Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-29
motive was for the public good or to catch

| Answer-My object was to catch. the
Speaker if he was involved in this road, and
/ said further that If the Speaker Of the
House was engaged in such transactions it
was equal to dealing in Credit Mobilier
stock.
Blaine Rises to Explain:
Blaine was then sworn and said that the
contracting company in the Iowa Falls and
Sionx City Railroad were bis highly valued
friends, A. & P. Coburn, of Maine. In
January last in settling up some b1siness
with the Messrs. CoburD, he took quRnti-
| tY of stock In this road, for which he paid
about go In cash. This was the first Of his
ownership In the road. he holds the stock
| in his own name, and Congress, in his
judgment, is no more called upon to inves-
tigate than it would be TO inquire into the
weekly expenses of bis household. He
made the explanation without the slightest
reluctance. The road could not
possibly come before Congress
for anything. Blaine further testified that
he owned SIG shares, for which he paid
$3z, 500, and has ever since been living in
! hopes that they would draw dividend, but
up to this time they had not. Laughter
He was not generally in railroad business;
would like TO be in it more. Bought $4,000
worth of bonds from Ames, and paid him
| so cents on the dollar. At another time /
bought, think, $4,000 worth in Boston
| from him, for which, believe, paid him
so cents Old the dollar. That, believe,
was in the winter of 1870 or III. l turned
them in to the Messrs. Coburn, partly at
one price and partly at another; some of
them as high as 80, some at S5..
Logan ON the Anxious Bench.
Senator Logan, at the request of Mr..
Poland, made statement to the Commit
tee as follows:
have nothing whatever to conceal in
this transaction. Ames said agreed to
@urchase certain stock. l did so in 1867 or
| 1868. l agreed with him to purchase ten
shares of stock at par. 1 paid nothing to
Ames at that time and received no stock.
On the 20th June following Ames came to
me and said this stock was entitled to
dividend or dividends. he made . state
ment and gave it to me, which showed that
the dividends on stock up to that time paid
the amount due for it, and left balance of
1929. Ames handed me check for this
amount. had paid Ames no money and
| he had given me no stock or certificate of
| stock. l took the check with the under
standing that if / did not conclude to re-
ceive the stock In . few days, / would let
him know. l kept the check three or four
| days before asked cash upon 1t. Then l
presented it to the Sergeant-at-Arms, or in
! bis Office and received the money. l re-
tanned it for few days and thought about
| the matter. In the meantime | read q let
ter from friend, giving me some informa-
| ton about the matter, when went to
| Ames and told him would not take the
stock. He said, Very well, and remarked
| that it was good stock, or he thought 1t a
good investment or something that sort.
| paid him back 1929 with, think, 81 in
terest. Ames hesitated about the interest,
| the time having been so short, but insist
ed upon him taking it, and thus the matter
ended.
CoIfax AgaIn-A Series Of Sensations.
| II. G. Swami, CASHIER of the 1st National
| Bank of this district was the next witness.
| Swami stated he had brought the books OF
| the bauk with him containing the account
| of Schuyler Colfax in answer TO summons.
| Upon turning to the account of Colfsx,
Judge Poland put the following questions:
SGste whether it appears upon your books
that Colfax made deposit on the 22d OF
June, 1865.
Answer-Yes sir, s1,96S.68. [Great sen
sation.1
Question-Wen, what other deposits were
made ia June or July?
Answer-June %, S1,968.83; July I,
S40O; July s, $50; July 13, S1,543.S7.
| Sensation
Ouestion.-Wouldt the entry in this ledger
indicate whether the deposits were in cash
or checks?
| Answer.--No, sir.
Judge Poland then requested witness to
bring up the blotter or book upon which
the original entry Of these deposits were
made.
Witness replied he would. He then pro-
duced the following certificate OF deposit
upon being requested to do so:
| "Deposited with the First National Bank
by Schuyler Colfax, June 20, 1868, United
States and bank notes, $1,000; checks as
fellows: $3.50, $lS.6S, and $500. Total,
$1,96S.63."
Ouestion.-Wfll you look and see the
las. deposit made by Colfax p;ior to June
%?
Answer.-June l.
To a question of Ames witness replied
that of course he could not tell where the
money came from.
The examination of Sgann being con-
| cluded Ames said he desired to go over to
the other Committee.
Judge Poland-We have prior possession
of you. That is good in law. daughter
| POLAND announced that certain books of
Ames which the Committee desired were to
be exhibited tonight and the COMMITTEES sd-
journed until tomorrow.
| The ssOther Committee"-A Govern
ment Director and a $4,000 Check.
Wilson'S Committee met this P. NJ.
Benz. w. Spence, of Boston, was sworn.
Was employed by the Union Pacific
Railroad Co. from June, 1867, to June,
| 1871. Was cashier of the company. Knew
of an item of $4,000. Witness made the
payment March 9, 1871. He did not know
| what use was made OF the money. There
was some talk about it at the time between
Williams and Bushnell. The substance Of
their conversation was that the money was
used for the purpose of securing reversal
| of the action OF the Secretary of the Treas
ury. The payment Of $4,000 was in q
| check and TWO or three drafts. Witness
drew two checks, one for $24 800, which he
gave to G. NJ. Dodge, and the other for
| $4,000, which he gave to James +. Wilson,
a Government director. The remaining
| $4,000 was made up by draft on Nor
gan & Sons, New York, and given to Bush
| nell.
j. +. Wilson, who was standing near the
Chairman, said he should like to settle this
question right here. He should merely
| like to have an opportunity to explain, and
to see whether q check Of that kind was
given hfm.
Hoar said the gentleman should have an
| opportunity to be heard. ..-...-. .
Witness, resuming testimony, remarked
that he had no personal knowledge as to
how money wss applied, but during the
Senatorial contest In New Hampshire in
1870, E. IL. Rollins said the company
would have to help him. Rollins was try
ing to get Cragin's place.
Wilson then, by permission OF the Com
mittee, closely questioned witness, who
said that on the 9th of March, 1871, he
handed to Wilson check for $4,000 in
the office of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company, at or near bis desk. The check
was first made payable to the order of wit
ness, and then to the order Of E. 81. Rol-
| lins. at the National Bank of Commerce.