The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-02-21

nificance, the assumed basis of the affair was
a certain list of Congressman who were al
legged to have been corrupted with Credit Mo-
bilier stock. This list had been produced in
evidence before Philadelphia court, and ran
as follows; ,} t' Ii.'.
Patterson, of New Hampshire. re...............3 &, 900
Wilson, of Massachusetts. 900
Schuyler Colfax Speaker 900
ScOfeld and Kelley, OF Pennsylvania, each. 900
Eliot, of Massachusetts. s....-.............3,O 900
Dawes. of Massachusetts ......: .:...!..... .2,OoO
Fowler of yennessss. ...'s...s.
Bingham and Garfeld, OF Ohio. ., 900
| We have now the means of judging conclu-
sively of the value and exact meaning of this
list. Mr.. Ames who is alleged to have dc
tated it, McComb, who wrote it down. and eve
ry man mentioned In IL, except three, concern
ing whom there is no question, have beeh ex-
| arnned and cross-examined under oath aa to
the transactions to which it was claimed the
list related. What does it all amount to? To
this Mr.. Ames formed in his own mind. in
the latter part Of 1867 the project of "inter-
esting in the Credit Mobilier all the influen-
tial men he could. including members of Con-
gress. His motive. he saws, was not corrupt,
! nor does it seem necessarily to have been so.
He wished to induce members, when the af-
fairs of the Credit Mobilier. or of the Union
Pacific railroad. with which it was indissoiu-
bly, connected were likely to be affected by
legislation, to "look into" them, and satisfy
themselves that there was nothing wrong in
| them" He believed the Congressman would
do this more thoroughly if they held stock in
the company in fact, that they would not do
1t at all if they were not pecuniarily Interested
This is Mr.. Oakes Ames story Of what he in
tended, and how he expected to carry his in
ten.ions into effect.
He succeeded in interesting several Con-
gressmen. not mentioned in the list. and, Curl
ouslv enough. never mentioned i'll any Of the
opposition attacks based on the Credit Mobilier
operations Senator Grimes. now dead, Mr..
Alley. now ont of the House, and Mr.. Hooper,
a member of the present Congress- invested
considerable amounts, and took an active part
in the business Of the company. OF those re-
counted i'll the list, and treated to the bitter
sspersions Of the campaign, the evidence dis-
closes the following facts:
Mr.. Blaine was offered the stock, but de-
clined it, not entertaining however. any idea
that the proposal was directly or indirectly a
corrupt one.
Mr.. Patterson agreed conditionally, near the
close of 1867 to take 81 900, par value, OF stock
Of Mr.. Ames on the assurance that it was a
proper stock for Congressman to hold, and
that no legislation would he wanted. He failed
to take the stock, but believed he had perfect
right TO hold it-as much as lie would have to
hold national bank stock.
Senator Henry Wilson, on the suggestion Of
Mr.. Ames, invested ~ 900 OF his wife's money
in Credit Mobilier stock, with the assurance
that the road would want no legislation; on
discovering that the company was in difficulty
ne backed out Of the bargain" ...-.
Yice-Prcsident Colfey agreed to take g, 600
of the stock. on the assurance that no legisla-
tion Was required; he paid $500 on the amount:
learning that the company Was involved IN htl-
CATION, he cancelled the agreement, and after
ward, when Mr.. Ames became financially en-
lar AIr tsoffay a,,rranferef IA. ftarl m
him for the $500 advanced.
Mr. Scoiield, OF Pennsylvania gave Mr. Ames
ono thousand dollars. IN 1868, to pay Tor ten
shares Of Credit Mobilier stock, but subse-
fuenty chose to take another stock instead.
Mr.. Kelley. Of Pennsylvania. agreed to take
some stock OF Mr.. Amcs hut the matter WIS
dropped :" "he saw no more improperly in a
member OF Congress buying that stock than In
buying flock of sheep. and then voting on
the tariff on woolen goods"
Mr.. Eliot never had any Of the stock.
Mr.. Dawes Of Massachusetts, gave Mr.. Ames
one thousand dollars early in December, 1867,
to paw for ten shares of Credit Mobiler stock
received one dividend Of thirty-tivc per cent;
learned tho company was involved IN law suit.
and returned the dividend. receiving from MIR.
Ames his original payment and interest on the
same.
Mr.. Fowler OF Tennessee, never had any
stock.
any.
Mr.. Bingham, Of Ohio, gave Mr. Ames two
thousand dUllarS in January. 1853, to pay Tor
shares of Credit Mobiher stock at par, Mr..
IAmes returning receipt and agreeing to ac-
count for all dividends At the same time 1lr.
bingham invested six hundred and fifty dol
lars in ten shares of another company OF Mr..
Ames. He settled the Credit Mobilier matter
in January, 1870 and the other in the spring Of
al. and