The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-14
MIR, COLFAX,s DEFENCE.

$1,000 of It in letter from Mr.. MIS-
BIT, of New York, (Since dead) as a
present, the Washington correspondent
OF the Cincinnati Commercial says:
The evening session OF the committee,
wbereat Mr.. COlfax was understood to
explain his possession Of the $1,000, is re-
garded as even moro unfortunate. COL
faI's explanation is voted too thin, and
when he concluded there was a smile OF
iucredulily passed over the countenances
Of the spectators. Instead Of helping the
case, 1t Is the general opinion that he in
jured It.
In Justice 10 Mr.. CoLFAx, we append
his explanation which We were not able TO
print when it came TO US by telegraph.
First We have his own statement:
"Of the deposit, bills oftwo hundred dol
lars, 1 am positive, were paid me by my
steplather, Matthews, on account Of a
debt he owed me. In December, 1857,
paid four hundred and flfty-fve dollars
for piano, bought for his daughter, the
check for which is in bank, and l agreed
10 wait for the most OF it until summer,
when be expected to be better able to pay
Inc. After my nomination in May, 1868,
l had numberless appeals for contribu'
lions for political expenses in various To-
calities, for professions, bands, charity,
religious aid, &C., and l promised to con-
tribute as promptly and largely as posi-
BILE to the legitimate expenses Of the can.
vass in my sharply contested State Of In
diana. l therefore asked Natives topsy
me his Indebtedness as soon as he could,
so as to assist me in meeting those de-
mands incident TO my new position.
During the month Of June, 1868, and as
nearly as can fix theItime about the
18th Of the month, he paid me 5000
in bills on account, and early in the next
month he paid mo another installment,
completing the payment before Congress
adjourned late in July. l am very con-
fident that this two hundred dollars form.
ed part OF this twelve hundred dollar de.
post, being part of my cash receipts be.
tween the deposits of June l and %.
"About the time ofthis paymentrand as
near as can fix the date,about the middle
OF the month Of June, and very soon after
the payment of Matthews, l was open.
ing my letter mail OF the table, in accOr-
dance with my usual custom, and found
an envelope within another envelope, post
marked New York. On opening the IN
der envelope found 1t contained letter
written by Geo. W. Nesbitt, congratu-
lating me most cordially and warmly on
my nomination for the Vice Presidency,
and saying that the writer desired to send
me, conadenually, the remittance inclosed
to aid mo in the heavy expenses of the
canvass, but wished it kept secret, as
neither his family nor any one would eV-
or know 1t unless l told them. 1nClosed
in this was greenback National bank
note for one thousand dollars. 1t was as
gratifying as it was liberal, and, holding
up the letter and bill, l asked the atten-
ton of all my family to it, and then read
TO them the letter. The fact ofSendingso
large bill by mil was commented upon,
and the magnitude of the gilt was discuss
ed, when Matthews remarked that 1t came
in good time, either he or I referring to
the appeal OF Conner, tho Chairman Of
the Indiana Republican Committee, for
money to aid in arranging forthe canvass
already in actual progress there. The
bill was then passed around from hand to
hand and examined. am sure depos-
tied 1t with the two hundred dollars / had
received from Matthews, and purchasing
on tho very same day, as the bank books
show, draft for the exact amount ofthis
remittance, and in exact accordance with
the donors wish, and exactly as discussed
at my table az tho time, sent It at once to
the Chairman Of the Republican Commit
tee at Indianapolis. Fortunately this does
not rest on my own testimony alone; liV.
ing witnesses will tell the committee they
remember the receipt oil this bill and the
contents of the letter in which it wRs in
closed, and that it was at once discussed
how it should be used to carry out Mes
bits desire, and the draft presented and
sworn to by the cashier OF the bank,
proves that the very day 1 deposited
twelve hundred dollars in bills l bought
and RENTED out Of my deposit draft Of
$1,000 to the Chairman Of the Indiana
State Committee. That draft, Endorsed
by the committee, was found in bank
here and laid before your committee the
next day after the bank deposit was certi-
fled to, my counsel at the time promising
to connect it with my evidence. Myiamily
at the time consisted of mother, since de-
ceased, my step.iather, Mr., Matthews, and
my hall sister, Mrs. HOLSTER, whose resi-
dence Is in q distant town beyond tho
Rocky Mountains,
II said 1t was fortunate there were liv.
ing witnesses to this transaction besides
myself, for on thorough examination of
the accounts and papers Of Nesbitt by his
executor at my request, (Nesbitt having
died next year, no trace is there found.
He had carried out exactly what he wrote,
that 1t was intended to be confidential,
unknown even to his family, and if it was
revealed it would have to be by me, and
he evidently sent it in bill, the more
surely to accomplish the object,
The following are tho statements Of
MIR. G. ". Matthews, Mr.. Coliax's step.
father, and of Mrs. HOLSTER and Mrs.
Cowles his sisters.
Mr.. Matthews testified that he was the
step.father of Mr., Coltax, and resided
with him in 1867 and 1868, and borrowed