The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-01-29
THE CREDIT MOBILIER.
Speaker Blaine Involved In Sioux
City stock.

Speaker Blaine Involved In Sioux
City Stock.
i WASHINGTON, January 2s.-At the
sittings OF Polsnd's Committee this morn
ing Speaker Blaine first appeared and 70.
Quested that Stevenson, who introduced
in the House the resolution Of inquiry
into the Sioux City road, to make his
sworn statement In support OF the allega'
tion that he (Blsine) was 9 stockholder In
that road. Mr.. Stevenson then testified
as follows:
Oakes Ames informed me that certain
members, including Allison, himself,
Blaine and other names he mentioned,
but he don't remember now, wereinterest'
ed in this railroad. He stated that there
was q construction contract similar to
that under which the Union Pacific bad
been built, and II we wanted to make an
examination we had better make an
examination OF all the roads having land
grants-we would find the Union Pacific
the best. He said Blaine had stock in his
own name or in the name ot Coburn, OF
Me-, who is wealthy and had agreed
to nut funds In Blaine's hands for such
investment. That Blaine had invested to
theexseLt OF one hundred thousand dol
lars; further that Blaine had recently pur.
chased bonds ol this company himself, Of
Ames, in order to settle with Coburn. |
think he said Blaine had purchased ten
thousand or twenty thousand dollars
worth OF bonds, aud paid him eighty cents
on the dollar. Coburn paid him ninety
cents on the dollar. In reply TO Blaine,
witness said this conversation occurred
few days before he offered the resolution.
Witness had all the details before he offer.
ed the resolution, and was quite sure such
conversation with Ames was not at the
Arlington House. After he offered the
resolution, witness received other intOr.
nation, but it was only hearsay. The ad'
ditional information came from John q
Alley, 10 whom witness was introduced
at the Arlington Hotel by Ames BE
(AllcV) stated that the Iowa Falls & Sioux
City Railway was organized In 1857. That
he and Samuel Hooper & Co., were stock.
holders. Ames and some gentlemen In
Boston, represented the company. He said
had no personal knowledge Of Elaine
being stockholder. Witness found that
the grant expired in 1865, but the time Of
completing the road was extended.
Mr.. Stevenson read the action Of the
House at that session on the bill.
NIr. Blaine: You don't mean TO say I
was Speaker then?
Mr.. Stevenson: No, but you were well
posted on rules.
Mr.. Stevenson then cited from the Jour-
nal ot the House, and said that Blaine
did not vote on the bill.
Mr.. Blaine asked him to explain certain
portions Of the journal, remarkiDR, !
studied the record also.
Mr.. Stevenson: don't need help, but
others may.
Mr.. Blaine requested that Ames be
called, whereupon he was examined by
Blaine and said: The conversation with
Stevenson took place al the dinner table
at the Arlington the day after he (Steven.
son) offered the resolution. / was laugh.
ing at him, and told him he had got hold
Of the wrong road; was very positive
Stevenson had no information from wit
ness before he offered the resolution.
Mr.. Blane-ThGn the allegation oil
Stevenson is not supported by your A.
No, sir.
Mr.. Blaine to Judge Poland-AmeS
told me the other day that the converse.
tion had with Stevenson took place after
the resolution was offered.
MIR. Stevenson 10 oAmes-You frequent.
ly stated. Mr.. Ames, that your recollec.
ton as to dates was not very distinct 7
A. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Blame then questioned Stevenson
as follows:
@. Did you have an anonymous or
other kind Of letter from Iowa on this
subject before you offered the resolution !
A. None whatever.
O. Have you ever spoken Of having
received such letlerH A. No, sir.
@. Did you ever Day TO any one that
you had caught the speakerE A. l don't
remember.
Q. Did you have such conversation
with Senator Stevenson, Of Kentucky
A. don't remember ! had q conversa'
ton with him on the subject.
O. And you said, II have caught the
Speaker I" A. Not in that rough way. |
may have said that had something |
that would implicate the Speaker In the
land grants.
Q. Do you think your controlling mo-
tive was for the public good, or to catch |
the SpeakerH A. My object was to catch |
the Speaker If he was involved In this |
road; and / said further, that II the
Speaker OF the House was engaged in
such transactions, 1t was equal to dealing |
in Credit Mobilier stock.
Mr.. Blaine was then sworn, aud said
that the contracting parties In the Iowa
Falls g. Sioux City Railroad were highly |
valued friends, A. s. P. Coburn, Of Maine,
In January last, in settling up some bust.
ness with the MessrS. Co6urn, he took
quantity OF stock in this road, for which
he paid about 60 cents on the dollar In |
cash. This was the first OF his ownership |
In the road. He holds the stock In his |
own name, and Congress, in his judgment,
was no more called upon to investigate It
than it would be 10 enquire into the week. |
" expenses Of his household. He made |
this explanation without the slightest re-
luCtanCc; the road could not possibly
come before Congress for anything, |
Blaine further testified that he owned
$40 shares Of stock, for which he
paid $50 500, and had ever since been
living in the hope that they would draw
a dividend, but up to this time they had
not, [Laughter lie was not generally
in the railroad business; would like to be
in it more. Bought $4,000 worth ol
bonds from Ames, aud paid him so cents
on the dollar. At another time bought,
l think, $3.50 900 in Boston from him, Tor
which believe | paid him so cents on
the dollar. That l believe was in the
winter OF 1870 or 1871. l turned them
into the Messrs. Coburn, partly OF one
price aud partly at another, some OF them
as high as 20 and some at IS.
After further examination Of Ames, Sen.
ator Logan, at the request OF Judge Po.
land. made statement to the committee