Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-03-13
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C0kEAX AGAIN.

Indiana, and received an ovation from
thousands of people Of that city and
all the country round about. He made
. lengthy speech in vindication Of
himself, in which he brought to bear
many strong points to that end, in
Guiding the two following letters
which are worthy Of all credit.
OFFICE SERGEANT-AT-ARMs,)
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Washington, March, 1872
DEAR SIR: When Mr.. Amcs made
the deposit Of 81 600 in June, 1868, in
this Office, my mind was naturally ex-
cited as to the purpose he had in view,
and was all at sea till the checks were
presented. Then l surmised that Mr..
Ames was the acting chairman of some
investigating committee, and that as
the contingent fund Of the House was
exhausted, he was paying the expenses
of the committee himself till an APP
preparation should DO made. am
very confident that the checks to ini-
tials or bearer were all paid to Mr..
Ames himself, and especially the one
of $1,000 marked "To s. C. or bearer
! then thought he was, himself, draw
ing the sslion's share" Of his own de-
post. These thoughts had passed out
of my mind till Mr.. Ames came into
the Office this session and demanded
that his checks should be shown him.
The moment saw them recOllected
all these thoughts of four years before
as wildly as though they had occur
red the day before, and a. soon as Mr..
Ames had retired, / remarked to Mr..
Ordway, the Sergeant-at-Arms, that I
had paid that 1900 as. c." check to
Mr.. Ames himself, and how had paid
| it, namely: in two $500 and two $lOO
notes. was demonstrated with, how
ever, and urged not to testify under
oath to such belief, as it was improba-
BILE that l should recollect transactions
of such q character four years. Being
unfamiliar with the laws Of evidence,
I very naturally did not at first state
my strong impressions, but testified az
to facts only. At my second examina-
ton, however, l freely stated these
strong impressions, and If had had
the self-possession of one accustomed
to courts, l would have stated the
foundation of these decided impress
sions. This strong impression that !
had paid this s. G. check to Ames was
confirmed by himself in answer to q
question l put to him only the day be.
fore my second examination. asked
him: sDid not pay that check to you
| Mr.. Ames Z" Aud he replied: 81
think it is very likely" Indeed, the
more 1 have thought of the whole
matter, the more l am convinced thai
Mr.. Ames drew the money for the
$1,000 IS. c." check himself. If he
had, when writing it, intended it fol
you, why did he not, as he did with
several others who have acknowledg.
ed the receipt Of the money, write the
name in full. All the members who
are charged with the initial checks de.
ny ever having seen them, and re.
peat, Us testified at my second exam.
ination, that my very strong impress.
sion is that paid all the initial checks
to Mr.. Ames himself rendering my
c0ngratuIation OH what | regard al
your triumphant vindication from the
wcll-arranged plot to injure you in
the estimation Of the people, am
very respectfully and truIy,
MOSES DILLON, Cashier.
Mr.. Colfax continued:
OFFICE EVENING Press Asso'N,l
Washington, Mar. 5, '73.}
On the next evening of the day al.
ludcd to, Mr.. Amos came into the
room Of friend upon whom l was
calling at the Arlington House, and
after q talk to some extent on various
matters, he said with much earnest
ness that he was surprised TO see that
you had stated before the Poland corn.
inittcc that he (Ames) still owed you
the sum you had originally paid him
as subscription to the stock Of the
Credit Mobilier. "Colfax astonished
me- said Mr.. Ames, ssand have been
looking up the matter 10 see IL he ID
correct. | remember well his paying
| me $500, and his coming to me after.
wards and saying that he had conclud.
ed to back out Of the transaction bu,
my memory is clear, and in fact
know that l paid him back his money
at that time, and the matter was then
closed up without his taking the stock
or my paying over to him any divi.
dends." l was much impressed with
what Mr.. Ames said, and believed, as
he stated, that you had never taken
the stock or received any of the divi.
dends, and confess that, as between
the public statement made after his
conversation with me, in which he
maintained that you took the stock
and received the dividends, and hi.
private statement, felt that 1 must &C.
cept the latter, believing that Mr.
Ames in his former statement, was in.
duenced by some unexplained motive
In the six years have represented
leading papers East and West at the
capital, among the very few men in
Congressional life whose integrity
never heard impeached or called in
question, you are one. The recent
Credit Mobilier investigation has not
shaken my Judgment and / feel that
when the public excitement Subsidies
and the facts can be looked at dispas.
sionately, the people will continue to
trust you, as they ever have In the past
Sincerely yours,
~ w. SCOTT SMITH.