New-York tribune., 1873-04-09
THE ERIE INVESTIGATION.
rWO OF THE SIX SENATOR'S.


,,s,t,,,~y on TWO BANKERS IN REGARD TO FOR
.t,:> ERokrFAGE TuE ArTORNEY-GENER ;
rx,,rioNS WITH TnE COMPANY AND BELDEN-
cs~ DIvrS ITNtIsMRFRs THE NAMES or TWO
syNArORS WHO WIRE SAID TO HAVE BEEN BRIBED
The Committee appointed TO investigate the affairs
of Rrc and its management under the Reform board
of Directors. assembled at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
nt IOa H., Yesterday. and went into Executive ses-
sion. Two bankers Joseph Seligman and W. b.
Smith were hrst examined as experts In the negoti-
ntion of railway bonds They agreed in she opinion
that ., per cent commission on the bonds actually
sold as not excessive for placing loan on the mar
kst and that the commission would naturally De
high IN proportion 10 the low credit of the Company
A large number of hypothetical cases were stated
some of which did and others did not apply to the
facts already developed in reference TO the EIle con-
sohdsted bonds.
VIM Belden Of Black Friday fame, was the next
witness There were a great many things which he
did n,t know. what he did know was that for GER
tam indefinite services, rendered to FISK ana
Gould The details of which he could not remember
me and his associate Gen Hayes, obtained CONTRACT
from chose fnancers by which they themselves
were to receive $1,000 per MONTH until announcer eoh
tr.ct could be drawn up under which they were 10
pass coal over the Erie Railway on terms Dy wmch
they could make still more money; he remembered
having called on Attorney-General Barlow alter
the latter had begun an action against Gould IN
order h persuade him to withdraw the sut III thls
he wss successful there was no money
used John II. Conner explained the con-
tract mentioned by the previous witness.
II provided that Messrs Hayes and Belden should
receive from Fisk and Gould S35,OOO in monthly in
stnllments Mr. Gould claimed that the money had
been paid to Belden to be given by him to the At
torncy- General and after the death of Fisk, Gould
made a claim on the estate for half of the money so
paid and Mr. Conner refunded it. This testimony
opened the way for Attorney General Barlow's ap-
pearance on the stand He gave long history OF
his intercourse with Hayes and Beden and his rela-
tions with the Erie Railway. He said that he had
never received cent, nor had offered him for
the purpose of influencing his official action. Threats
Of exposure had been made without effect to infiu-
ence his action IN the Bar Association.
In accordance with the invitation OF Mr.
ODOherty the Committee visited him at his house
where he gave his testimony in bed. He denied all
of Mr. Lanes allegations so far they cOntradicted
his own statements He then gave an account of
his connection with the coup T6tdt and defined the
motives which influenced him. He gave the Com
mittee list of six Senators who, he had been in
formed received money to influence their legislative
action The Sergeant-at-Arms was at once dis
patched 70 subpoena Gen. Diven, in order that he
might Identify the names those given him by Mr.
butcher.
At4p m. the Committee reassembled at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel and Gen. Diven appeared He could
only remember one name, with absolute certainty
without the list and only other after examining
it, After some debate he was directed TO give them
They we're Messrs. narrower and James Wood. The
witn,s, said that from his personal knowledge OF
Mi Narrower, and from the evidence that had come
before the Committee, he did not believe that the
statements made TO him by butcher were true. The
Committee at $50 p. m, adjourned TO meet III Al
bany, tomorrow at p. IN.