Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-06
The Credit-MObilier yestigatlon.

wAsHtsGroay February 10.
Judge Poland's Committee held speciai
meeting to day to hear the additional STATE
ment Of Vlce-President Colfax, VINO was
present, with his counsel, Judge HAZE. the
Vicc-President. Isdge Hale said, when
ON the nth ias, the imme-
date question BEIGE the Commit
tee related to.he depo it's of June 22. He
therefore examined him soleiy as TO the
source from which he (Colfax) obtained that
money. At the time he (Hale) had full knoWl
edge of the remittances from Mr.: Nesbitt
which Mr. Cofax would now explain and
submit letters from Mr.. Nesbitt. Mr.. Hale
was influenced in this course mainly to con
fine that testimony to the point at issue
Again, as the letters were somewhat OF
private nature, he did not want to bring
them before the public. Mr.. Colfax now
desires to present these letters and answer
any questions asked him. Mr.. Colfax then
read several letters from Mr.. Nesbitt, con-
gratulatory in their tone. Two OF them en-
closed checks for $1,000. Mr.. Col
fax further testified that he receiv-
ed $4,000 in the aggregate from
Mr.. Nesbitt; 81 900 before his nomination,
50, 600 after the nomination., and Sl,OOo in
November. He understood that Nesbitt had
been a contractor to furnish stamped en-
velopes for the Post Office Department., but
with aiding him to get such contracts, as
they were upon the recommendation OF
board appointed by the Postmaster General.
Mr.. Colfax, after reading the letter of Mr..
Nesbitt stated that the first one of the re-
mittances in April was expressly for per
sonal use. The thousand dollar bill in the
coDgratulatory letter in June was for politi-
cal purposes, and SO was the check in the
letter OF July. He then produced the draft for
81 600 dated June %; the same day that he
deposited the 81 200 in bills, which draft he
had sent to and was Endorsed by the Chair
man of the Indiana Republican Committee,
and another draft dated July 10, which he
had sent to and was Endorsed by the same
Chairman, for 81 600 sent him by Nesbitt for
political purposes that month, stating that
these drafts circumstantially proved the two
remittances of June and July and their
dates. Mr.. Colfax then read an affidavit of
Ricketson Burroughs, of South Bend, Ind,
to the effect that during the summer
of 1868, Mr.. Colfax had mentioned to
him burroughs the fact that Mr.
Nesbitt, of New York City, had given
him (Colfax) the sum Of $1,000 or 1900
to assist in defraying his increased ex-
penses incident to the campaign, stating that
neither the donor nor his friends wanted any
office--in common parlance che had no axes
to grind" and he had abundance of means
for himself and family.
Tx Senator Fowler, of Tennessee, was
sworn, and testified that he had conyersa-
tion with McComb, and understood from
him that Ames had Credit-Mobilier stock to
be distributed. He had been offered Credit
Mobilier stock by Ames, but declined to re-
ceive it because he understood from expla-
nations made by Ames that the taking of
stock might bring his private interest into
conflict with his public duties, and he
wanted to avoid that.