Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1873-01-23
The Credit Mobflier Investigation.

| CluHtOcT q 0OuTTlut
The Credit Mobilier Investigation.
Mr.. Dawes was sworn before the Commit
| tee on the 18th, and submitted written
statement. He says he never was the owner
of any Credit-Mobilier stock; he agreed to
| take ten shares Of stock, but the agreement
was rescinded before the stock was trans
| ferred.
W. Hastings sent letter to the Commit
tee, proposing to show that a large share
holder in the Union Pacific Railroad, and
also the Credit-Mobilier, testified In Cali
fornia Court that he, said shareholder, had
used the money and stock of the Union
Pacific Road, and of the Credit -Mobilier, to
and to carry through, by bribery and corrup
| ton, legislation in the interest of railroads
Charles Fl. Nelson, son-inlaw of James
Brooks, produced his certificates of stock In
the Credit Mobilier, the first certificate be
ing for 100 shares, dated December 26, 1867
and the second for SO shares, dated Feb.
ruary %, 1868. He testified that Brooks
had no interest in the stocks further than
| that he had advanced the money to pur-
| chase portion of them, and had secured to
| the witness the chance to obtain them, say.
ing he did not care to hold the shares him.
self.
james A. Garfield testified before the
| Committee on the 14th to the effect that he
had no knowledge of any dealings between
Ames and any Congressman; told Ames he
| wouldn't have any stock where a contro'
versy existed; derived his knowledge of the
Credit Mobilier from Mr.. Train: Ames never
tried to influence his legislative action;
never saw a share of the Credit -Mobiler
until shown him q few days since by
Brooks. once borrowed $500 Of Ames and
returned 1t.
Benjamin F. Ham, Treasurer of the Credit
Mobilier, testified that Nelson's name
appeared on the books as the holder Of $50
shares; didR't know Of Brooks having any
thing to do with the shares. Ham produced
several books of the Company, and said
others had been sent on BY express; the
stock transfer book had disappeared, and he
did not know what had become oft he had
not destroyed 1t.
Thomas G. Durant testified that he was a
Director of the Union Pacific Railroad till
1869; was President of the Credit. Mobilier
Company, and one of the trustees to whom
the Ames contract was assigned; has certi-
fed copies of the books; signed paper to
distribute some stock on hand; the stock
was transferred to the witness to enable
him to fulfill prior engagement; did
not know to whom Ames was to
transfer the stock; Ames said he had an
engagement to deliver some to Mr.. Colfax;
thinks other congressman were also men,
toned, and 1t made an impression on him,
as he believed Ames gave the names, and in
ICuucu hccpluS tut blOCh ulu1Sclt never
conversed with Nelson; had a business
transaction with James Brooks, but it had
\ o reference to Brooks being a Congress-
man; Brooks desired some stock. and wit
ness arranged to let Brooks have 100 shares
of Credit -Mobilief, with $4,000 worth of
Union Pacific stock and first mortgage
bonds. Brooks, being q Government Di-
rector, did net want to hold the stock, and
therefore had it transferred to Nelson !;
knew nothing about the fifty shares ad-
ditional stock received by Nelson.
T. G. Durant testified further on the 18th
to the effect that the shares given to James
Brooks were the result of a special agree
ment with him in 1867. Brooks claimed
more than 100 shares, and he compromised
in Union Pacific stock and bonds. He (Du-
fuenced by the Credit -Mobilier. He never
arranged to give any Congressmen stock,
except in case of Boyer, of Pennsylvania.
and Brooks. He gave two checks of 5000
each to secure the election of Senator Har-
Ian, of Iowa. Harlan was an old personal
friend. The witness thought he would take
care of the interests of the road.
Mr.. Bushnell testified that when the
Credit-Mobilier got ashore, Ames went to
his friends, in Congress and out of Con-
gress, to get them to take stock. He
thought there was want of moral courage
on the part of certain men, who did agree
to take stock, but now would not stand up
and say they agreed to take it. The wit
ness never offered any stock to any member
of Congress. 1t was the understanding that
Ames got large amount of stock to enable
him to fulfill engagements which he had en-
tered into previously. He felt, as Ames had
expressed It in one of his letters, that If they
went back on the Congressman after the
stock had gone up, when 1t had been prom
ised them, then when it was down Con-
gressmen would go back on them.
Representative ScoHeld stated before the
Committee, on the 10th, that he had taken
some of Ames' railroad securities; he knew
nothing of Ames' deriving Congressional
aid; had voted against the act of 1864, Civ
ing the Company's mortgages priority; moth
ing was said about legislation.
Senator Paterson testified that he
never owned a penny's worth of Credit
Mobilier, although he would have done so
at one time If he had had the money. Sub
sequently he purchased of Ames both
bonds and stock of the Union Pacific
Road, which he afterwards sold in
New York, making q fair profit. He re-
GREETED that his Investment was not larger,
as the transaction was honorable and honest.
He never received nor purchased any prop
erty which, directly or indirectly, was con-
nected with his vote.
William D. Kelley testified that he agreed
with Ames to take some Credit Mobilier
stock as an investment only, but the matter
was dropped, and he never received any
dividends or profits from the Credit-Mo
OhiCA Aau hOs Adu dA OuCI lIOu auSo VI
Credit Mobilier stock to influence legisla-
tion. If the witness had been able to pur-
chase stock, he would have done so. He
saw no more impropriety in a member of
Congress buying that stock than in buying
a flock of sheep, and then voting upon the
tariff on wool or wooden goods.
Senator Wilson testified substantially to
what has already been published-that the
stock was taken in his wife's name, but sur
rendered when he ascertained all the facts
in the case.
Representative Bingham made q state
ment to the effect that he had purchased
twenty shares of stock and received divi-
dends upon it, and defended the transaction
as perfectly legitimate, the same as though
it was bank stock. 1t was purely business
transaction, and never Influenced his vote in
the House.
Soaking Seed in Dry Times-Rural
Home says: "This is practiced to a con-
siderable extent, but we have observed
that it is risky opeI alton unless particu-
lar attention is paid to putting the soil in
suitable condition. A soaked seed in dry