Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-01-24
NUMBER 20.

distribute some stock on hand; the stock
was transferred to the witness to enable
him to fulfill prior engagement; ala
not know to whom Ames was TO
transfer the stock; Ames said he had an
! engagement to deliver some to Mr.. Colfax;
| thinks other Congressman were also men,
| toned, and it made an impression on him,
| as he believed Ames gave the names, and ln-
| tended keeping the stock himself; never
/ conversed with Nelson; had business
! transaction with James Brooks, but 1t had
NO reference to Brooks being Congress
man; Brooks desired some stock, and Wit
ness arranged to let Brooks have 100 shares
of Credit -Mobilier, with $4,000 worth OF
Union Pacific stock and first mortgage
| bonds. Brooks, being Government Dl-
rector, did not want to hold the stock. and
therefore had it transferred to Nelson;
knew nothing about the fifty shares ad-
ditional stock received by Nelson.
! T. G. Durant testified further on the 10Th
| to the effect that the shares given to James
! Brooks were the result of special agree
ment with him in 1867. Brooks claimed
more than 100 shares, and he compromised
| in Union Pacific stock and bonds. He (Du-
rant) had no knowledge of Congressman in
! nuenced by tho Credit -Mobiliar He never
arranged to give any Congressman stock,
except in case of Boyer, OF Pennsylyanla,
and Brooks. He gave two checks of $5;Oo0
| each to secure the election of Senator Har-
Ian, of Iowa. Harlan was an old personal
| friend. The witness thought he would take
| care of the interests of the road.
| Mr.. Bushnell testified that when the
Credit -Mobilier got ashore, Ames went to
his friends, in Congress and out OF Con-
| gress, to get them to take stock. He
| thought there was want of moral courage
on the part of certain men, who did agree
| to take stock. but now would not stand up
and say they agreed to take it. The wit
ness never offered any stock to any member
of Congress. 1t was the understanding that
Ames got large amount of stock to enable
him to fulfil engagements which he had en-
tered into previously. He felt, as Ames had
expressed it in one of his letters, that If they
went back on the Congressman after tine
stock had gone up, when it had been prom
| ised them, then when it was down Con-
grcssmen would go back on them.
Representative Scofeld stated before the
| Committee, on the 10Th, that he had taken
| some of Amies' railroad securities; he knew
nothing of Ames' deriving Congressional
aid; had voted against the act OF 1864, CIV
ing the Companys mortgages priority; moth
ing was said about legislation.
never owned a. penny's worth of Credit
Mobilier, although he would have done so
at one time if he had had the money. Sub
sequently he purchased OF Ames both
bonds and stock of the Union racine
Road, which he afterwards sold IN
gretted that his Investment was not larger,
as the transaction was honorable and honest,
He never received nor purchased any prop
erty which, directly or Indirectly, was con-
nected with his vote. liCr ~ cie
| William D. Kelley testified that he agreed
| with Ames to take some Credit MObilier
stock as an investment only, but the matter
| was dropped, and he never received any
| dividends or profits from the Credlt-Mo-
blier; had not had an offer from Ames OF
| Credit. Mobilier stock to influence leglsla-
| tion, If the witness had been able to pur-
| chase stock, he would have done so. He
| saw no more impropriety in member Oh
| Congress buying that stock than in buying
| a flock of sheep, and then voting upon the
/ tariff on wool or wooden goods.
| Senator Wilson testified substantially TO
what has already been published-that the
| stock was taken in his wife's name, but sur
rendered when he ascertained all the facts
1 in the case.
Representative Bingham made a state
ment to the effect that he had purchased
| twenty shares of stock and received dlvl-
dends upon it, and defended the transaction
as perfectly legitimate, the same as though
| it was bank stock. It was purely business
transaction, and never Influenced his vote In
| the House.
At the session of Mr.. Poland's Committee,
| on the 18th, B. M. Boyer ex-member OF Con
gress from Pennsylvania, voluntarily ap-
| peared and said he had nothing to conceal
| He took seventy-five shares in his own name,
| and twenty-five as trustee for mis- wire, ana
has held them, regarding it as legitimate
stock transaction. During the tlme ne was
| in Congress neither the Credit-Mobilier nor
Pacific Railroad required legislation. All
subsidies and grants had been voted on De-
| fore he was Congressman. Ne invites
critical examination of his Congressional
record, and says his investment in Credit
| Mobilier was consequent upon tne recom-
mendation of Durant.
James f. Wilson, of Iowa, made lengthy
| statement, saying he once bought and palo
| for ten shares of capital stock OF the Credlt-
Mobilier, which he subsequently sold, aiteT
having learned that there was prospect OF
continuous and serious litigation concerning
the Company. His application to Ames for
the stock was made at the suggestion OF
| M'Comb. When he entered Congress, IN
| 1861, his constituency were UNANIMOUSLY III
favor of the construction of the railroad 20
| the Pacific, and he had always earnestly
| supported the enterprise. Neither Ames,
M'Comb, nor any one else attempted to in
| huence the action of the witness as mem
Der of Congress. He did not know at hrst
| whether he had profit or loss on tne sJock'
He would act again exactly as he did under
| the same state of affairs.
| General Banks took his seat Win the 70.
| land Investigating Committee, for the first
time. on the Goth. Sidney Dillon, President
of the Credit-Mobilier, testified that he knew
of shares put into the hands of Durant ana
Ames, to fulfill previous contracts, but did
not remember the names OF the persons.
Ames said he was under obligations to the
same. Allusion was made to Congress
men, but he did not remember the names;
thinks Ames mentioned James BROOKS;
witness said Brooks came to him, saying
that he received 100 shares from Durant,
and under the rule was entitled to so shares
additional, which were finally made over
to Nelson, sonin.law of Brooks. At the
same time Nelson borrowed $1,000 OF hlIn
(I1ilon) to pay GA Them. Durant PAID
for the stock transferred to Nelson by she
Company; could not tell whether Nelson
repaid the $1,000 without looking at his
books: did not know what Ames did WIN
the stock transferred to him. At an IN
terview with Brooks relative to the oo
shares, neither Alley nor M'Comb were pres
| ent. Brooks had nothing to do with tne
money loaned Nelson by witness. Brooks
said briefly that the stock was to 60 to MS
SON -in-law, Nelson, and not to him (Brooks).
Witness never knew of Brooks having re-
ceiyed any dividends from Credit MoDlier;
| did not know where the books OF the Credit
Mobilier were, unless they were in the hands
of Mr. Ham; never heard of Alleys connec-
ion with the transaction of Brooks. as4.g