The New York herald., 1874-12-29
PACIFIC MAIL.
The Investigations Of the Subcommittee Of
Ways and Means Into Mr.. IT.
wins Bank Account.
POSTMASTER KINGS CHECK FOR $ll5,OOO
A Mysterious Stranger Gets $275,OO0
for His Share.
IMPORTANT REVELATIONS EXPECTED TO-DAY.

lMI VhlANI mi DuA llUAD hAl LVlIU lV-uAl.
"It Is Not Well to Have Such Long
Memories Sometimes"
The subcommittee OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee OF the House OF Representa- resumed
their Investigation into Pacific Mail affairs yester-
day morning at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. They
came on TO New York IN order to be nearer the
witnesses they wished to examine and the books
they proposed overhauling. The examination yes
terday was held In paror No. l. the first door TO
the right on entering by the Twenty-third street
door. The committee comprised MIR. Burchard,
the chairman; Mr.. Beck, Mr.. KassOn, Judge Nib
lack, Mr.. Dawes and MIR. Fernando Wood. Mr..
Rufus Hatch was also present In company
with Mr.. Clark Bell. VINO watched AFFAIRS in the
interest OF the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.
The investigation commenced at half past ten
A. NJ, and proved very interesting, as facts were
elected that on lurtner development will PROBABLY
throw considers light on the way Colonel Irwin
got rid OF $780, 900. The evidence OF Mr.. Duncan
Clarke, Assistant Cashier OF the American Ex-
change Bank was very explicit and placed
$1l5,000 or the aOove to the credit OF MIR. w. $.
King, Pos master of the House, in such direct
find 1T a difficult matter to account for his
receipt OF that sum and yet maintain
his very direct denial OF ever having
received any such money, that he made
at recent examination to which ne was subjected
in washington. Mr. Kings $ll5,000 appears to
have been divided up, and $4,000 OF the amount
was paid on check to John A. Rice an eX men,
Der Of Congress. friend OF Mr.. Kings, whose
name has not come out in evidence yet, received
1915, 600 the same time that Mr.. King received his
share making $390, 900 OF the $750000 deposited by
Colonel Irwin that was drawn out at one time.
There does not appear to be any direct clew as to
where the balance OF the money went, but the
bank cashier peneves that 1t was drawn out by
Colonel Irwin personally.
PRESIDENT COLES TESTIMONY.
The first witness examined yesterday was MIR.
Cole, President Of the American Exchange Bank. He
said IL have been acquainted with Mr. Irwin for
the past five or SIX years; he has had an account
with our bank during the greater part OF that
time: he had an open account with US before the
month OF February, 1872. l may here be allowed
to state that relations between banks and their
customers are generally confidential but IN this
instance, as Mr. Irwin in previous examinations
has given such full account OF his affairs, shall
consider 1t my duty to ans swer all questions that
the committee deem it necessary to ask me.
$l5,o 600 to his credit; he closed his account with
our bank on November 49, 1872, and the balance
to his credit, some $500 or $4oo, was RENTED to
San Francisco; Ii the committee think 1t neces.
sary Will submit the account showing the trans
actions Of MIR. Irwin with our bank; this Is copy
OF the paper which MIR. Irwin requested to be
made OF his account; believe 1t has been
fully verified.
At this point Mr.. Kasson Informed the witness
that there Is an express statute which makes It
imperative upen witness to answer question
even should 1t render him infamous.
The witness then continued, saying, here sub
NIT statement of Mr.. TWINS bank account be-
tween February IL and November TO- 1879, and
also produce the checks deposited by Mr.. Irwin
with the bank; the total amount Is 100000; the
checks marked 81, our Clearing House number,
went through the regular deposit, through what
we call the receiving teller, and the other two
were deposited with the note teller; the checks
were deposited by Colonel Irwin in person; he
came into the bank, and after making some re-
marks 20 ne in nv room, he went out and as he
passed the receiving telier's window he threw
down hts bank book and deposited the $3.50, zoo in
very OF nand manner; was
VERY MUCH AsTONIsHEp
when the teller came and told me, and at first
fancied there was gong to be an attempt to lock
scheme; as that kind OF business was entirely
against my views told the cashier to watch the
operation and who drew the checks; to ny
astonishment, however, nothing drawn
against the deposit during the next two days;
this TACT lent additional interest 10 the affair !;
check for $l25,oOo drawn on
the 9th Of May, and also two others,
eacn !or 100000; the paying teller paid
S225, 600 OF the amount, and the note teller
the remaining 500 900; the only explanation
can offer Is that the note teler was asked to pay
it, the deposit OF $3.50, 900 made on the 25tn OF
May, ana the above payments on the 9th OF May;
on the 29th OF May two gentlemen came INTO the
bank, VINO were unknown TO any one there; they
presented themselves at the paying teller's desk
and handed over two checks-One for S275,000 ana
the other for $ll5.oo0; beieve tnat both checks
were drawn to Colonel Irwin's order and lndorsed
by him; they asked for currency for the checks;
the paying teller,
AsroSIsHED AT rHB MAGNITUDE
Of the face OF the checks, refused to cash them un-
less the gentlemen were Identified; the TWO gen.
tlemen were ultimately referred 60 me, and
asked them TO SIT down ana explain the matter;
/ they merely said "We have two checks on your
bank, and your paying teller refuses pay them;"
/ then examined the cnecks and SAID, lyon know,
gentlemen. that these checKs represent a very
large sum OF money!" the gentleman who held
large sum OF moneys" replied, ain New York
VERY LARGE SUN op MONEY,
and l added. "inere is generally q certain
courtesy among gentlemen which they feel to be
due TO each other Tor their own protection" 7" as
they positively declined to be Identified a1d as
they nad perfect right TO maintain their lncOg.
nito, | found myself In rather an awkward Dos
ition; finally thought that might get out Of the
scrape another way, and ! asked them If they
wished to pay the money into bank; the gen.
teman VIII the 1910 900 check said that he did !;
/ ] then replied. 1--WE can ceruiy it here and
you can pay 1t into any bank that you please; the
check was then certified and gwen to the gentle
man the other gentleman SAID that he wanted
the money for his check but that he did not care
7 about drawing II before the next morning; they
botn came In next morning, and when the check
was presented told the teller 70 pay IL.
/ DIGGING BANKS CREDITORS.
In the meantime told our polce officer, Mr.. Mac
dougaI, a man in whom hal great confidence. 70
ascertain whether the person VINO had Just received
the casn Tor his check was respectable man:
the nflrer lnllOWea them and rniurned shortly