Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-07


Can you state what Mr.. Ames said
about it, and whether he said any
thing about buying it back from
you?
A. He did. He said I will buy
the stock back again. / said to him
that l did not wish to sell it, that
I would return it.
q. Please state all that occurred
in that conversation.
A. l remember very well. He
threw down something of mere
nominal value, and said, 81 will
buy it Of YOU l replied to him,
"You may call it what you please,
Mr.. Ames."
q. Did you suggest to him the
propriety OF resale, or did he sug-
gest it to you?
A. l am entirely sure that he
suggested it to me. l had no idea
of q resale because | had never con-
sidered that had the stock.
Q. Mr.. Ames has left the i'm
preston, perhaps, that that was a
mere ruse so that the stock might
be considered yours In case the
litigation turned out favorabIy to
the credit mobilier, but not other
wise. l want to ask you about
that.
"A. That could not be true, and
Mr.. Ames could not have so under
stood it, think, from anything that
was said.
Z. What was said about that
litigation at the time?
a. l do not remember. Mr..
Ames may have said to me that
there was some litigation about the
stock or about the railroad, but it
made no impression on me as hay
ing anything to do with our transac-
ton. 1t had nothing to do with my
resolution to return the stock in any
way.
Q. You had made up your mind
after Your denomination to return
it?
\. Yes; | had Il contest in my
re nomination and contest in my
reelection, in which the whole
matter Of the Sioux City railroad
was the chief topic Of discussion. |
held debates during the canvass with
my competitor in which that was
was the chief topic, and believing
that it was wise thing not to be
interested in any matter that would
be questioned before my constitu-
cnts, this stock was never taken nor
held by me, except as stated here
toiore. This contest, l will say,
began early in 1868, when the news
papers began to assail me, as to the
improperly of my holding an in
terest in the Sioux City d Pacific
railroad. thought, as said, that
it was prudent thing to have no
interest in these matters; and want
to say that l have no interest in any
matter covertly, that | am not will
ing the public at any time should
not know all about
Q. Your recollection is distinct
that that contest and the matter
growing out Of it, and not the litiga-
ton with Mr.. McComb, instigatcd
and induced you not to take the
| stock?
\. am very clear in that state
ment.
g. And l understand also that
your recollection is very clear that
you did not intend to hold on to
this stock in any event after the
conversation you had with Mr..
! Ames?
| a. Very clear, if you allude to
the conversation in 1869.
| Q. Was anything said by you or
| by Mr.. Ames to that effect?
| A. Nothing in any way to in
dicate any intention that, | should
hold the stock either by him or by
me. On the contrary, | must have
given him distinctly to understand
that ] had no desire to be connected
with it, and he must have 50 under
stood it, | think, at the time.
9. | do not know whether you
have stated the date of that >onver-
sation between you and Mr.. Amcs
or not in which You would not take
the stock.
| a. We had more than one con-
vcrsAtion in reference to that sub
ject. | could not give the exact
date. The last one was about the
time the check was given, in Febru-
airy, 1869.
Q. Why did not you return the
certificates to him at that time?
A. The certificates had been
transmitted to New York, and were
in New York with 4 considerable
number of other papers, as stated.
l offered to give Mr.. Ames an order
for these certificates, and he said
that was not necessary, as the
stock was already in his name on
the books Of the company, and he
could draw the dividends, and that
could hand him the stock at my
convenience.
Q. The certificates remained
tNefc until you IetuTneu Win your
papers to Dubuque?
A. Yes; when left congress l
took the papers to my homo and
afterward returned the stock to Mr..
Ames.
| Q. You seem not to have written
him any letter at the time you re-
turned the stock?
A. am not certain about that.
| do not recollcct whether | wrote
him anything or not. | should say
there was some memorandum con-
ncctcd with it. But | would not be
certain with reference to that. l
should say that / wrote him 4 note
suggesting the fact that l returned
him the stock.
What | have stated in relation to
the whole affair is from memory,
without memoranda before me, ex-
cept as to the check; and not having
charged my mind with the details,
| may be in error as to some Of
them.