The Van Buren press., 1876-05-30
THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION
Robinson, Curry and Sickles Testify in
Regard to Those Fl Smith
Railroad Bends.
WASHINGTON, May "a.

WASHINGTON, May "a,
The judiciary sub committee of the
house of representatives continued the
examination of the so called Blaine bond
.ratter, Mr.. Blaine was present.
Asa L. Robinson, of Arkansas, test
fed that he was chief engineer of the Ft.
Smith and Little Rock railroad from 1869
to 1871. Witness gave statement of
the contract made between the directors
of the road and Mr.. Fisher, which was
afterward transferred to Mr.. Caldwell.
All the assets and bonds of the company
were under tho control of Fisher, and
atterward Caldwell In 1871 witness
brought package for Caldwell, in Bos,
ton, to Blaine, in Washington lie call
ed Blaine out into the lobby, and deliv-
cred the package to him. Witness knew
nothing of the contents of the package !;
and had no conversation with either Cald-
well or Blaine that would indicate what
was in the package held a few minutes
conversation with Blaine, at the time of
delivering the package in which he made
some casual inquiry about the Ft. Smith
road, and Spoke Of the coal interests out
there. which some one had asked him to
take an interest in. Witness knew moth
ing whatever about Blaine's having any
connection with the Fort Smith road
never told anybody in the world that the
package contained twenty bonds, and alb
solutely knew nothing about Blaine s
ownership of any bonds or interest in
the Fort NTH and Little Rock road In
answer to question by Mr.. Lawrence,
witness said that he brought the package
to Blaine in his hand, as it was too large
to carry in his pocket it was ream of
paper unsealed, and it was directed to
Blaine. Witness came here at that time
to attend to some matters about building
a bridge for the company; there was
nothing about the package to indicate
that it might not be some papers relating
to the building of the bridge The vii
ness being next interrogated by Mr.
Blaine, he further testified that he has
known Blaine about twenty five years,
having become acquainted with him when
Blaine was an editor, in Portland; had
an Office in the same building with Blaine
and considered him an old acquaintance; !;
delivered the package to Blaine in the
speakers public parlor, without any con
cealment; there was quite a crowd Of
people, there; it was thrown on the safe
by Blaine, and was not treated like val.
liable package; if it had contained bonds
it was large enough to contain large
nj ~ har NJ ifrbt boro ,l,t
of the coal lands referred to by Blaine
it was a roll open at both ends.
Amos p Curry, of Little Rock, testi
fies that about five weeks ago Robinson
told him that he had carried package of
bonds of $4,000 from Josiah Caldwell
and delivered it to Blaine Previous to
this, Robinson said he believed $40 900
worth of bonds was in his package, and
his understanding was that these bonds
were only an installment to Blaine. He
did not say that Caldwell told him the
object of delivering these bonds. Wit
ness was member of the republican
party.
Mr.. Blaine" How have the republi
cans of Arkansas felt towards me perso-
nally - .---=--.-------
Answer" l think majority feel any
thing but friendly toward You, owing to
your course on the Poland report CON
cerning the affairs of Arkansas"
Mr.. Blaine" Have you ever heard it
declared that they were going to get even
with me -
Answer" | have not"
Mr.. Blaine" Have you ever said,
since you have been in Washington,
speaking for yourself and associates, that
it was your duty to strike Blaine, when
ever yon can -
Answer" l never said so, nor had
any feeling of the kind"
Mr.. Blaine" Have you ever heard, IN
connection with the Poland report, that
Poland was paid money for reporting
it? ?"
Ans Ser-" Yes"
Mr.. Hunton, the chairman, thought it
was not pertinent to this investigation
that Poland's name should be introduced
in question with the allegation that be
received pay, especially in the absence
of Poland.
Mr. Blaine" That is a part OF the
Arkansas gossip--a vast mass Of false,
hood and slander, dug up from the de
bris of corruption in Arkansas, want
to show by my questions that the wit
ness is acting with disreputable gang,
want to show that the design of this
witness is to smirk and smut me
Witness" That is false in every par
ticular'
Mr. Blaine" All right, | can prove
it."
Mr. Hunton did not think such course
of examination according to the rules.
but Mr. Blaine had the right of proving
it.
Mr.. Blaine" | leave the matter as q
question of veracity between the witness
and Robinson"
Mr.. Hunton then asked the question !:
F" Have you such feelings against Blaine
that you would injure him p
Answer" No; l disliked very much
to come here, but complied with the
summons
David B. Sickles testified that he was a
former member of the banking firm of
Walcott & Co., of New York, and also,
at present engaged in the negotiation of
oars on railroad bonds and other secu-
rites, and was, also, financial agent of
the state of Arkansas. He was former
lv director of the Little Rock and Fort