The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-10
CaldweIl's Telegram.

JOSIAH CALDWELL was for a time the
master spirit in the Little Rock and Fort
Smith Railroad, and put out the bonds
which came into BLAINE's possession. His
name appears in all the letters OF BLAINE
to FISHER which relate to that job, and
there is no moral doubt that CALDWELL
sent 500 600 of those bonds to BLAINE. in
the parcel which ROBINSON delivered to
him while Speaker. Before RoBrSsoS ap-
peared as witness, BLAINE took him to
his house and coached him as he did FISHER
and attempted to do with MULLIoAH.
CALDWELL was engaged in various specu-
lations, and made bad failure in 1873. To
avoid his creditors and TO escape from
prosecution, he went or was sent to Europe
by some OF his associates in these schemes
and has not returned to the United States
since then. The subcommittee which is
investigating the Little Rock job, proposed
to make CALDWELL q witness; but when
that suggestion was made, BLAINE and his
friends protested vehemently. The exact
facts are gwen by Mr.. KNOTT in n state
ment TO the committee last Wednesday, as
| follows:
some member Of the judiciary Commute q don't
aOa be- e a5E
II he would return to this country and testify That
b IaISr ard Us 81 Mr BlsIsrs litSd, '0''' " ''
bsaa Because Could ses s
mi. Ksorr-on the ground that he could not be
got
5 Gsy e a. s ,se rss
desps,S6 should be sea, sizing Mr. CALDWELL Il he
you'd come and testify; N . mgt Instance also Mr.
bLA M sras 1' sne .as nee sr nSmo.
| " Mr. kNOTI-lt nevertheless prevailed"
Here is the proof that BLAINE and his
friends resisted the effort to bring CALD-
WELL before the committee. They had
good reasons for opposing the proposition,
because through cross-examination the
whole truth would have been brought out,
which is now partially revealed by the
damning letters. Failing in that oppo-
sition. they had another resource. CALD-
WELL and BLAINE are confederates, and
must stand or fall together. They and
var Gus others who participated In legis-
lative corruption and swindled the public
with worthless bonds, form n Ring bound
tightly by the tie of self-protection.
Hence the garng perjury in regard TO the
sale OF the Little Rock bonds, the proceeds
OF which BLAINE pocketed and paid over
to his Maine friends" or MS he writes Ia
FISHER: ~ did not have the money in my
possession forty-eight hours, but paid il
over directly to the parties whom l tried
by every means in my power to protect
from loss"
II may be safely assumed that CALD.
WELL is still in the hands of BLAINE and
the spectators with whom he has asso.
ciated in Boston. They have always
known where and how to reach him, and
he has been always ready to obey their or
ders. To do away with the effect OF the
opposition made in the judiciary Commit
tee to calling CALDWELL ms a witness, il
was necessary to substitute some device
which would relieve the distrust excited
by that act
Consequently. the CALDWELL Telegram
was invented as q mode Of escape from
this dilemma, and with the hope that il
might help BLAINE at the same time
All the ear-marks OF put-up jol
reveal the paternity of this trick. Tn,
committee had not communicated In any
way with CALDWELL, and could not dis
cover his residence abroad. He was sup
posed to be in Italy, but all of a sudden
? and just in the nick OF time TO suit BLAINE
case, comes this voluntary telegram from
London, with certificate of character
And TO make the connection complete
, BLAINE stated in the House the day an,
hour when il was received by Mr.. KNOTT
and the nature of the contents.
Now, how did BLAINE come to be In
: formed OF these secrets Of the telegraph
! unless he was party to the schem
= through his "strikersf" CALDWELL, o
: whoever got up the despatch 70
;. him, says he "oan make afhdavi
slw taS sfisSt Y psVssseEI," 9