The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-08

Bane-I am informed and l would like
that to be established, that Ham was subpoena
ed by the chairman of the committee (knott)
and, therefore, this Luttrell committee, as you
call it, was not In organization at that time, but
that after Mr.. Ham came here this committee
having been appointed contemporaneously with
the Tarbox resolution be was turned over by
them, therefore this committee was not in exis-
tence to subpoena him.
Hunton-I think you are mistaken about
that sir.
Blaine-I think not think that before that
period there was no committee in existence to
investigate that matter.
Knott have told the whole truth about this
matter, and have proved this Luttre COM
mittee was appointed long before the Tarbox
resolution was thought of or before Mr.. Frye
went to New Hampshire.
Blaine-I will say that do not consider nor
admit that that has been proved.
Knott-Very well, sir; do not care whether
you do or not. You ask why did thus mater
slumber till the Sd or 4th of May There were
before the Judiciary Committee several lnvesti-
CAUTIOUS. There was an ivestigaton of the Tex
as Pacific Railroad Company, which consumed
considerable time and upon which Judge Hun
ton was engaged. There was at the same time
going on, and it continued some time after that
and dropped, al investigation of the safe burg
larry conspiracy, upon which Mr.. Ashe and Mr..
Lawrence were engaged. Meantime the i'm
parchment of Belknap was referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee, and Hunton was appointed
the time the committee was absorbed, We
were as busy as we could be upon these mat
ters
You have asked some questions about that
telegram?
Blaine-Yes, have several to ask if you will
do me the honor to answer them.
knott-What was your question?
Blaine-l want to know whether you are 60
ing to produce that telegram to the House of
| Representatives?
| Knott never had any other intention than
| to produce that telegram to the Judiciary Com
| mitteee.
Biaine-You had it then 10 your pocket five
| days at the time brought it into the House?
Knott am aware that [ had had it five
| days.
Blaine-Did you during Thursday, Friday,
| Saturday or Sunday, deny to newspaper cores
| pendents that you had heard from josiah Cald-
| well?
| Knott will make statement about that
telegram in full
Blaiee-That is a question suscept BILE of
| very direct answer.
Knott received that telegram on Thursday
| morning. will state as particularly as l can
! recollect tie circumstances. L had gone to my
| breakfast. After breakfast took walk as
usual, somewhat protracted. 1 came back to
my room and my wife called my attention to
| the telegram, l took it DIP and read it and
| Immediately started to the capitol That
telegram excited my suspicion for this reason.
| A proposition had been made sometime before
| by some member Of tee judiciary committee, L
don know by whom for was not present.
| that Geographic dispatch should be sent to
| Josiah Caldwell to know if he would return to
| this country and testify. That proposition was
resisted, so am Informed, by Blaine and by
| Blaines friends.
Blaine-On the ground that it was utterly
| so preposterously absurd; because you could
| not get him to come.
Knott-On the ground that be could not be
! got
| Blaine-Yes, and that if he would not it
would be said that he would not come because
his testimony would be unfavorab'e to me- 1t
| would be "Oh, yes, he cannot come, he is con-
veniently absent in Europe
Knott do not desire to be Interrupted any
| more id my statement.
| Some days afterwards this question was again
raised In the judiciary committee as to whether
| telegraphic despetch should be sent asking
Caldwell if he could come to testify in that in
stance. Then also Mr. Blaine's friends re slst-
| ed the motion.
Blaine-On the same grounds.
| Knott nevertheless prevailed and the
committee on judiciary instructed me to send
such telegraphic despatch to Caldwell. did
not know where Caldwell was to be found. |
| went to the representative from Boston WAR
REM thinking he would know, and asked him
where Caldwell might be- found. He told me
| he did not know. L asked him to enquire,
telling him had been instructed by the COM
mittee to send despatch to CALDWELL He
said he would write to gentlem an in Boston
and ascertain. Meantime l went to Judge
Hunton and told him had great variety of
things on hand asked him to trke hold of that
matter and find out where Caldwell was and to
| telegraph him my name.
Mr.. Warren some days afterwards came to
me and told me he had received letter from
his friend in Boston, informing him Caldwell
was somewhere-l think in Italy Wheu
therefore received laldespatch from Caldwell
without having despatched to him, it occurred
to me that it was suspicious.
Blaine-Would not the publication of it have
exposed it?
Knott beg the gentleman not to interrupt
| me. Furthermore, there was simply at the tor
OF the despatch the word "Londop,' no moth,
| no day, no place, no street, no house. 1 knew
rothing about these cable dispatches had
never sent one in my life, and never even saw
one before, but l have since been informed
that it is customary in London to keep the ad-
dresses OF persons sending dispatches, and not
put the address in the despatch itself. l did
not know it at the time, and do not know it
row except from information.
AS soon as l could after reading that des-
patch came to the capitol and read it to Judge
Lynde aud think to Judge Lord, Mr.. jerks
and Mr.. Mcmahon.
think it was to these four gentlemen that
read it. think that these four gentlemen
were present at the meeting, and my impress
sion is that they were when l read the dis
patch. 1 am confident that Judge Lynde was.
That was on Thursday. On Friday there was
meeting of the committee. A variety of SUBJ
jects were under consideration so that this mat
ter so far as know was not mentioned
Blaine-YOu did not think of mentioning the
telegram to the committee.
Knott-I did not think OF it, The truth is
Mr. Blame L had great many things to think
OF besides your Presidential aspirations. am
free to say don't recollect that it occurred to
me at all.
Blaine-I am not abiding to myself, but to
the dispatch. That might have occurred to
you.
Knott-I say do not recoect what occurred
to me at all.
Blaine-Did you read it to any other person
OF your committee besides Lynde and Hunton.
Knott-These were the only persons
Blalne-Are those the only persons TO whom
you mentioned it?
knott-Let me get through, l have told you
did not want to be interrupted.
On that same occasion while we were in the
committee room.
Mr.. Knott then recounted the scene between
Mr.. Blaine and MIR. Mulligan, and said it raised
suspicion in his mind that the despatch was
fixed up and he waited to verify it. Mr.. Blaine
intimated that if the despatch had been I'M
favorable, it would have been published Knott
excitedly asked Blaine, what do you say
sir" and Blaine replied, II do not think YOU
would have kept back testimony that would
have hurt me" and referred to the Cheese
borough despatch in the Schenck case.
Proctor Knoti's Southern Blood.
lug ooene uetWeeu Representatives Knott
and Blaine today in the room of the committee
On the Judiciary was at times of most excIt-
ing character, especially on the part OF Mr..
Knott 10 consequence Of questions asked by
Mr.. Blaine which Knott supposed inquired his
honor. After the sub committee adjourned
Mr.. Knott, approaching Mr.. Frye, member
OF the committee who has been in attendance
as the advisory friend of Blaine, said to him,
Your friend Blaine is the Cd d-dest scoun.
drel in America" This remark OF its eauiya-
lent having already found it's way into print it
should be added that Mr.. Frye replied, You
forget yourself, Mr.. Knott" yes" said Mr..
Knott, Il do" be thereupon Immediately With
drew the remark, and apologized for having
made it =
Caldwell Dispatch f.r
The following is copy of the telegram re.
ceived by Representative Knott on Thursday
last, and which he furnishes for publication:
dated London.)
To Chairman House Judiciary Committee Wasbino
ton.
Have just read in the New York papers Scott,s ev
idence about our bond transaction and can fully cor
roborate it. never gave Blaine any Fort Smith
Railroad bonds directly otherwise. l have three
foreign railway contracts on my hands, which make
it impossible for to leave without great pecunia
ry loss or 1 would gladly voluntarily come home and
testify. Can make affidavit to this effect and mail
it if desired.