The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-31
COLFAx GETS BEYOND HIS DEPTH.
He is convicted of Fulsohood and Perjury

special urpairh 20 The chicago tribune.
WAsHINOroN, Jan. 2S.-The ruin Of
Coliax is only little less complete than
that of Senator Patterson Last week the
Vice President stated on oath to Judge
Poland Committee that he had not re
ceiyed 81 ga from takes Ames in June,
1865 that Ames' checks upOn the Ser
geant-at Arms for that amount in favor of
= G. had never been seen by him that
he was positive OF this because he could
not possibly have received that amount Of
money from any source without recOllect-
ing IT, To-day the books Of the First
National Bank Of Washington were pro
duced and Coltax's account was examiu-
ed There appeared q credit NJ 2 ,q6S 80,
dated june -, 1865, two days after the
date of Ames checks tu = c. ON the
Sergeant-at- Arms, and one day after that
check was paid This promised only pre-.
sumptivc proof Of the deposit OF the 81.
2OU, but all doubt was removed when the
cashier produced deposit ticket bearing
COltaN signature In which 81 ,qGN. GG
was itemized, $1,000 being in cash, and the
rest checks or drafts. The circumstantial
evidence In COltax.s case is. therefore
complete. Ames swears that he drew n
check on the SergeIut-at. Arms in favor Of
= e. for $1,000 ON the Goth 0t June
1865, and gave il 10 Coltax in payment OF
the Credit Nlobilier dividend The Ser
geant. alarms produced the cheek, dated
june 20, and shows that il was cashed on
the 2lst, and charged to Ames' account.
On the I'D Coltax deposits exactly 81 200
IN cash in the bank. Now, unless he can
prove that he received the 81 200 from
some other source, his case is hopeless.
and he cannot escape a verdict Of guilty Of
talsehood and PERJURY
At the very time that the Cashier of the
First National Bank was exhibiting the
tell tale accounts in the Poland Committee
room, a strange scene was being enacted il
the Senate. The Vice President. after the
prayer, called the Senate tO order, pre-
sented one or two communications from
the other House and from the Executive
department, and then, in the midst of
painful silence, read from half sheet o.
note paper a request that a Committee o
his political opponents be appointed to in
vesugate the damaging accusations tina
had been made against him and calleC
Mr. Anthony a. the chair. No more i'm
presslye event has occurred in the Senat,
for many a day than when the Vice Presi
dent left the Chamber, and Senator Pratt
apparently very much affected, moved tn,
appointment OF Committee Of Five Mr.
Thurman, whose head is always clear OF
points Of constitutional law, though he OF
ten differs with the majority, was at one
on his feet, urging objection in a FIVE min
ute speech. He showed that the Senat
had no right to appoint a Committee @
Investigation, since, if anything detrimen
tai ~ the character of the Vice Presiden
was discovered, that body could neithe
eXpel nor censure him The only way q
reaching the case was by impeachment
and that must be begun by the House q
its own accord, without any influence fror
the Senate If the Senate should appoin
Committee and make an investigation
itself it would disqualify its members t
sit a. impartial judges Mr.. Thurman
argument was so convincing that, when
ri'1 roee vote was taken at its close, onl
two or three voted for the resolution. Thi
action leaves the matter as far as the Sen
ate Is concerned, Just where it was before
and the only chance left for the Vice Pres
ident, unless he can break through the ne
Of circumstantial evidence that is grad,
ally drawing closer and closer about hin
is 70 request some friend in the House /
present articles Of impeachment, sayin
that he does it at Coltax request. in o.
der that he may have fair trial befol
his peers in the Senate.