The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-03
the subject Of conversation between
Won and the Secretary Of War?

Answer-lt never was, as remember
except in one instance, but l can not be
positive. It seems TO me that after Q
certain article In the newspapers regard.
ing affairs at Fort Sill probably in 1872
about the time the reduction was made
in payments from S12, 900 10 $4,000 ap-
peared, the next time ! saw the Secretary
Of War he asked me II ! had contract
with Evans. I told him had, l never
showed it to him nor to any one else until
l produced il here.
Question by the chairman-After re-
ceiving the telegraphic subpoena from the
Sergeant.at-Arms to appear before this
committee (which was on Monday, the
2lst Of this month";, did you come to
Washington, and, II SO, had you an intes.
view with the Secretary Of War, and
when and where?
Answer-I came to Washington on
Wednesday, the 23d Of this month. l
went to the house Of the Secretary Of
War said Wednesday night, and returned
on Thursday morning. showed him
the telegraphic subpoena and asked him
what It meant. He said he supposed it
was to state before the committee what
l knew about our transactions together.
I said / did not like to appear, because l
thought my testimony would be damag-
ing to or would implicate him or give
him trouble. He said he thought not,
and advised me to remain in Washing
ton and 10 meet the committee. During
that evening my conversation was chiefly
with his wife, he being present part ofthe
time and understanding the general tenor
OF our conversation. She suggested that
could make statement which would
satisfy the committee and exculpate the
Secretary. She wanted me to go before
the committee and represent that she and
had had business transactions together
for many years and all this money that l
had sent the Secretary was money that
she had from time to time deposited with
me as kind OF banker, and that she had
instructed me to send il to the Secretary
for her. / dined there and spent the
evening there, returning about l2 o'clock.
The evening was devoted TO discussing this
matter. / told her the statement would
not hold water before the committee and
even II it would, could not make it. At
the same time was so wrought up and
had such an anxiety, she pressing me
about it and having slept little since the
receipt OF the subpoena and sympathizing
with their condition, / did not give them
a positive answer that night. l went to
bed at 12 o'clock and I do not suppose !
slept a wink. They said they would
breakfast about 0 o'clock. l came down
at 8 o'clock and met the Secretary alone.
l told him l thought had better leave
and get out Of the country, for / would not
perjure myself for any one; that l could
afford to have my throat cut, but not TO
perjure myself. He said he did not
wish me to do that, that we
could fix it up some other way. l
said I think had better leave the coun-
try. The Secretary said l would ruin
him il / left. l said il | go before the
committee will ruin you, for / will tell
the truth. He was greatly excited.
When | came down stairs to leave he
followed and asked me into the parlor
and said, want to make last appeal to
you to stay longer. He said II went
he would be ruined. / said would ruin
him il went before the committee, and
left, and took the lightning express for
New York. On reaching home | con-
suited my attorney, asking him if the
committee could reach me by subpoena il
left the country. l stated the case to
him (Mr. Bartlett). He asked If l was
subpGnaed. / told him had q telegram
calling me 10 Washington. He said II a
subpoena had been duly served they
could give me considerable trouble, but
that on a telegraphic message they could
not reach me II / was out Of the country.
asked how long / would have to stay.
He said II the committee had leave to sit
during the recess I could not come back
till the present Congress expired. l then
went home and found there a dispatch
from DR.. William Tomlinson, brother-in.
law Of the Secretary. It's purport was
not TO leave; he had good news; he was
coming over. / determined not 10 be
governed by it, but l was going. l
thought they only wished to fix up some
new story; but that they could not be
a party to it. My trunk was being pack
ed to leave. At about midnight Thursday,
February "a, Doctor Tomlinson arrived
at my house. He said: II have seen
Joe Blackburn; he ia cousin of mine,
who said he thoughtifyou (Marsh) would
write letter something like the one
which he (Tomlinsonl would suggest,
that there would be no further investiga-
tion, and If there was they would ask no
questions that would be difficult for me
to answer, and that Mr.. Blackburn said
he thought that il the Committee still
wanted to examine me they would ap-
point subcommittee, and come over TO
New York to do so." He came to my
bedroom and told him to 60 into the
sitting.room and draw sketch Of the
proposed letter, and that when he desired
| would Join him and / would write the
letter as he desired il could. wrote a
letter from the sketch Of Tomlinson's.
The endeavor was to exculpate the Sec
retary. There was nothing in it untrue,
but il did not say the whole truth. 1t
was very short letter. He took
it with the contract enclosed. He
said he would take tho letter and
contract to Blackburn who would show il
to the Committee and that would
BIZ the end Of 1t. He left my house at 2
o'clock Friday morning. At midnight
Friday night was reused up and had a
subpGnae OF the committee served on me.
On Saturday morning about 8 o'clock DR..
Tomlinson again appeared. He said he
had been to Washington. lie wanted to
know the first thing il | had been sub
pGnaed, and told him yes. He began
talking the whole thing over again, still
wanting me to say before the committee
what was suggested at the Secretary's.
At the interview on Thursday night he
wanted me to telegraph to the committee
before whom I had been subpGnaed by
telegraph to appear the next morning
friday that my wife was sick and l
could not attend. My wife being sick, l
consented to do 80, and did telegraph.
Referring TO the interview again on Sat-
urday morning, I said l could not make
the statement he desired. He said he had
seen Blackburn in the interval and had
shown him the letter of Thursday night.
He then returned 1t and the contract to
me. / said, "Dr. .Tomlinson, l have
thought Of this thing SO much that it has