The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-18

hin; from confidence, such confession
ought to require his expulsion.
Rollins and BLAINE have now the closest
relations. The necessities OF party and per-
sonal combinations bring them together.
II the declarations of innocence made by
BLA1xE be in any sense true, RoLLINsis
the greatest of scoundrels, for he Is the
man who originated the so-called caluinny,
blackened his name. and presented him as
n corrupt legislator. Yet they are on terms
of confidential intimacy.
Col. THOMAS A. ScorT assumed the re-
sponsbility for the transaction of the Lit
tie Rock and Fort Smith bonds, for which
the Union Pacific paid SO per cent. of the
par price. when they had no marketable
value whatever. lie was then President
of the company and er-oNcio Chairman OF
the Executive Committee, which author
ized the money to be diverted 10 this pur-
pose. The Colonel attempted to extenuate
his part in this business by alleging that
he had not received his salary. and that
the salaries of other companies were much
higher.
1t was very evident from the questions
on these latter points, put by Mr. LAW
RENEE of Ohio, that there was good un-
derstanding between him and the witness
to complicate the case with extraneous
matter, and to raise up new issues to divert
attention from the real question before the
committee. Col. ScoTr has been so often
on the stand, and has had so many sharp
corners TO turn, that he may almost be
called an expert witness. At delicate eva
sion he has no superior, as the following
shows
"Q.-Do you Lnoto whether Mr.. BLAINE had any part
cfh NJ nL.INK y. Litie lock dnd Fort SDin Rsiit
road t0nds directly or Indirectly"
He does not respond to the question at
! ali. What ne answers is doubtless techni-
cally true, because this whole business was
done through third party, and yet 1t does
not touch the pith of the interrogatory.
Encouraged by this success. BLAINE tried
his hand III the same direction, in this
way:
to Su ia behalf Of s ssG Preden9 Of Se
Litte Rock roadS A.-YOu never did."
or course Mr.. BLAINE never wrote or
spoke to Col. Tom SCoTr on such a subject.
| That would have been rather verdant in a
sharp SPECTATOR, seeking to cover up his
tracks. 1t was hardly necessary, when
CALDWELL Represented BLAINE. and was
the blind between him and SCOTT and
the bonds. But let us see about CALDWELL
and his relation to the matter. SCOTT tes-
titled as follows, according to the report OF
the Associated Press:
"He formerly owned these ~ bonds OF the Lite
Rock aud Fort smith RaiiroSi Company, anu bought
them year AMI four months previously to his re ing
oouSni them from Josiah CsLDwKLL. who was ncgo.
ua!ing bonds Or that com any CALDWELL BELONGED
UNDERSTOOD however. that CALDWELL. during the panic
OF 1873, went to Europe after his failure IN the West,
| aud was there now"
Who is JOSIAH CALDWELL? Mr.. BLAINE
Is one OF the best witnesses ON that point, if
he could be persuaded TO tell all he knows.
After Kansas was reconstructed. and cam
into the hands of the carpet-bag thieves in
1868, a party OF Boston adventurers-called
gentlemen of capital" by BLAIsE-com-
blned with CLAYTON and his crew, and
procured the charter OF the Little Rock
and Fort Smith Railroad. They obtained
a subsidy OF $4,000 mile for any road
which received aid from Congress, and
els, 900 n mile without that aid. Iu 1866
ana 1870 Congress passed two acts favorine
this company. both Of which Mr.. BLAINE
signed rs Speaker
JOSIAH CALDWELL of Boston was the
head aud trout of the Little Rock and
Fort Smith road, n friend of BLAINE's
and the man who put out the bonds OF
which SCOTT swears he purchased seventy
FIVE at an enormous figure considering
that he claims TO be u railroad king, and q
Judge Of that sort OF stock, even when il
has no quoted standing in market.
The last witness called on Monday was
john MCCLURE Of Arkansas, who has been
a good deal mixed up with politics, legisla.
ton, and railroads. He "testIhcd he wa.
acquainted with JOSIAH CALDWELL. who
was connected with the Little Rock and
Fort Smith Railroad Company" Then he
was asked this question:
" Did YOU ever hear from CALDWELL the disposition
OF am bonds u tne company =
This interrogatory was hardly put be-
fore Mr.. BLAINE interposed, saying:
ale had suffered no Gount IN the estimaon OF GOOD
reo9le, Of the qe.auon tAat ne sin rresief
co 1ag pSlu1 az Ts" Va - ese IN h res
Ter wlich tne 1--we isAtlon was he d. b. was emitted
oopphcaet nu an ktg else; wantcl It unuiH
Witnesss- left H. He thou <h he mad he rSnt IN ta
name Of justice 10 MAKE this demand"
After this singular interruption, Mo
CLURE was asked:
"By MIR. LAWRENCE Have You any knowledge or In
lrualNu 90 tue sale OF the seyentY.nye bonds con
cern ng which tes'lmu Y hIs neen takrnP Al neye
knew ga au, bpnns we're sold, AMI al LtOo dbOW
he q ilhif CALpwEL tott ne.
at Mas eel t.ht nearstN testimony could not bt
taken anu the committee adjourned"
When Mr.. BLAINE made his explanation
before the House. he professed READINGS
to confront any inquiry that might be or
dered without condition. Bat here h'
PUSHES in 10 shut the mouth of an incon
venient witness, and t. demand the most
rigid construction Of the scope of the res
olution. Does that look like the act Of a
innocent man, VINO hal nothing to fear
Does the interposition Of legal qu bible
aud technical peas help him before Tia
country?
, This investigation was moved to discov
er the whole trIth, and Mr.. BLAINE, # no
1 guilty OF the charge against him, was mos
Interested III opening every avenue to In
. formation and getting complete julg
| ment. He has thwarted il, and must b.