The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-27
statement Of MIR. Harrison About
Blaine.

CINCINNATI, April 26.-The Ga:eLe 10.
morrow morning will publish an inter.
view with Mr.. John s, G. Harrison, OF In.
dianapolis, Mr.. Harrison makes the
following statement: AT the September,
1872, meeting Of the Board OF Directors
OF the Union Pacific Railroad, at which
I was present, the President OF the Board,
Mr.. Horace F. Clarke, called the atten-
tiou OF the directors to letter from the
President Of the Fort Smith and Little
Rock Land Grant Railroad with refer
ence to some bonds Of that road held by
the Union Pacific Company. Desiring to
know something more about these bonds,
| l made a motion to appoint committee
Of three 10 investigate them and re-.
mort before the adjournment, ,nttho N:"fa
! =. =. l.vw- titey came Into lls possession.
and all matters connected herewith.
Z. Fl. Rollins, the Secretary, took me TO
one aide and told me that must with:
draw that motion, for an investigation Of
The bond transaction would involve ]. 6.
Blsine. He said the fall elections were
near at hand, and Blaine was a candidate
for reelection 10 Congpess in Maine, aud
an exposure OF the transaction just at that
time would be sure TO defeat him. With
that | Withdrew the motion. Snbse-
auently took Mr.. Millard, who was and
sill remains government director, TO
Mr.. Rollins, and in his presence asked
Rollins il Understood him correctly in
relation to the bond transaction involv-
ing Blaine. He replied that ] did and that
an investigation would kill off Mr..
Blaine at The approaching election. Al
terwartls when the investigating COM
mittee Of which Jeremiah NJ. Wilson
was chairman, was in session and E. II.
Rollins was on the stand, telegraphed to
Wilson 10 ask witness certain questions
concerning the Fort Smith and Little
Rock bonds, but on noticing the daily re-
ports OF the committee afterwards, | saw
that no such questions were asked. On
the Sd OF February, 1873 ] wrote to Will
son, chairman OF the committee more ful.
| ly about the matter, detailing the facts
that l have just stated, but did not men'
tion Blaine's name. stated that the
transaction implicated q prominent
member Of the Republican party. Thai,
letter was copied into my regular
letter.book at Indianapolis, aud
can be referred to at auy time.
never received any answer to the letter
10 Wilson, but on the Goth Of February
| lust twen,y.three days later, Mr.. Delano,
Secretary Of the Interior, wrote a letter 10
a prominent Republican official, saying
that il was deemed best on the part Of the
Government to change the entire Board
Of Directors OF the Union Pacific rail-
road, and that he therefore proposed 10
anpoint some one from Indiana in place
ofJ. s. C. Harrison. This proposition ot
Delano's met with such strong opposition
that Il was abandoned, and none ol
the Directors were removed. We
were engaged at that time in making
an active fight against the Wyoming Coal
Company which was swindling the Union
Pacific road out OF $500, 900 or 5000 600 u
year. II the committee want that letter
Of Delanos, they can find copy Of it in
the Interior Department. Bear in mind
that this action on my part as government
director, and the correspondence to which
| have referred, and the effort on the
mart OF Secretary Delano to have me re-
moved from the Board OF Directors, oc'
CURED in the year 1872 and early IN
1873, Just about the time Of the re'elec'
ton Of President Grant, and when
neither Mr.. Blaine nor any other man
was spoken OF In connection with the
| Presidency in 1876. II is therefore un.
reasonable to suppose that anybody at
that stage Of the proceedings was inter
ested in defeating Mr.. Blaine's Ptesiden'
tial aspirations. This whole Little Rock
bond matter would have been investigated
BY the United States Court At the time
but for the killing of Of the Credit
Mobilier suits. showed 10 Mr.. Jcnkes
the governments special attorney, whC
with Zalthers was charged with the in
yestigation Of the affairs this order
Of the Executive Committee:
"NEw YoRK, December l6, 1871.
"Ordcred, That Morton, Bliss 4 Co. be
authorized 10 draw on the Treasurer oI
ibis company for $4,000, payable al
forty days from date, and to hold as col.
lateral security for the company 70 land
grant bonds OF the Little Rock 4 Fort
Smith Railroad Company, the bonds be-
ing 81, 900 each"
lie made copy Of it in my presence
and would have entered suit upon il al
once had not all these credit mObiliel
suits failed on the counts being ruled ou
ON the demurrer. In conclusion have tt
say that am ready and willing at any
time to 90 before the judiciary y Comnittest
Of The House and make oath to the facts III
this statement.