The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-02-14

about Il an tho papers; 1 consulted Mr.. Alley
and one or two others in regard to n: I did
NOS kno. that anyone else i'm Congress was
Interested IN the matter except Mr.. Gr.mes
Mr.. Ames told me in the conysration ma h..i
that he had held for Mr.. Grimes some stock
which he had guaranteed per.onallv: I
asked Mr.. Alley what these report. meant
and whether lac lid not think IsgiaIs-
ton would grow out Of that; intimat-
for the stock. he told ne that i WAS very
foolish to give it it; replied that should re-
gard u A. IN incomplete bargain. and that l
should deliver up the receipt; I told Mr. Amss
the same Mr. Ames laughed at mo thought
l Vas doing very foolish thing. and advised
me not 10 gave up; some little time after that
1 made for Mrs. Wilson . settlement Of the
matter with Mr.: Ames including the interest
she Was allowed Ssl4 - Profits In the transac-
ton that money returned to Mr. Ames re-
eeising back only the money she had paid. bot
l made u up to my wife from my own earn
ings - ! SAID, l regarded it - . bargain
not contaminated and backed out because of
my apprehension from what I bad gathered
from the press that there might be some din
Guilty impending did not know that it might
not lead 70 some legislation. and / did not
want TO be mixed mp with any stock that could
% auected by II the matter Was settled ~
stated; the SSl4 which was allowed my wife
! paid from my own earnings; il there had
been sl0. 600 due ct the time As income from
that stock, would not have touched . dollar
OF II, becanre desired to 60 out Of the trans
action, regarding it - an infamous bargain.
Y. ! understand you, your wife received
from Ames -, Ooc and 10 per cent. interest 2
A: will tell you precisely how that was: INV
wife received Ssli moro than was paid: that
soli transferred to Mr.. Amee and paid the
money to my wife gu. of my own earnings. 80
that she might not lose by il am, therefore,
really ssl4 poorer, and shall be until die, for
advising my wife to buy that stock that is all
there is about it; then, if the committee will
allow me to make an explanation of nv wife's
property, she had the IS, 500 increased by its
late earnings In interest for about four years
she died In May, 1870: settled up this trans
action in the fall of 1867; / told her that this
property must be hers to dispose Of when she
died; amounted to IS, 100, every dsllar of
which she gave away-Sl, 900 to the church of
which che WAS member, for the benefit Of the
poor. and the rest Of it to her own friends
her viii has been religiously carried out-was
immediately carried out, 30 that from the pres
ent given her on her silver wedding l have
never had any benefit. and never can have
you will allow me to say, also. in regard to the
amount che received at the silver wedding that
having made mp. - / stated the 81, 600 which
abe invested by my advice. and lost, and hav-
ing made up to her the amount allowed in the
settlement with Mr. Arnes of ssI4 am alto
=
ceived ]; from her silver wedding, and had
never invested any in the Credit Mobilier / am
nov ready to answer any questions the commit-
tee may choose to ask.
THE SENATOR'S PRIVATE ACCOUNT
O. Mr. Ames only paid the money and inter-
Get to your wife. and Won made up the addition
al sum. 10 that she should lose nothing by fail
ing to receive the diyidendss A. Yes. made
IT up to her. and at that time had not 81 900
III the world after paving my debts she had
q little home which left her when came to
Congress knew the uncertainty of life, and
i wanted her to have home I had also in
sured NV life for 50 800 which she would have
had OF course l WAS anxious that every dollar
she had should be used to the best advantage
80 that in case was taken away che would not
be left destitute - for myself, cared moth
ing about money the only speculation / ever
made since have been in Congress WAS to buy
lot in my own town for else. for my brother
to plant garden on after keeping it for four
years without receiving any rent or interest.
sold il for 500.
Q. Do you recolllect what it was about-.he
Credit Mobilier which you saw in the newspa-
pers which disturbed yous A. I saw something
In the nevspapers about some trouble: do
not recollsct what it was: there was some dis
pute about it: did not know anything about
the Credit Mobiler. did not know where they
made their money, or how they made it, and do |
not know to this day: l have no doubt Of my
night or the right Of any other man to invest |
in bank or Government stock, factories or any |
other property that other people invest in: /
have no doubt Of the legal and moral right Of /
, member OF Congress to do it: but. - have \
stated, my own circumstances and condition 1
we're peculiar. coming here - . poor man. with /
no profession and no occupation out Of Con-
gress by which could make anything bevond \
my salary: when the war opened had about |
IS, 900 which l had saved: when the war closed I |
vas largely in debt; hsdgone home and raised
voregiments and two batteries at large expense
10 myself: had served many months with
Gen Mcclellan here in Washington, paying
ny own balls even for the forage Of my own
horses; think can say that until the close
II the war no soldier never asked mo for mon
y that did not get it, unless no was intoxi-
.ated: was Chairman Of the Committee on
Military Affairs in thaSenate. and nv Office was
Iisited continually BY great numbers Of SOL
iiers and officers: cay that l came out Of the
var in debt. and until after this Credit Mobiier
ransaction had not s1. 900. and I would sell
VI have to-day to anybody who will take my
,roperty and pay my debts for S3, 5O0 this
money have saved during the last four years
y writing for the Ne,e York Independsns. il
bad not written for the newspapers. should
inancial condition: have done nothing as
member Of Congress that did not feel that l
nd legal and moral night to do: and. in re-
ard to nv official life. / feel that to-day. with
II my sins, can go into my closet with moth
ng to ask God to forgive me for: / feel out
aged ut the charges made upon me, and
rlsh to say to this Committee that believe no
reater wrong has ever been perpetrated in ;
his country than has been perpetrated upon ,
honorable gentlemen in connection with these
harger. whom have known for 20 or IS years, I
nd whose integrity the Pacific railroad. and ,
II the railroads in the country. could not buy
r swerve . hair.
WHY DENY An INNOCENT TRANSACTION?
By Mr.. Niblsck-Let me ask whether this ,
dIum which has been created in the public
lInd has not to some extent arisen from the
iistakes gentlemen connected with the matter
ave made by endeavoring to conceal their
with it? cannot say ~ to others; ,