New-York tribune., 1873-01-29
ANOTHER QUESTION OF vERACrTY.

ANOTHER QUESTION OF vERACrTY
A TROUBLESOME WITNESS IN THE WILSON COM
mITrRE-HE TELLS THINGS WHICH ARE UN-
pLRAsANT-MESSRS. AME5. ALLEY, AND J. v.
WILSON.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO TnE TRTBUsgIs
WAsufsGTON, Jan. 28.-Thc Wilson Com
ittee as public well know, have thus Far met with
little success their efforts 10 discover where the m
ING funds OF the Union Pacific Railroad have gone ThS
previous Witnesses although interested In the Company
70 the extent Of Millions and devotng their entire timo
10 its service and in addition, having access 10 ah
the books and accounts. have shown remark
ab,e Iark of care and want OF inteih
oenco in the management OF ts funds Ihe
witness to-day, was Mr.. Spence. formerly the cn'ei
clerk and treasurer IN the once Oh tno on
Pacific Railroad In Boston. Why ne was caieu !" ''0
stand instead OF some OF the more important witnesses
ia not known for there enough OF the very nsoS'
At hand The committee-room was crowded TO such
nont that not half the auditors could DO seated anu
they were packed and Jammed together equh W '"0
crowd in the Poland Committee at its most Interesting
sessions. Behind tho witness was an uhirionop
crowd consisting OF oakes games. John b. Aie,'
sidney Dillon John Duff, Horace r. Csf.
.r0,strs scbelI James +. Wilson, and others
Of considerable prominence before the public Inc wiz
mesa was called 10 give testimony &ganst the manage
ment of the Union Pacific Railroad Company ana was
mot as the Chairman said, volunteer, rs han oeo"
charged, He was a young man, and tesnheu toa' u"
had been an accountant for 20 years his relations
TO the Company testified to his knowledge oil inc mlS
ing extra legal expense fund of s12Ooo and 10 o'her
matters which we're not reshed by the previous VIII
neses who we're present He had not been on the saho
half a hour before had made favorable impression
ON all disinterested persons present He dd not 'ou"
teer any Information He offered no expianauohS hor
exouse He did not assume to have knowledge on mat
ters except as they under his own oDserVsuoh
Ua answered every question briefly, modesty. con
cisely and directly and there feeling on all sizes
that he was testifying 20 the truth without roSe'a
ton Considerable interest was shown when DO
produced memorandum which aided MN IN
drawing tho checks for the $4,000 Tor legai
fees. In March, 1871. This. ne said, had been
furnished him by Treasurer Williams and upon III no
had drawn various checks enough to amount 10 Uho
exact sum of sl26OOO One check for $4,000 WIS gwen
TO Gen. G. NJ Dodge Of Iowa. and another Tor 'Ooo "a"
given to James f. Wilson Of iowa. at that time ado'
ernment director Neither was made payaole 10 'no
order of the gentlemen named witness gave the cnecS
to them in person. and stated his position In the ONCE
the time and the circumstances The rest Oh tho o"eJ
WAS paid out in three drafts TO Bushnell
Soon after this testimony Mr. Wilson entered the room
inst "a his name was pronounced by the witness he
inquired at once. What Wilson do you refer tof no
WAS answered, james +. Wilson OF Iowa" Az ths
point there decided sensation among tho con''
mttee and the spectators and there was the most op
nressye stiffness for an instant Mr Wilson stepped
forward somewhat excited, and said "Sow want to
settle this thing right here" and was proceeding 10
speak bis mind when he Interrupted quito Sharply
by Committeeman Hoar, who objected to su'a interrup
lion, and told Mr. Wilson no wod have an opportunity
to be heard on the subject.
The witness UNDERSTOOD as he said. that the s6,0n
was to be used for lobbying purposes Treasurer WI
lams understanding the same thing When che Com
mittce had finished with Mr. Spence, Mr.. Wilson was
ven an opportunty to question the witness. who sti
affirmed that he bad given his quoitioner check OF
$40 600 ont Of the s26cO at the Comp1nys Office in Bos
ton After he had questioned the witness Mr. Wilson
made "A hat denial that he had ever used or ap-
prOpriated dollar OF the Company's fund. OK
cept his salary q Government director he
said tho only possible manner he could suggest WAS
that he might possibly have taken check 10 hand to
third person. but Of this he had recollection. He
subsequently made statement and then was put under
a very rigid examination by messrs 5neilabsrger
and Hoar as to his conduct in declining 10 sit upon the
Committee to audit the extra legal expense account and
in this he appeared In very unfayorabe light as re
CARDS his duty as director He weakened his position
greatly by being too talkaye but the Committee ap-
parenty are not satisfied that he received the check
his own behalf.
Mr. Ames cross-examined the witness with much
anger trying TO show that he had been discharged for
improper conduct To this Mr. Spence exhibited letter
FROM the principal officers of the Company. including
Ames Alloy, Rollins, aud Others speaking Of him and
his character and services In the highest terms The
treatment Of the witness the part OF Oakes Ames
seemed to be very brutal He went Mr. Spence after
the Committee had adjourned and before ANYBODY had
left the room, and called him. with an expleye. iar
and demanded why be had given such testimony
PROCEEDINGS IN THE WILSON COMMITTEE.
TESTIMONY OF BENZ. W. sPENCE-MoRE PAR