Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-29
MOBIIIER MAELSTROH.
Cakes Ames Unburdens his Soul in
an Open Confession.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-Poland's
COMMITTEE this afternoon resumed the
examination of Oakes Ames, who tes-
titled that he agreed TO give COlfax
twenty shares of the Credit MObilier
stock in Dec. of 1867. Witness receiv-
ed dividends upon it of so per cent.
in Union Pacific bonds, and account
ed to Colfax for the bonds sold by
! witness in March of 1S6S. COlfax
gave witness a check for S534.72.-
| Didn't remember delivering stock to
| Colfax. The check and the proceeds
( of the Union Pacific stock paid for
the Credit MObilier stock. In the
June following. he gave Colfax a
check for twelve hundred dollars,
dividends on his Credit Mobilier
stock.
|. Question-What do you say about
what Colfax said in regard to him
making you a present of $500?
Answer-He said some such thing
TO me about being sorry for my. mis-
| fortune. / cannot remember his
words now. -Colfax had never called
upon witness for Credit Mobilier stock.
Have it ready to deliver TO him when
ever he wants it. Supposed that Col
Misunderstood that $1,000 was dividend
upon stock. Witness had no recOllec-
ton that ColfaX said to him that $1,000
of il don't belong to witness.
Colfax, who vas present, said he
reasseTted what he said before, and in
regard 10 the $500 he now gave no.
tice to Ames that he would prove a
negative. COlfaX then questioned
Ames as follows:
QuestiOn-Did you not come to me
and ask me to pay you?
Answer cannot tell.
Question-Did you tell me some
dividends had been earned, but were
unadjusted?
Answer-I told you dividends of
eight per cent. in Union Pacific bonds
had been declared.
Question-Did 1 ask you TO buy
bonds?
Answer-I did not buy bonds; they
were dividends, and / sold them
accounting for the proceeds to you.
Question-Did you sell stock:
Answer-I have not sold it.
Witness regarded him now as pro
prietor of Credit Mobilier stock. Did
not remember what CoifaX said at the
next session about the transaction be
ing off. All he remembered is what
COlfax said in the testimony. DID not
| remember of saying after he had heard
the testimony of Colfax January 9TH,
that what he said wss correct.
Colfax-Well, Mr.. Crozier so in
| formed me that yOn told him, and 1t
was so telegraphed to the New York
Times.
Witness did not remember where
| Colfax was when he gave him the
check for $1,000.
Colfax-Did not ! tell you the first
week in the session that / wanted
you to tell the entire truth about this
matter?
Ames-Tbat is what 1 have done
to-day, sir. Did you not remember
any other cash dividend except the
one in July?
Colfax-Durant says there was also
a bond dividend. Now, what did
you do with the bond belonging to
me?
Answer-They were not bonds, but
bond certificates. 1 hold them with
your stock for you. You are entitled
to them.
Colfax-Have you ever offered them
to me?
Answer-No, sill: l am awaiting the
result of this suit. The check for
! twelve hundred dollars was payable
! to Schuyler Colfax. 1t is in the pos
session of the Sergeant-at Arms as a
voucher to my account check. 1t was
given a long time before the CONVEX
satiou about the matter being off took
place. My dear sir, it was in June,
and the conversation between us about
the matter being off was not until the
next session. Never gave COlfaX any
bonds OF stock in Union Pacific rail-
way.
COlfax-NoW, if the committee will
allow, l assert, under oath, that 1 do
not remember of having received a
single dollar from Ames.
Ames again repeated his statement.
He had no recollection of the conver-
sation with CroZier.
Colfax requested that the Sergeant
alarms be summoned to produce
the books and papers referred to.
Ames was then questioned in re-
gard to the statement of Senator Will
son. and said that the testimony of
that gentleman was substantially cor
rect. His recollection wSs and his
books showed that he had settled with
Wilson; though Wilson received a
| dividend, and upon settling the mat
ter returned it; so he or Mrs. Wilson
received nothing but two hundred
dollars back and 10 per cent. upon it.
Judge Poland-Then you say the
statement of Wilson is substantially
true?
Answer-YCs, sir.
Ames was then questioned in regard
to Allison of Iowa, and testified that
Allison bought $1,000 worth of Credit
| Mob:lier stock, which witness got for
him with so per cent. dividend in
Union Pacific bonds; he sold the bonds
and Allison settled by a check for S21l
balance, which settled for bonds and
interest. Allison then received a
check for $500 dividend in June. ALI
son gave par for his stock and forty
seven dollars interest; the 5000 check
which witness gave Allison he had
found with the Sergeant-at-Arms in
dorsed by Allison.
Mr.. Colfax inquired if the check
given him was Endorsed?
Answsr-Np, sir; it was filled out,
&c. ard required no Endorsement.
Witness resumed; When he got
the cash dividend from the Credit Mo-
bilier he deposited $4,000 with the
Sergeant-at- Arms and drew on it to
paw stockholders. Witness holds all
the stock except that given Senator
Patterson and Messrs. Bingham and
Painter, Allison received his stock
certificates at the time he bought them
but returned them 10 witness last
March. Did not know Why he re,
turned themi the envelope merely
contained stock certificates, but no
letter in explanations didn't Femem-
Der offering Allison q small sum OF
money to ~repuTchase the stock. Upon
receiving the stock certificates from
Allison, witness supposed he (AllisOnl
didn't want to hold Credit Aobilier
stock after the suit had commenced;
did not believe he lwitnessl had paid
Allison q small sum OF money, hve
cents or whereabouts. so 1t could be
called property of either one.
MerTick-Was it a device on the
part of Alliosn to AVOID mixing up In
the lawsuit or to avoid being mixed
up in this malicious charge OF bribery.
Witness supposed Allison BECAME
alarmed at the charge and thought
there would be an improperly in his
holding stock /; received no check On
New York with certificates; did re-
0eiye o check FROM Allison, but it was
about another matter entirely,
Question-What was it?
Another-A negotiation l went into
with him in regard to a transaction