Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-26

Oh attorney General, are maue elCVllNc.
CONPL ETE TINDICATION or SPEAK-
Err BLAINE IN THE OFFICIAL RE-
PORT or THE CREDIT MOBLlER
COMMITTEE.
We have received copy of tho official
report OF Judge Poland :. select Committee
on the Credit Mobilier, with all the testi-
mony taken before it. Ii Is large vol.
nmc of 522 pages, and We have extracted
from it all the testimony in connection
with Speaker Blaine's name. and herewith
append ii.
Hon. Jslaes q. Blaine, Speaker OF the
House, was sworn before the Committee on
Dec. l2th, and testified as follows:
"With the leave of the committee | will
submit my testimony in writing, for the sake of
accuracy, and when Kaye finished | shall OF
course, answer any questions which the COM
mttee may desire 20 ask by way Of examine
ton or cross-eXamination.
Aud wish to state without reservation or
qualification that | never owned a share of
stock in the Credit Mobiler in my life, either
by gift, purchase, or in any way whatever.
Nor did | ever receive, either directly or in
directly, single cent derived in any manner
or shape from the Credit Mobiier or from the
Union Pacific Railroad Company. No per.
son holds, or ever did hold for me, any stock
in either corporation as agent or trustee or
in any capacity whatever. l wish my testi-
mony to be taken as exhaustive, and as in
tended to exclude every form or phase of
ownership in the Credit Mobilier or the Union
Pacific Railroad Company, both past and
present.
desire further to state that some time in
the spring Of 1868, the precise date / will not
affirm, Mr.. Cakes Ames asked me one day if
l would like to purchase some stock in the
Credit Mobilier. lie said it would prove n
good investment, and he would sell me ten
shares of the stock ct rate somewhat above
par. think some ten hundred and sixty dollars
for the ten shares. We had some converse
ton in regard to the matter, and Mr.. Ames
told me very frankly that in regard to these
shares there was d lawsuit either pending or
threatened, though he said his right to sell the
shares was perfect and undoubted. conclud-
ed that did not desire to purchase the stock,
and therefore declined Mr.. Ame.'s offer.
beg to say. however. in justice to Mr..
Ames, but more especially in justice to my
self, that it never occurred to me that he was
attempting to bride me, or in any way int,u-
l understood him to say that he was the own
er OF more of the stock than he wished to
carry, and was Offering some of it 10 his
friends at cost and interest to him, slight
advance above par value. The amount offer
ed to me was very small, and made little i'm
preston on my mind indeed, well nigh
forgotten until recalled By the incidents which
led to this investigation
Mr.. Ames never offered me any of the
stock at any other time than as have Just
narrated, nor was any of the stock ever of
fered to me a. any time by ''any other per-
son or corporation"
BY the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Have you any knowledge in re-
lation to any dealing between Mr.. Ames and
any other member of the House Of the char
acter referred to ?-Answer. None whatever,
and | never heard of any until this publica-
ton. Mr.. Ames is present, and desire to
ask him whether the statement I have lust
made is correct.
Mr.. AMEs. Yes, sir; your statement cor
responds substantially with my recollection
Of the facts.
BY MIR. MERRICK:
Question. Have You any knowledge OF
Of sny other member of Congress owning
stock in the Credit Mobilier:-Answer
None whatever: not the remotest, other than
from the general newspaper reports. / have,
of course. seen these; and aside from them
have no knowledge of the subject in any
shape or manner, except as pertains to my
self, as just given in my testimony.
On the 18th OF December Cakes Ames
made his first general statement in regard to
the subject taking up the names in order. The
following is his testimony in rcg'rl TO Mr.
Blaine.
JAMES G.. BLAINE.-You have heard Mr.
Blaine's testimony in advance of mine and my
acquiescence therein. He declined the stock
and nothing more need be said.
On the 22d of January Mr.. Ames in obedi-
ence to the orders of the committee produced
transcripts Of his accounts with those who
had dealt in Credit Mobilier stock. Ques.
tons were propounded touching each man.
The following contains oil that was said
touching Mr.. Blaine.
Q-You testified before in relation 10 the
matter between you and Speaker Blaine. You
heard his statement, did you "A. Yes, sir
O. Do you wish to make any further
statement in reference to the transaction be-
tween you and him?-A No, sir.
Q. Did he ever pay you anything "A.
No, sir.
-. L on never pald MN anything "A. i
did not; his name is not on my books at all.
@. There was conversation between you,
in reference to his becoming the purchaser of
Credit Mobilier stock, but it never amounted
10 anything?-A. 1t did not.
q. Then whatever was the talk between
you in reference to this transaction, he never
made any investment?-A. No, sir.
Q. And never derived any advantage from
the conversation, or in connection with Credit
Mobilier stock in any way "A. No, SIT;
only the advantage of being abused
On the 18th day of February Mr.. Ames
produced his famous Memorandum Book"
and exhibited all the entries therein. Mr..
Blaine's name was not on the book at all, and
Mr.. Ames again testified that he had no deal"
ings with Mr.. Blaine in regard to Credit Mo-
bilier. This embraces all the testimony and
the Committee in their report make this brief
and emphatic summary of Mr.. Blaine's case:
"Among those who have in the public press
been charged with improper participation in
Credit Mobilier stock is the present Speaker,
Mr.. Blaine, who moved the resolution for this
investigation. The committee have, therefore,
taken evidence In regard to him. They tnd
Nt..U,