Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-01-17
The Credit MObilier. Investigation.

|
AS the result of the resolution to open ths
Credit Mobilier investigation committee
| room, part of the testimony was placed at
| the control of the press on the 9th. 1t
shows the following in regard to those
| named on the examination of Oakes Ames.
| Mr.. Colfax took ten or twenty shares, and
paid for them, though the stock was never
1 transferred to him, nor had he received any
| dividends. Mrs Senator Henry Wilson was
induced to take twenty shares, but after
wards objected to the Investment, and it
| was taken off her hands. Senator Pats
| terson paid for twenty shal es and
received his dividends. Mr.. Bingham
requested Oakes Ames to make some invest
ments for him where they would pay, and
the latter invested in twenty-five shares of
Credit Mobilier. Mr.. Dawes had ten shares,
| and a guaranty that they should be worth
ten per cent; he afterward said he would
rather not take the stock, and the contract
was rescinded. Mr.. Wilson had the same
J guaranty; Mr.. Garfield was to receive ten
shares, but be did not pay for or receive
them. Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, got the
amount of ten shares ($1, 000) as a loan. Mr..
Scofield bought ten shares and afterward
declined them, because he did not like the
liability clause in the charter or contract OF
| the Credit Mobilier. MIR. Fowler, of Tennessee,
never had any interest in the stock. Wilson
and Allison, of Iowa, each bought ten shares
and paid for them. Speaker Blaine was Of
fered some of the stock, but at once refused.
Secretary Boutwell, agreed to take ten shares,
and subsequently declined to consnmmate
the purchase. Senator Conkling had re-
ceived share, and was never interested in
the Company.
Mr.. McComb testified that Mr.. Brooks is
the only member of Congress whois known
to have received any of this stock without a
fair consideration; the witness gave in de-
tail, as proof of the charge, an alleged
~ L
Messrs. Brooks and Alley, relating to fifty
shares of the stock which was transferred to
Brooks or his son-in-law Nelson. John b:
Alley testified that he never had any conver-
sation with Brooks relative to shares, and
never gave or sold a share of the stock OF
Credit Mobilier to Brooks or TO any member;
and that the statement of McComb is a fab
rication. tts,..t..
Vice President Colfax made q written
statement to the Credit t-Mobilier Committee,
on the 7th, to the effect that he had never re-
ceived, nor had rendered him, any dividends
in cash, stock, or bonds accruing upon any
stock in either of said organizations, and
neither Mr.. Ames nor any other person con-
nected with either of said organizations,
ever asked him TO vote for or against any
measures affecting the interests of either,
directly or remotely, or to use any personal
or official influence in their favor. He had,
however, five years ago, upon the representa-
tions of Mr.. Ames, contracted to buy twenty
shares of stock, on which he made partial
any dividends, cash or scrip, from
this stock. In the same year
he bought it he threw it back on Ames'
hands in order to escape the litigation which
had arisen between the members of the Com
pany. The net result of his speculation has
been loss to him of $500.
A dispatch was received from Mr.. Allison
on the 7th, disclaiming any share-holding on
his part of the Credit-Mobilier or Union Pa
cifc stocks. Shares had been sent him, but
he promptly returned them. taa FI.e3
John B. Alley was further cross-exaInined ed
before the Investigating Committee on the
0th. He had no personal knowledge as to
who was the original owner of the one hun
dred shares standing in the name of Nelson,
son-in-law of James Brooks; he presumed
Nelson paid for them. He did not know
that any shares were sold after January i,
| 1868; he did not know that the success or
failure of the road would depend on friendly
or unfriendly legislation, When aked
| whether 100000 had not been put in bis
hands to influence Congress to annul Sec
| retary Boutwell's ruling concerning the in
| terest on Pacific Railway bonds, Alley
asserted that he had never had dollar for
| such use, direct or indirect. He believed
that Ames had no intention of corrupting
| Congress by his distribution of stock, and
thodght that if there had been the fullest
4
misapprehension would have been avoided.
! Mr.. McComb made statement, on the 9th
! before the Committee, re-afirming his testi-
| mony abont the conversation he overheard
between Messrs. Brooks and Alley, and Civ
ing the dates and amounts of the check and
draft Brooks drew in payment of the 100
shares he purchased. McComb says that on
the day Brooks gave the check, he received
or had gwen to his son in-law 200 shares Of
the Union Pacific Railroad stock, and $4,000
worth Of it's first mortgage bonds; later he
| got $4,000 more of each, making, in addition
| to the Credit -Mobilier stock, $25, 900 in
| Union Pacific Railroad securities, for $4,000
| paid. These transactions, McComb says,
| took place about three months after Mr..
Brooks was made Government Director Of
the Union Pacific Railway. The Com
| mittee adjourned to the 18th.
A letter is published from T. B. Kingsland,
Mr.. Brooks business manager in New York,
saying that Mr.. Brooks check-book shows
no check for 5000 to Durant, or s., 33
alleged by III. G.. Crane, in letter to
McComb, to have been received by him
(Crane)--a that he (Kingsland) never,
acting for Brooks with Crane, paid for any
one hundred or fifty shares of Credit-Mo-
bilier for Charles III. Nelson, and he is GER
tain that Brooks could not have made any
such large operations in money without his
check book or bank account showing it.
Mr.. Dawes was sworn before the Commit
tee on the 18th, and submitted q written
9 atement. He says he never was the owner
of any Credit-Mobilier stock; he agreed to
Ike ten shares of stock, but the agree ment
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
n 1~.f he MAhf tn
bribe Congressman, to inaugurate influence,
and to carry through, by bribery and corrup-
tion, legislation in the interest of railroads.
Charles III. Nelson, son-in-law 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 50 shares. dated Feb
ruary 30, 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.
A PENNSYLVANIA woman who has for
two years been afflicted by the cancer,
and has been treated by eminent physi-
clans without obtaining relief, dreamed
that stranger came to her house and
gave her some medicines saying that they.
would efectually cure her. Next day, ON
going to the door and looking out, she saw
the identical man of her dream approach.
ing the house. He offered her bottle OF
medicine to cure her cancer. Sne TOOK
Il followed his directions, and is now
as bad as ever.
ACCORDING to the Japan Gazette, the
Mikado must be an egregioas swell, with