New-York tribune., 1874-12-12
PACIFIC NAIL POLICY.
CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY AS TO THE COR
RITPTION FUND.

Mr. IRWIN HAS ENGAGEMENTS WHICH
PREVENT MS ANSWERING THE SUMMONS OF
THE COMMITTEES OF WAYS AND MEANS 1MME-
DIATELY-THE HOUSE ORDERS HIS ARREST FOX
coNrrMpT-PRARs THAT HE CONTEMPIATRs An
OTHER TRIP TO EuRoPE-MR. RUSSELL SAGE ON
THE WITNESS sTAND-DETAIIS OF HIS 1hsl-
MoNY-THE MYSTERIOUS ExPENpiTokE or
S750OOO UNExPIAINED-MR. IRWIN HAS VALU-
ABLE INFORMATION.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.J
WASHINGTON Dec. 1.-THE Committee OF ways
and Means entered to-day upon the Investigation Oh
the famous Pacific Mail subsidy and tne means Ny
which that measure was lobbied through congress.
A. oeort has heen made to secure the attendance OF
Richard r. Irwin, the agent who figured SO largely
nm that OCCASION and who had drawn upon the Com
many for his contingent expenses to the amount OF
s75OOO0 But late last night telegram had peen
receiyed from him. from the Hoffman House IN New
York. saving that important business required MS
presence in New York on Friday and Saturday, ana
that as his health would not permit OF us
travelling by night, he could not obey tne
.pmmons of the Committee sooner than Tuesday
oext Int that he would surely be here then. The
Comm,ttee evidently considered Irwin too slippery
sniect "a he relied upon and tclegraphed back that
the Committee could not consent to any delay Sub
seouently. before the adjournment OF the House,
Mr. Dawes brought the matter to its attention. WIN
the idea that if Irwin should happen TO start on
another trip to Europe tomorrow, the Committee
should not have to bear the blame. The House TOOK
that view of it and ordered the arrest of Irwin and
his production at the bar to answer for contempt h
not obeyng the subpoena served upon him.
In the absence of Irwin the Committee had
another witness with whom to commence the inves-
tgation This was Mr.. Russell Sage, late President
of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. MIR. Sage
wac .worn and stated his official relations to the
Company: that he was elected director IN May
1873 reelected in May, 1874, and elected fresidenl
about wear ago, the resignation OF Capt. BRAD
burv. He had no Official connection with the
Company at the time the additional subsidy was
granted and did not know whether he was even
stockhoder at that time. Being asked what ne
knew, from an examination of the books, as 10 the
expenditure of money in relation TO the subsidy he
said:
Autbat know as to that Is that there were on the
hooks of the Company checks made payable to the San
Francisco agency. 1 never knew what they were ror
except by general rumOr They were supposed to have
been connected with sone OF Mr. StockwelPs and MI
Twins operations but never able to discover
what they for There was such general discus
sion OF the subject in the newspapers that we had
consultation with counsel Mr. Pierrepont as to our
legal right to proceed against Mr. lrwin VINO had eit
for Europa and VIC directed Mr. Pierrepont to CON-
nence suit against him to compel him TO account TOT
these sums that were charged to the San Francisco
been payable to the order OF Irwin. amounting.
think TO t5oOOO When Mr.. Irwin came to this country
August he called 1t was the day before we
took excursion to Newport. he came In with his
lawyer and Mr.. johnson, the Secretary presented him
TO me- Irwin SAID he understood wanted to see him.
and that had this country at great inconve-
neuce and almost the risk Of his fe as he bad been
thrown from carriage and had injured his head In the
fall aud that he there TO questions that
we might put to him touching his affairs and his
accounts He seemed be quite excited and prompt.
aleLng that some OF the clerks In the office
had made charges to that account which ought not TO
have been made there told him that just on the
point OF leaving under previous engagement which
could not forego and asked him If he could not name
q day. when should be very happy TO sit down with
and hear his explanation with regard to any mat
ter affected the Company He said he was going TO
sail again for Europe the following Saturday. told
him was very sorry but that was under an engage
ment TO 20 the excursion TO Newport; that
we had invited our guests, and that 1 did
not know that should be back before Friday
night or Saturday morning. He answered very
promptly and said, "Here is my card, so that
You may know where to call or me. shall be found at
that place. He then asked II there had been any
developments since Mr.. Scott the VicePresident had
gone Europe. l said that there had been some in
regard the purchase Of reextinguishers at Chicago,
very large amount which purchase was not author
lied by the Company, and in violation OF its by
laws. Irwin then left and directed Mr.. Johnson to
make a memorandum Of that conversation, might
want to refer it, i reflected few hours upon the
matter. aud felt il my duty, from what had been
stated this iaterview, and from the tone Of 1t.
Ia direct Irwin's arrest consulted with Mr.. Hatch
the director, who barely overheard the last
part the conversation. did not want Mr. Hatch to
take any part in It. he is very violent and
uses very violent expressions sometimes also spoke
with other members OF the Company, and they con-
CURED in my opinion and said It duty to
Trrfn in fha n haya birpa
rested Mr. Bennett. in the absence of Mr.
Perepont prepared the papers and had Irwin arrested
informed that Irwin then very pentent
and that he proposed TO mako some explanation which
would be valuable, aud to make me apology he mad
said anything unbeeoming Irwin did not sail on
the Saturday. nor did / see anything more Of him.
His counsel, Mr.. Chapman. called upon me and said
that did not retract something that appered in THE
in the shape Of interview with me, reflect
ing on him or on his client, he would sue THE TRIBUNE
or sue me for libel He wanted that should acknowl
edge or deny whether had inspired the article. /
heard him through aud told him that did not propose
either to admit TO deny anything reported by any
irresponsible reporter; that i did not want TO do Mr.
Irwin any iDjustce that, II he entirely innocent
had Of nothing to fear, but that it
duty officers Of the Company to call him to account
for these large sums
q. Has Mr.. Irwin at any time given any explanation
to you touching these checks. any Of money
placed in hands A. Not the slightest the world
O. Has there been any explanation furnished to the
Company from San Francisco elsewhere the use
of any sums Of money in connection the subsidy
A. No. Sir not any
O. Have you any knowledge OF the expenditure Of any
sum at Washington authorized by the Company A.
Not a dollar.
@ What was the form Of those checks to Irwin A.
They were simply the Company's checks to Richard B.
Irwin OF order