Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-07
WASHINGTON.
The Credit MObiIier Unearthed.
Cakes Ames' Testimony in Full.
The Long Roll Of Infamy.
senator Fowler. of Tennessee, Cleared

WASHINGTON, Jan. G.-The testimony
given before the Credit Mobiier inyestiga-
ting committee is made public. Oakes
Amesaf er stating his connection with the
Union Pacific and Credit Eobilier COM
pany, says:
l began by soliciting my intimate friends
and men in Congress possessed Of means
and capitalists in large cities, l failed to
persuade Senator Grimes. John ID. Alley
and Samuel Hooper were willing to go III
and subscribed very largely, and in these
cases l offered to guarantee them against
loss. Our capital soon proved inadequate
and was increased wish difficulty. 1t was
again inadequate and was again increased,
and this time obtained only Oy the aid OF
an immense bonus, till Late in 1867 there
neither dividends nor profits. l was con-
stantly st work and held out
every inducalnent and made every
REPRESENTATION that / believed justihable.
Precisely to whom ! spoke or who form
ally agreed 10 take shares, but decided to
postpone the time Of payment, it is impos-
sble Go recall, when the stock was OBJ
tanned in 1868. There WAS difficulty about
this time, and time has not aided me in this
re- pact. but as the time approached for the
Droils tie number Of shares that remained,
with which alone Ic1u,d fulfill many agree
rneuls I had made, or supposed ! had
r,ade, was very SIN III, l then applied and
got the shares. The agreement says $50,
but my recollection says 25O, which is con-
tirmed by the share list, which shows 25O
allotted NE. Our prospects then were fat
terng. aud was compsllad in distributing
the slsTes to d.s&ppOint many, though l
BrOve 10 use them ia a way to spread oar
influence everywhere, ! viii now speak
OF transactions with the individuals named
in the letters produced by McUomb, and
lis testimony.
Colfax is Cne mentioned. l cannot re-
member g Lich Of Us first mentioned the
suhiact, but know he wanted to get some
stock. am pretty confident he has paid
FoT it, though il WAS never transferred to
aim, nor can | remember ever Having paid
over 10 him any dividends, and a. the next
session he said something aOou. ths thing
being of.
Henry Wilson is aro-har. There was
fund given Mrs. Wilson on the 25th ami
ve-srry Of her wedding; and was consult
cd about investing il. ! recommended 20
shares Cf this stock for 5000, and the
money was paid TO me- some months after
wards. She objected to the investment
and felt bound from what occurred to
tale it off her hands and return the money,
.vhicb / oiu.
III. Paterson, Of Y. II, agreed to buy
Thirty shares or the stock and received div
ideuds upon i, but the stock was never
transferred TO him, although he paid for 1t.
Senator GTimes-I have stated ali l eau
say respecting his connection with the bust
ness.
Speaker Blaine-You have heard Mr.,
B.aine's testimony il advance Of mine, and
nv acquiesgence therein. he declined the
stock and nothing more need be said.
DaWes-I December 1867 he came 20 purs
chase Cedar Rapids bonds. advised him to
tase the amount in stock OF the Credit No
bite- which l thought 4 better iGVes. .lont;
that would CuGTau-ae hin ten per cent in
teresS Oh his Investment and tgke it of bis
hands any time lie wished me to, After
making inquiries he gave me 81 900 10 in
vest in the stock. Sometime af5e-Ward he
came to me and asked what Mr.. Larned
meant by an assertion that he and his friend
were the owners Of the Credit Aobilier.
lie then said he would rather not take the
stock and the contract was TesCiUced.
Gir. Bingham asked me TO invest some
money for him in such stocks or things that
/ knew would pay. Well, be furnished me
about s. $50, Invested in 20 shares OF
tfEtIlb MpoAI'tg dLL1 Ilc B1LAhO ia lAIC
Iowa Falls and 5. OUX Ctr CCnt-aCtiTGC0m
paay stocks. [ settled up that.ms.tar WITH
nim in 1870. [. think l paid him the
amount due and took the stock Off Of hi,
hands at his desire.
AS to Sir. Garfield, l agreed 10 get 10 shares
Of stock fer him and hold it Gngil be could
uay for it. He never did pay for or receive 1t
As 10 BIZ. Byu-Tel, / offered hi1 some
of this stUCs, aud there was some negotiz-
lion. but il resulted in hiS not taking the
SOCK,
as TO LIr. Elliot, Of Massachusetts, ht
never agreed TO take any stock. l offered j
70 him, but he declined. / cannot there
fore, believe | ever mentioned his name iC
hLr. McComb, for l never had any reason &
suppose he would buy il.
Ng. Kelley, Of Pa, is another. l recon-
mended him TO bay, and he said he would
like 70, bat had u0g the money 10 spare to
pay for ii. | told him [ would carry il for
ulm till he W5s able TO pay for 1t. He
never took the stock. My recollection j:
very indistincJ IS 10 this case OF lis.
made loan TO him Of $1,000 / think
which he mas never settled. He regards the
stock as belonging to me. 1t being trans
action OF l0agsJanlilg aud Of small amount
TO me, have never given il special thong Int
Mr. Schuhald frequently talked with me
very early in the enterprise about having
some stock in the Credit MObilier, and
urged him to take some as ! did many OH.
eTs. 4r. ScHolcld agreed 10 take ten
shares. lie afterwards took l. and paid fol
one at par and interest. subsequently be
became dissatisfied with it, ASSUMING that
he had heard thai thGr3 was a PERSONAL re
spousibi.i.y au3 returned il. ! took it bach
aa had agreed 60 d. With him, as in almost
every instance had done.
As to Fowler, Of Tennessee, ! never sold
any stock to him, al1 he never received
any that I am aware Of
Jas. 7. Wilson also bought and paid f0I
ten shares, and so did Senator Allison
then q member Of the House.
MCU0mg wears | told him l have givar
one 20 Senator Conziing. IL is absolutely
untrue. 1 never said nOr did l ever agree
60 get him one, nor was he ever in'eTeste,
in the company.
have now stated, l believe, the eXac
facts in relation, not only TO all those par
ties upOa DC IcmDs' list Of names, but als'
in relation 90 I'll Of his stock to every mem
Der Of Congress- with all the particulars 0
such sales 50 far IS have any recollection
of cguIse Include under the word sale!
every transaction by which any member oi
Congress became entitled TO a share.
As TO what / said in my letter Of JanuarJ
% l can add little to what l have stated
The letter Of McComb, TO which it was