Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-28
CATION.
Proceedings OF the Special COmmit.
tees To-day.

CATION.
tees To-day.
Judge Poland's special committee to inquire
INTO the distribution Of credit mobilier stock
among members OF Congress, resumed its ses-
SION this NOR ming, and Judge Poland announced
that at the last meeting there was some infor-
nation in regard to the Sioux City road, and IL
fell out that Mr.. Blaine was a stakeholder In
the road. He had notified Mr.. Blaine to be
present at the meeting to-day TO make any state
ment he might desire
sPEAKKR BLAINE AND THE sioux CITY ROAD.
Speaker Blaine.--Mr. Chairman, 1 see Mr..
Stevenson, who introduced the resolution, pres
ent, and would like him to state what facts he
leges so-ant-so, and I want him TO state by
whom it is alleged want something to speak
to. and therefore request that Mr.. Stevenson be
sworn.
MIR. Stevenson.-Oh! certainly; prefer to,
and also that others be sworn.
WHAT DANES ANEs SAID TO Mr. STEVENSON.
Nr. Stevenson was then sworn, and testified
as fOllows:--Mr. Cakes Ames informed me that
certain members of the House, including Mr.
Allison, himself and Mr.. Blaine, and other
names he mentioned then, but don't remem-
Der now, were Interested in this railroad. He
stated that there was construction contract
similar to that under which the Union Pacific
had been built, and il we wanted to make an
examination we he'd better make an examina-
ton Of all roads having land grants, and we
would find that the Union Pacific was The best
among them. He said that Mt. Blaine held
ktOck IN DIS own name or IN the name Oh MT
CobuIn, Of Maine, who is a wealthy man, and
agreed to put funds in Mr.. BfaineS hands for
such investment, and that Mr.. Blaine invested
in this road to the extent of 100000, and fur
Their that Mr.. Blaine had recently purchased
the bonds of this company of himself (Ames)
in order to settle with the COburns. / think he
said Mr.. Blaine purchased ten or twenty thou
sand dollars worth Of bonds and paid him
eighty cents on the dollar, and the Coburns
paid him (Blaine) ninety cents on the dollar.
Mr.. Blaine.-Mr Stevenson, when did this
conversation occur?
A A few days before offered the resolution
@. Did 1t not occur at the dinner table at the
Arlington Hotel on the day that you offered
the resolution, and after You had offered IT?
A. No sir. i had all the details before | Of
fered the resolution.
9. You are quite sure of that?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Quite sure the conversation with Mr.. Ames
was not at the Arlington Hotel after You Offered
the resolution?
A. Yes, sir.
MIR. StevensOn.-I have subsequently received
from other persons further information, but al
| have is hearsay; but underst and the com nit
tee wants to know upon what i based my reso-
linton.
Judge Poland.-wen, any information you
have derived since, which You think is authen-
tic, we will be glad to hear.
Mr.. Stevenson.-All the information have
is from witness who has been called, and will
he called again. The additional information
. ft CANE FROM Mr.. JOHN b.. ALLEY,
man whom l never saw until introduced tG
nlm Oy MI. amtS at the Arlington Hotel. lie
stated the Iowa Falls and Sioux City railroad
company was organized in 1861. That he was a
stakeholder himself, also Samuel Hooper & Co,
Mr.. Ames, and that some gentlemen in Boston
personal knowledge Of Mr.. Blaine being a stock
holder. He went over the details to me in a
vague way, but did not seem to have much per
matter examined the statute, and found i'm
volume IL the act of May Is, 1856. found also
that the grant expired in 1866; also that the time
stevenson here read from the journal of the
house for that session as to action on that bill
MIR. Blaine.-You don't mean to say that !
was speaker then?
rules as anybody In the House.
Mr.. Stevenson continued to read from the
journal, and upon being questioned answered
that
THE RECORD SHOWED
that Mr.. Blaine was among those not voting on
the bill As the witness quoted the records Mr..
and remarked: Ihave studied the records also
Mr. Steyenson.-l don't need any help, but
perhaps some other people do.
Judge Poland asked Mr.. Blaine if he desired
to question Mr.. Stevenson. ...
Mr. Blaine replied in the negative, but re-
quested that Mr.. Ames be called.
CAKES ANEs RECALLED
and examined by Mr.. Blaine.
q. Mr.. Stevenson i'm his statement says where
as it is alleged, &C., and gives as a basis there
of conversation he had with you. ask you
fore he offered the resolution?
MIR. Ames.-It was the day (or night after he
offered the resolution and occurred at the din
ner table at the Arlington. L was laughing at
him and told him he had got hold Of the wrong
road. 80
@. You are very positive that Mr. Stevenson,
had 10 information whatever from you before
be offered the resolution?
Mr. Blaine.-Then the allegation of Mr.. Ste
venson is not supported by you =
Mr. Blaine to Judge Poland-Mr Ames told
me the other day that he had the conversation
with Mr; Stevenson after he (Stevenson) offered
the resolution.
Mr.. Stevenson to Mr.. Ames-You have fire.
quently stated here, Mr.. Ames that your reeoI-
lection as to dates is not very distinct.
Witness resumed. Did not know when the
company was formed. Did state to Mr.. Steven
son that he had never been over the road. There
witness. Witness did not know the amount of
stock held by himself. Believed he subscribed
for five or six hundred thousand dollars, and
date when he had the conversation with MI
Stevenson, but knew it was after that gentle
man offered the resolution in the House, as
WITNESS WAS LAUGHING AT HIM
about the resolution, and telling him (Steven-'
SOM he had hold of the wrong road. Never
heard Of the resolution until Mr.. Stevenson OF.
Mr.. Blaine then questioned Mr. Stevenson as
follows:
@. Did you have an anonymous or other kind
OF letter from Iowa on this subject before yOu
offered the resolution? --.r
A. None, whatever.
Q. Have you ever spoken of having received
such letter? 80 49, - - -
A. No, sir.
y. Did you ever say TO any one that Won
Thought yon had caught the Speaker
A. don't remember. -, -r-
". Dia you have such a conversation with
Senator Stevenson, OF KeBtaeky? -
A. don't remember. l had O conversation
with him on the subject.
Q. And You said
3fHAyE CAUGHT THE SPEAKER"
A. Not in that rough way. i may have indi-
Gated that had something which would impu-
cate the Speaker in land grants. =
@: Do You think your controlling motive was
for the public good or to catch the Speaker?
A. My object was to catch the Speaker il he
was involved In this road, and I said further
that II the Speaker Of the House was engaged
IN such tale4ctions, it was equal to dealing ia
credit mobilier stock.
Nj. Blaine was then sworn. - r--.F
- s.nAKxR BLAINH's srATHxENr
was SUBSTANTIALLY as follows: The Iowa Fails
4pG SI0ux City railroad shout $50 miles IN
length. 1t was began in 1859 and finished in
the autumn Of 1870. 1T never received an acre
ofland by direct oct Of Congress. The state OF
Iowa gave to the company the remnant Of the
old land grant made to the state In 1876
amounting to tribe over three th0usand acres
to the mile. The road was built BY con tract
ing company entirely for cash. The capital OF
the contracting company was between SIX and