The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-02-18
WASHINGTON.
Credit MObiIier.
Proceedings Before the Select
Senate Committee.


the printed testimony taken before the roland
Committee L. P. Morton of New York was
sworn and testified that his firm had no iran
sactions whatever with Senator Paterson IN
reference to Credit Mobiler stock. he ad-
dressed a letter to witness some time ago max
ing such inquiry and witness repHed IN tne
negative Since then he discovered In their
safe an envelope containing twenty shares OF
Credit MobiIier stock of which he had no know
ledge before. He Immediately advised Patter-
son of the fact, and sent him certificate. The
stock was endorsed by Ames to j. w. Patter-
son or Morton, Bliss & Co. Witness did not
know how the stock came into his possession.
He had the impression it was handed to them
by Ames.
Question-Who was the stock issued to on
its face?
Answer-To Cakes Ames, or Cakes Ames
trustee, forget which.
On his way to New Hampshire Senator Pat
terson called upon witness and they had con-
versaton, but witness was unaware of the ex-
lstence OF the envelope at that time in the
safe. He thought the envelope bore the date
OF May, 1871, on it, besides the name of Sena-
ator Patterson. He was not sure of that, how
ever. The name of Senator Patterson was en-
dorsed on the envelope by a clerk in the employ
of the firm who is not with them now. The
firm of which witness is member had fire.
quent business transactions with Ames, but
none in reference to the Credit MObilier. AT
one time Ames handed them 800 shares of I'm
it be sold on a favorable market, which was
done. 1t was not possible for witness to estab-
blish the fact as to how the envelope came into
their possession, it having remained with them
for several years. 1t was almost a daily occur
renee to have parcels left with them for safe
keeping. The witness had no knowledge of
Patterson's having written to the firm since the
stock was sold to him.
Cakes Ames was sworn. He had no recol-
lection of leaving Credit Mobilier stock with
p NJ III a,,6n fta
stock over to Patterson and would show the
date. Witness further testified as follows:
l saw the envelope Patterson received. He
showed it to me Thursday or Friday last and
said he was mistaken. He thought he never
had the stock, but found that he had and had
called to rectify his statement and to state that
l was correct In my testimony.
BY Mr.. Stevenson-Witness could not re-
member the date of the first conversation he
had with Mr.. Patterson about purchasing Cred
it Mobilier. Patterson paid for it the Sd OF
August 1867.
Odd he tell you what the $4,000 was for
when he gave it to you?
A. why. of course.
Question by Mr.. Stockton-When Patterson
called on you Thursday or Friday, did he say
anything to you to indicate no" he had chang
Ale showed aRlG the letter from Morton,
and the stock certificates endorsed in my hand.
writing He said he thought L must have put
it there, but cannot bring anything mind
to convince me that ever did.
Witness had never knowa Credit MObilier to
sell higher than $3.50; had also received $4,000
from Patterson to invest in income bonds and
stock of the U. p road.
Q.-After you invested the first $4,000 did you
inform Patterson?
Al presume SO. gave him his dividends
in February, and he must have known then
that had invested it. The names of Morton,
Bliss & Co., We're endorsed on the stock by
witness at the request of Patterson to enable
them to sell, as well as Patterson
The committee took recess
Ames testified in the afternoon session that
he sold the members stock on account of per-
sonal friendship as there was no legislation
pending respecting the railroad.
L. P. Morton was recalled and produced the
Credit Mohilier stock certificates with the en-.
velope enclosing it, left on deposit with him,
! which he said he had just received from Pat
terson. He ident fled the envelope and certi fl
Gates On the former was the following:
property of Hon. J. w. Paterson; see letter
to him May IL, 1871; so shares of the Credit
Mobilier of America; $4,000 U. P. railroad and
income bonds, Nos. 1856 and 1856; 800 shares
of the U. P. Railroad Co.. sold. Remarks, de-
livered $1,000 Union Pacific railroad to Hon. J.
w. Paterson, Aug. 10th, 1871. c. C. NJ
There also appeared on the envelope the fol
lowing words, which were scratched out:
Delivered 300 Union Pacific Railroad Go. to
Hon. j. w. Patterson. Jan. 18th, 1872
Witness further testified that he had con-
versation with Senator Patterson before this in
vestigation, and the Senator said he never had
| sold Credit Mobilier stock, but had Uuon Pa
eitic bonds.
| Ames was called and identified the hand
writing on the stock certificates as his. He
held this stock for Patterson.
Adjourned till tomorrow.
The Pomeroy Invcsiigafion.
In the Pomeroy Committee this afternoon
Mr.. Frelinghuysen announced that the investi-
CATION would be public, and one counsel will
be allowed on each side,
State Senator York was sworn and repeated
substantially the testimony given at Topeka
A sharp cross-examination by Mr. Horton
failed to shake any portion of York's testi-
mony.
State Senator VIM. A. johnson was sworn
and corroborated the statements of York as to
the plot to defeat Pomeroy, but knew nothing
of personal knowledge of the bribery, except
what York told him. Adjourned till to-mor-
row.
The Kansas Senatorial Case.
The report of the Senate Committee in the
Caldwell case rehearses the evidence taken, in
Guiding that of Smith, Caldwelrs former part
ner, as to the agreement with Carney,by which
the latter was paid 900 in consideration of
his withdrawal from the canvas. the correct
ness OF which is admitted by Carney. The
committee believe this arrangement corrupt,
against public policy, demoralizing in character
directly contributed to destroy the purity and
freedom OF the election, and no. to be tolerated
by the Senate as a means of procuring a seat
In that body. 1t was an attempt TO purchase
the votes of the friends of Carney. Caldwell
doubtless expected Carney could bring them
over to his support. 1t was at least tacit
part of the agreement that Carney should con-
ceal the mercenary part of the transaction and
place his withdrawal fran the canvas and the
support of Caldwell upon personal and politi-
cal considerations, that were honorable to hi M
self and would be attractive to his friends and
this he did If it was legitimate of Caldwell
to buy off Carney, it was equally legitima tie
to buy all those candidates. 1t was an attempt
to buy votes of members of the Legislature,
not by bribing them directly, but through the
the manipulations of another. The purchase
money was not to go to them but to Carney,
who was to sell and deliver them without their
knowledge: That Caldwell die. procure such
votes IN this manner the evidence leaves no
doubt. The buying off of opposing candidates
and in that way securing the votes of all or
most of their friends is in effect buying the
office. 1t recognises candidacy for Office as
mercantile commodity and having money
value, and is ms destructive of freedom and
purity OF elections as direct bribery of the
members of the Legislative Smith also testi-
hes as to paying Carney further sum of
$1,000 to meet the alleged expenses, and through
fear OF his withdrawal from the arrangement,
but Carney positively denies its receipt, and his
and other evidence go to show it was used in
directly in procuring votes, the money having
been placed by Mr.. Anderson, who drew It
from the bank on CaldwelPs check, on the ia
BILE in Carneys room, where it could be and
was conveniently carried off by the parties for
whom it was intended
As to Sidney Clarke, the Committee say that
an arrangement was concluded between Cald-
well and Stevens, a friend of Clarke, by which
Caldwell was to pay Clarke's expenses in the
canvass, estimated $4,000 to $4,000, and
Clarke withdrew in his favor, Clarke urging
his friends to support Caldwell who received
the votes of all but one of them. The money
however was never paid, but the fact that
Caldwell refused to pay it does not relieve the
character OF the transaction, and very probably
resulted in the exposure e Caldwell and the in
stitution OF an examination.
Clark and Carney each testify that Caldwell
told him hisIhis election cost him 100000, and
several other witnesses state the same thing,
while one witness says Caldwell told him the
money paid Carney was not more than ten per
cent of the whole cost of his election The
committee had much difficulty in tracing the
money transactions, but the evidence shows
that various sums, amounting to over $4,000
were drawn under circumstances that make it
probable that they were used to secure Cald-
wells election.
The committee have no reason to believe that
they have traced all the money used and have
taken no account of small sums shown to have
been paid by Caldwell for the expenses of his