extremely
small vote for continuing Investigations
with closed doors would indicate, and many
members of influence and experience, while
voting against the action of the committee,
freely admit the force of Judge Poland 5
reasons for it, lie said:
He had no personal feeling of anxiety as
to what the House should order in the mat
ter. So much, however, had been said in
the public Press on the subject that he
would state the reasons of the Committee
for the course it had taken. 1t seemed to
have been industriously circulated through
out the Press that that course was unusual,
but as far as he knew not an instance could
be found in the history of Congress wherein
investigation Of that sort had been con-
Quoted in any other way. The Committee
had had an official stenographer to write
down every word said by anybody
and the testimony would be reported
to the House for such action A. the
House might deem it proper to take.
Another reason why the Committee deemed
best to follow the ordinary rule, instead of
adopting n new and extraordinary one, was
that the testimony of McComb implicated
not only members of the present House, but
former members of Congress, and members
of the Senate and the rule of parliament
airy proceedings was that whenever any
thing appeared before a Commute of one
House which reflected on the character of a
member of the other House, that matter was
transmitted under seal to the other House,
for it to take such action as it might deem
fit 1t therefore seemed highly proper that
the Committee should pursue the ordinary
method. Another reason that operated on
the Committee was that the Committee
could only spend two hours daily in its in
yestgation, and could therefore only get at
the facts of the case by snatches, a little
every day. The Committee therefore
deemed it better that the testimony should
be all gathered and transmitted to the
House at once. 80 that, if published, the
whole of it should 60 to the country at
once.
The testimony thus taken is now publish
ed at length. We copy some Of the
TESTIMONY OF oAKEs AHEs.
Cakes AmeS. after stating his connection
with the Union Pacific railroad ard Credit
| Mobilier says | began by soliciting my in
innate friends, and men in Congress possess
sed of means, and capitalists in large cities
| | failed to persuade Senator Grimes. Johr
b. Alley and Samuel Hooper were willing
to go in. and subscribed very largely. anC
in these cases offered to guarantee then
against loss. Oar capital soon proved
| Inadequate. and was increased with diff
Guilty 1t was again increased, and thi'
time obtained only by the aid an immens,
! bonus. ntil late in o. there We're neither
| dividends nor profits. | was constantly a
work. and held out every inducement anC
made every representation that ! believed
| unsuitable There were some parties VIII,
agreed to take shan e, but decided topoStpon,
| the time OF payment and 1t l. lmposS
| bic to recall when the stock was obtained
As the time approached for profits. the mum
Der of shares that remained. and Will
which alone could fulfill many greement'
! | had made, or supposed had made. wa,
very small | then applied and got tn,
| shares. The agreement says $50, bat my
recollection says 80. which i confirmed by
the share list. which shows that 30 wer,
allotted me onr prospects were then fiat
tering, and | was compelled, in diStribut-
| ing shares, To diSappoint many. though
stroye TO Use them in way to spread oul
influence everywhere.
As to Mr. Coliax ! cannot remember
which of Us first mentioned the subject, but
| know he wanted to get some stock. an
pretty confident he paid me for it, though
it was never transferred 10 him, nor can
rember having paid him any dividends Al
the next session he said something about
that thing being off.
As TO Henry Wilson | was consulted n,
to investing the fund given Mrs Wilson on
the 25th anniversary of her wedding.
recommended 20 shares for 3 200, and the
money was paid me Some months after
ward she objected to the investment and
| took it off her hands. Mr. Patterson. OF
| New Hampshire. agreed to buy 30 shares
and received the dividends upon it, hut the
stock was never transferred TO him, al
though ne paid for it. Mr. Blaine de-
| clined the stock.
Mr. Dawes. in December, $50. came 70
me to purchase a Cedar Rapid pond | ad-
vised him to take the amount in Credit Mo-
| bilier. guaranteed him 10 per cent. interest
ON the investment. and agreed to take it of
| his hands at any time. After making in
qureS, he gave me 81 200 TO invest in the
| stock. Sometime aiterward he came to me.
and asked what Mr.. Learned meant by as
serting that he and his friends were owners
Of Credit Mobiier lie then said he had
rather not take the stock, and the con-
tract was rescinded.
Mr. Bingham asked me to invest some
money for him in such stocks or things that
| knew would pay we'll He furnished me
about 900. invested 1t in ~ shares of
Credit Mobilier, and the balance in Iowa
Falls and Sioux City contracting county
stocks settled up this matter with him
in 1870. think | paid him the amount
due and took the stock off his hands ut his
desire.
A. to Mr.. Garfield agreed to get 10
shares for him and hold it until he could
pay for it. Iieneyer did pay for it or re
ceIye it.
As to Mr. Boutwell,, | offered him some
Of this stock, and there was some negotia-
ton, but it resulted in his not taking the
stock.
James F. Wilson, Of Iowa, bought and
paid for 10 shares. and - did Senator ALI
son.
Mr. McComb swear~ that told him
gave share to Senator Conking Ii i ali
solutely untrue never 50 said, nor did
ever agree 10 get him one. nor was he ever
interested in.the company.
POLITICAL.
Alexander II. Stephens.recently delivered
an address in the Georgia House of Repre-
sentatives. He had nothing startling to
PROFOUND but rathor astonished his hear
erS by stating his belief that in the case of
4