New-York tribune., 1873-02-10
THE CREDIT MOBILIER.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.


DOUBTS THAT oAKEs AMEs WILL RETURN
ALARMING HINTS ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF
THAT MEMORANDUM Bo0K-A WISE MOVE
BY MR.. COLFAX.
PRON A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP THB TRIBUNE /
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Certain friends of
oakes Ames when asked about theprobabe date OF his
return, shrug their shoulders significantly and say "He
If in hurry TO back and show that memorandum
book" number OF members OF the House assert their
belief that he viii not make his appearance before the
4h of March, and these skepucal gentlemen get daily
arcessions TO their ranks. "Why should he back
said intimate friend of Mr.. Ames yesterday; " he
doesn't mean show the memorandum book IL he can
help IT, and he was positively ordered by Judge Poland
10 bring it, 40 he dare not return without 1t.
He told me before he left that it would
never do to show that lboOk,i and that there were
things in II which ought not TO be made ipuble" The
prevalent suspicion that the book contains evidence
OF Credit Mobier transactions with members OF Con
whose names have not been brought out yet and
that these transactions were not sales OF stock, but
direct payments OF money brbes out Of the dividends
received by Ames on the held by him trustee
OF which he has rendered no account The Committee
did not press him with questions about these shares 1t
will be remembered. They asked him II any OF them
belonged to members Of Congress, and when he gave
negative they dropped the subject at Mr.
Ames has said since. in the presence Of several
persons that he intends 10 give ex-senator
Fowler Of Tennessee the dividends ten shares as
soon the trouble blows over" He said that Mr.
Fowler did not take the shares but that he considered
himself under obligations To him. Perhaps he is under
obligations TO other and intends 10 hand part
Of the Credit Mobier punder to them when the trouble
blows over and possibly he has made them payments
account which are noted in his memorandum book. 1t
Is certain that he has strong motive for not show
ing the book He woud not have left il at home, when
he on after the holidays. bringing with him few
extracts from it, If he had not had motive for
cealingt
On Saturday morning the Hon. Robert g. Hale, Mr.
CofaIs attorney appeared before Judge Polands Com
mittee and insisted that Ames should be compelled to
return forthwith and produce the memorandum book
telegram wac at once sent to Mr. Ames, and reply
was received in the afternoon that he would reach
Washington on Tuesday Mr.. Hale's move was a
gaciOus for the interests Of his client II the book s
produced and found TO contain the entry of which Mr.
Ames professed to produce copy Mr.. Coax will be
of than he is now while If the book never comes
TO light he will be able 10 say that Mr. Ames did not
dare 10 produce IT, because there were no such entries in
II as he pretended.
There is another witness who in great demand and
whose friends express doubts of seeing HIN in Washing
ton before the expiration Of the session. This witness is
Gen. Grenvie NJ Dodge of Iowa. late chief engineer Of
the Union Pacific Railroad, and now chief engineer OF
the Southern Pacific Gen. dodge was sent TO Congress
1866 from the Council Bluffs District OF Iowa, and
chiefly occupied during the two years Of his term in
looking out for the interests ofshe Pacific Railroad He
held his Office OF chief engineer all the time he
in Congress. He seems to have continued to
serve the road in Washington in emergencies after
he ceased 10 be member Of Congress. He
aided In getting the transportation amendment put upon
the Army Appropriation bill in ls7l and, according to
testimony taken by the Wilson Committee, received
$40O OF the fund Of $4,000 expended for special legal
services atWashngton empoyed in securing that legs
lation The Committee want Gen. Dodge to explain and
directed him. fortnight TO come on at once. He
replied from place in Texas that he on bis way
10 Washington. The Committee afraid that he will
continue be his way until the ith OF March. The
Wilson Committee examined no witnesses on Saturday.
The Senate Credit Mobilier Committee held their first
session Saturday, but did nothing but discuss the
scope OF their inquiry and arrange for future proceed
ings It's given out that the examination OF witnesses
viii be made in public II any called. The proper
for this Committee to pursue is still the subject
Of discussion Seyera Senators in conversation to-day
expressed the opinion that the Committee should call
the implicated Senators and ask them If they wished to
summon any witnesses TO explain or cOntroyert any
thing there is in the testimony they wished To make
any further statement This would probably make the
investigation OF the Committee very brief and enable
them TO report within few days The Committee will
meetpgain on Monday.