The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-07-10
New and Important testimony on the
IS. c." Check Questionable Check
Paid 10 Cakes AmeS. -

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{ WAsHINaToN, July New and
very important evidence in regard to
the case of Mr.. Colfax in the Credit
Mobilier investigation has just come
to light. MIR. John T. Drew, q lawyer,
and member of the firm of Drew, Bliss
& Holmes, of this city, now at Bur
lington, Vermont, who has been in
Europe for nearly a year past in the
service OF the Department of Jnstice,
and who has returned therefrom since
the adjournment of Congress, has for
warded to Judge Poland, Chairman of
the late committee, a statement set
ting forth in positive terms the fact
that he was with Oakes Ames when
the latter presented the famous as.
C.r check, that he saw the check, saw
the Cashier pay it, and saw Mr.. Ames
hand the money to q gentleman in
the lobby, whom he Drew did not
know. He details the facts substan-
TALLY as follows: During the Summer
\ of 1868 he was attending to several
matters before Congress, in one of
which he was especially desirous of
enlisting the Massachusetts members.
He called on Mr.. Ames at the House
several times in the month of June.
On one occasion he found Mr.. Ames
in conversation with a gentleman in
the corridor in the rear of the Speak
er's chair, near the door, in close proX-
unity to which was Mr.. Ames' seat.
He awaited the conclusion of the con-
versation, of which he heard only an
occasional word, from which lie con-
cluded that IL referred to certain cotton
oacac Oh Naux Orlaono a, xuI,foH NJ,
Ame5 was then interested. Before
Mr.. Ames turned his attention to Mr..
Drew, he remarked to the first gentle
man, "wait minute" and then
passed into the Chamber to his desk,
re-appearing very soon with q piece of
paper in his hand, when Mr.. Drew
Joined him and they walked to-
gether into the room Of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, and stood for
some minutes in conversation at the
cashiers desk. During this confer
ence Mr.. Ames rested one arm on the
desk and kept running the check
through his fingers in such a manner
that its face was clearly before Mr..
Drew, who could not help noticing its
purport. There was nothing about it
calculated to make an impression up
on Mr.. Drew, except the fact that it
was payable to the initials, rs. c., or
bearer, which naturally impressed
him as little mysterious, and tenn
porarily excited his curiosity. The
check was presented and paid to Mr..
Ames by the cashier. Mr.. Drew did
not observe the denomination Of the
bills, except that the one on the top
was for $500. The two then walked
out Of the room into the lobby, when
Mr. Ames handed the money to the
gentleman with whom he had previ-
ously been in conversation. Mr.. Drew
at that time was in the habit of keep
ing q diary and noting down his dali
ly transactions and interviews.
When he returned from Europe he
mentioned these facts to one or two
diary would fix the date of his several
subsequently obtained access to his
books and papers, he found in hisdla-
ry for 1865 two entries of interviews
with Oakes Ames, June 20 and p,
1865. II was, Mr.. Drew, says, on one
or the other of these days that he saw
the check. 1t will then be remem-
bered that the cheek was dated June
%, 1867, and paid June ., 1865. 1t is
understood that Mr.. Drew is ready to
support his statement under oath, If
required. This testimony confirms
Cashier Dillon's recollection that he
paid the check to Mr.. Ames in large
bills, and also supports the evidence
of all the gentlemen to whom initial
checks were said to have been given,
that they never saw them.