National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-06
DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
TESTIMONY OF HIND AND NAT
TINGLY, TAKEN SECRETLY.

IAhEN bHCu6A1A'
KINDS ACCOUNT OF THE o'CoNSER AND
STANLEY AWARD INTERVIEW BE-
TWEEN MATTISGLY AND KIRKLAND,
AND MR. NATTINGLY'S RELATION OF 1T
TO THE COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.
APRIL ., 1874.
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM P. MATTINGLY.
William F. Mattingly sworn and examined.
By the Chairman: Q. We have been taking
some testimony relating to the whereabouts Of
A, B: Kirtlana; Hsye you any knowledge
upon that subject; and, If SO, wish you would
state to the committee all you know about himi
A. ] have not any knowledge Of his where
abouts. saw Mr.. Kirkland while he was here,
and l can relate to the committee all that took
Place, and the circumstances.
.. Q. State when you saw him. A. As pre-
lude to that, desire to state to the committee
fbis: thai after We understood that the com
mittee bad failed to aRa NEi kiStsRd " New
York, we made every effort to obtain his at
tendance ourselves, and sent man on to New
York after him. The report we received from
him was that Mr.. Kirkland was not in the city.
informed me that Kirkland was in town. had
several Interviews with Mr.. Storrs at the Ebbitr
House in the rotunds, publicly, and / intended
that they should be 80; he insisting all the time
that the man was here. felt exceedingly
doubtful upon the subject, and expressed my
doubts to him. Mr.. Storrs finally sent for me
one day, or one evening, and told me very posi-
lively again that Mr.. Kirkland was here. /
asked him how he knew it. he said that he
had been assured so most positively. / asked
him if he had seen him, and he said no he had
not, but he had an appointment to see him on
that evening; that he was here under the
name of Binsmore, or Binmore-I think some
such name as that. / told him / was
very anxious to find out whether
Mr.. Kirkland was here or not; that we wanted
his testimony. He told me the hour he had
for an interview. was informed that Mr..
Storrs had gone to the house of Mr.. Wilcox.
did not know whose house 1t was at that time,
and did not know Mr.. W1lcox's name. ]
never saw him to know him. did not ascer-
tain that evening who lived In the house. /
afterwards got the number of the house and
the location. It was on Sixteenth street be-
tween ard K or K and La brick house. /
saw Mr.. Storrs afterwards and he told me that
he had had an interview with Mr.. Binsmore.
/ endeayored on that occasion and on several
other occasions afterwards to get from Mr..
Storrs a statement as to what Mr.. Binsmore
had told him He was very mysterious about
the matter, and never could get anything out
of him at all. That still rendered 1t doubtful
in my mind as to whether Kirkland himself
was here or not. This continued for several
days. Mr.. Storrs would send for me almost
daily. would see him. He insisted all the
.h,k 4ha haro AVID hail h. n1
seen him, and l, by my manner more than in
words, signified my strong doubts. Finally one
morning last week. do not remember the pre-
else day, but it was the day that the committee
had adjourned over
The Chairman. Thursday.
The Witness. do not know whether it was
Wednesday or Thursday.
Mr.. Hubbell. Thursday we adjourned over
and concluded to 90 Friday.
The Witness. Well, then, it must have been
Thursday. It was the day the committee adj
jOurned over. Wo-dwas sent to Inc profession
ally, in confidence, that / could have an inter
view with Mr.. BinsmOre at the Ebbitt House.
/ Immediately went uP there. was told the
number of his room and went into his room.
To be certain that no job was intended to be
be put up on me had made inquiries as to Mr.
Kirtlsnd's personal appearance, so that if
saw him / could recognize him. went into
the room. He was alone.
By the Chairman: @. What was the num-
Der of the rooml A. think it was timber 10.
He was there under the name of Hogle. /
went in and spoke to him. His appearance
corresponded with the description had of him,
and | had no doubt that he was Mr.. Kirkland.
told him that we had been endeavoring TO
secure his attendance, and were exceedingly
anxious that he should testify before this com
mittee, and would be glad if he would make
me detailed statement of the entire transac-
ton. He was apparently in an extreme state
of nervous excitement; he had big scare upon
him; and appeared very much indisposed to
talk; he said he had come on here, that he had
not decided in his own mind whether he would
testify or not, and that was the reason he had
remained here during this time nnder an as
sumed name, and had kept out Of sight; that
If be did testify he did not want to come before
the committee until everybody else had ap-
peared. then repeated my request to him,
that / would like to know from him his rela-
ton of all of the circumstances of the case.
He seemed very reluctant to talk about It in
deed, which rather SURPRISED me, because he
had, as / understood, sought the interview.
He said that If he came before the committee
he did not want to be dragged there by the
Sergeant-at-Arms, or an officer, but wanted to
come voluntarily. The impression produced
upon my mind was that he, not knowing me,
was fearful that might probably disclose his
presence here and have him brought up, and,
in order to get from him what he would state,
told him that he might rest assured that !,
under the circumstances unde. which
the interview was had, would
not avail myself ofthe opportunity that had
had TO disclose his presence; and that is the
reason why did not. We had a conversation
then for some time, and all that succeeded in
getting out of him was upon a sort Of cross-ex-
animation and pretty severe pumping. Iasked
him as to his first connection with the matter
with Mr.. Chittenden. He said he was board
ing at the Arlington; at the same hotel with
Mr.. Chittenden. He had understood that Mr..
Chittenden object here was to obtain q con-
tract from the Board of Public Works; he made
his acquaintance at the hotel table; that he
entered into conversation with Chittenden,
and Mr.. Chittenden finally invited him up to
his room; that he and Mr.. Chittenden then had
a conversation in relation to the probability of
obtaining contract, and that Mr.. Chittenden
Informed him that he was here representing
DeGolyer & Mcclellan, and was endeayoring
TO get large contract from the Board of Pub
lie Works TO lay the DeGolyer pavement here;
that they had talked over the merits of the
pavement; and Mr.. Chittenden showed him all
the papers and documents he had relative to
the value Of this pavement as a wooden pave
ment; and that he told Mr.. Chittenden that he
thought he could secure him contract, then
asked him if he had read Mr. Chittenden's
testimony. He said he had. l asked him
whether that was correct or not. He
said it was substantially correct; that Mr..
Chittenden was mistaken in saying that he
had told him that he could exercise q very
large influence. then asked him what iniiu-
ence he told Mr.. Chittendcn he could exercise
He said at first that he did not tell him that he
could exercise any influence. NY remark to
him then was, that it struck me as very pecu-
liar, as it would anybody, that Mr.. Chittenden
would have made a contract with him. agree
ing 10 pay him this large sum Of money for Sc
curing q contract, he being q comparative
stranger to Mr.. Chittenden, unless he had
made some representations to Mr.. Chittenden
as to the influence he could control. He ap-
pelred to talE about that very reluctantly, and
finally sill that the influence he had in his
mind at that time was the influence of Mr..
Page; that he had mad conversation with Mr..
Page, when Mr.. Page had told him that he had
influence here, and he thought he could secure
q contract If opportunity occurred. / then
asked him whether he represented to Mr.. Chit
tenden what Mr.. Page had told him. He said
he had. then asked him what was done.
He said an interview was had with Mr. Page; q
contract was entered into between Chittenden
and Page, in which there was some limita-
ton as to the time within which the contract
was to be obtained; that time passed on:
they were pressing Mr.. Page, Page represent