Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-07-31

correspondents chicago 10
nal, in q long letter gives the par!
ticulars concerning this gentleman,
and his testimony, from which VIC
clip the following:
The gentleman who is willing to
give this testimony is Mr.. Drew, oil
the firm OF Drew, Bliss & Holmes,
attorneys in this city. The story,
as told by Mr.. Drew, is substantial.
ly this: He has for long time been
the employ of the United States
Government in legal capacity, and
has been absent in Europe for most
of the time for the past year, in the
investigation Of certain revenue mat
ters on behalf of the Treasury De.
partment. Constantly occupied in
these investigations in Europe, and
spending most of his time in travel,
he had little opportunity to keep
abreast with the rapid current of
public affairs in America, and it
was not until midwinter, when the
Credit Mobilier investigation was
at its height,that, in the city of Paris,
France, his attention was first call
ed to the scandalous excitement at
home. 1t then seemed to him, at
that distance, little else than one Of
the momentary spasms of political
excitement which are of such fire.
quent occurrence in our public his
tory. One day, during a visit at
the house of Mr.. Washburne, our
Minister to France, while casually
conversing upon the news from
home, and the assaults upon Mr..
Colfax, Mr.. Drew stated to Mr..
Washburne that Mr.. Colfax had
become a victim of malicious false
statement, the effects of which, how
ever, he did not suppose would be
important. Mr.. Washburne, who,
in his diplomatic capacity, was more
thoroughly familiar with affairs at
home. said any testimony which
would confirm such a statement
would, at that time, be of most vital
Importance to Mr.. Colfax; where
upon Mr.. Drew, in an informal way,
stated to Mr.. Washburne that he
Drew knew that Cakes Ames
received the money for that check,
because he received it in his own
presence. Mr.. Washburne advised
Mr.. Drew Immediately to commune
cate the fact to Mr.. Colfax; but, not
being able then to return to Ameri-
ca, without serious inconvenience to
his own interests, and without detri-
ment to the Government, he con.
cluded to say nothing upon the sub.
ject until his return to Washington.
He did not arrive here until Con
gress had adjourned. The Credit
Mobilier investigation was then
ended. The tide ofscandal was at
its height. The opposition press
was earnest in its denunciations OF
Mr.. Colfax, comparing him. to a
whitened sepulcher, and Liberal
newspapers were filed with
pharasaical editorials upon the sub
ject of the fall of the Christian
statesman. 1t was then too late fol
the testimony of Mr.. Drew to be Of
value to Mr.. Colfax, and Mr.. Colfaz
himself has not been informed Of
Mr.. Drew's knowledge of the affair
until within ten DAYS. This silence
was maintained for two reasons:
First, to enable Mr.. Drew to find
one missing link of the chain; and
second, to allow the heated passions
of the hour to subside.
THE STORY OF CAKES ANIEs' COUNSEL
During the winter session of Con
gross in 1868, Mr.. Drew was the at
torney for Mr.. Cakes Ames in some
legal matters, and at intervals call.
ed upon him at his seat in the House
One time, in June, he called upon
him, sent in his card and was called
in from the lobby by Mr.. Ames
Mr.. Ames, coming up to him, greet
ed him with the usual salutation
and taking him by the arm, led him
toward the door of the Office Of the
Sergeant-at.Arms. Mr.. Ames Their
asked to be excused for moment
and, interrupting rapid CONVERSE
ton upon business matters, retired
to his seat. He was gone long
enough to have drawn check OF
written memorandum, and returned
to Mr.. Drew with a piece of pape,
in his hand. Cakes Ames, uotwith'
standing his apparently stolid habit
had a very active mind, and his
mental activity occasionally mani
tested itself in the form of physical
nervousness. He had peculiar
habit, which is frequently noticed
from the galleries, of holding a
piece of paper in his left hand, and
drawing it through the thumb and
fore-inger of his right hand from
left to right. He treated this piece
Of paper which he held in his hand
at that time in accordance with that
habit.
Mr.. Ames proceeded to the Cash
ier's counter, leaning upon his left
elbow, while facing the desk in
clined his head toward Mr.. Drew,
who is a much shorter man, and
who stood upon his right. While
in this attitude Cakes Ames held
this slip of paper, which Mr.. Drew
then perceived to be a check, with