Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-06-01
Investigation Of the Charges
Against Mr.. Blaine.
TESTIMONY OF WAR
REN FISHER, JR.
Elisha Atkins upon
the stand.

Washington, MAY 81. Before the House judi
ciary committee, to-day, Warren Fisher, Jr., of
Boston, testified he has never said that he gave
Mr.. Blaine Sl30, 900 in bonds Of Little Rock and
Fort Smith Il. r., without consideration, nor had
he ever said anything of this nature, nor had he
ever, matter Of fact given Mr. Blame $780,
900 in bonds without consideration.
Fisher also testified that he was q contractor for
building portion of the Fort Smith and Little
Rock X. r. and sold out his contract to Josiah
Caldwell. Witness was 10 receive from him $3.50,
600, but actually received only $4,000. He was
to be paid by the company bonds and stock, and
600, which he sold and traded off from time to
time; never sold any bonds to Col. Tom Scott, and
never saw him but once in his life, and that was
in 1861.
Witness never sold any bonds to Mr.. Blaine,
but sold him some stock understood that Blaine
owned some of the bonds and thinks that Blaine
himself told him so. Does not know what he did
with them and knows not hat any of them found
their way to Union Pacific Co.
MIR. Hunton read to witness the report in the
papers that he had said he gave Mr.. Blaine $780,
900 in bonds without consideration, and asked
witness if he said so. Witness replied that he
never said so, nor anything like it.
Mr.. Frye-As matter of fact, did you ever
give Mr.. Blaine $4,000 in bonds without consid-
eratonl
Wuness-No SIR.
Witness was never connected with the Union
Pacific Co. Don't know Morton, Bliss d Co.
Never had any transaction with them.
The bonds spoken of by witness as being owned
by Mr.. Blaine he understood were bought by Mr..
Blaine for other parties
Elisha Atkins of Boston testified that he had
been director of the Union Pacific Co. since
1869, and had been a member of the executive
committee all the time except 1871; first knew
abont the Fort Smith & Little Rock bonds in
1871, when an order came to the treasury to pay
draft of Morton, Bliss & Co.'S for SO 900 for 10
of them owned by Col. Thos. A. Scott; under
stood it was in lieu of paying large salary to
Mr. Scott. Scott was of immense value to the
road and increased the market value Of the Sc
curities. Always supposed that Scott took hold OF
Union Pacific in order to make q connection to
the Pacific coast for the Pennsylvania Central
road. The bonds of the Little Rock road
worth about 60. Thinks that their general
value at that time, although knows that some
were sold as high as II.
Witness would not have sold his own for 60 at
that time, but made a mistake in not doing SO. If
this arangemt mt had ken carried out with the
Southern Security Co., the bonds would have been
very cheap at 60. No bonus accompanied the sale
of Scots bonds. Witness knew that some inquiry
was made in board of directors about the purchase
of these bonds and a satisfactory explanation was
given. Never heard that an investigation would
involve Mr. Blaine.
James Mulligsn of Boston, testified that he was
treasurer of the Globe Theater, but was formerly
book keeper for firm in which MIR. Fisher was
partner. Knew of sale of Fort Smith bonds that
particular sale of IS bonds to Mr.. Blaine in the
transaction. There were Sl30 900 worth Of bonds
and the sale Of them Melted MIR. Fisher 40 per
cent. on their par value. Mr.. Fisher received
$4,000 tlom persons IN Maine, to whom bonds
were sold through Mr.. Blaine. For this sum
they received $l30000 in first mortgage bonds
the same amount in common stock, and the same
amount in preferred stock. The agent received
the same amount in land grant bonds and S32 800
in first mortgage bonds. Witness attempted to
IA, on.iop hutAI Fro eha1f
of Mr. Blaine objected on the ground tuat it re
lated to quite q number of persons in Maine, for
whom Mr.. Blaine transacted some business, and
whenever the CON nttee was Icady to go into that
Mr. Blaine would take the stand as witness to ex
plain the whole transaction Much time was
spent on this point during which witness made
some statements about the matter which were not
very Ineligible to the committee. Witness was
then asked whether he ever heard that any of
these bonds went f ON Blaine to Thomas A. Scott
and replied that he understood Mr.. Atkins to say
that IS bonds came from Blaine to Scott, and that
Scott got them oil on the Union Pacific Company.
This remark was made by Atkins to the witness
at time when the latter was boOkecper for Fish
err; was engaged in making settlement with
Blaine of all his transactions with Fisher, and
about the same time witness understood from
Blaine himself that he took up some bonds from
parties in Maine, who had formerly purchased
them. Fisher wrote to Blaine about the bonds
which had been negotiated by Blaine, telling him
wrote back he had received no benefit from them,
and he did not have the money in his possession
eighteen hours.
Witness afterwards met Blaine at the Parker
House in Boston, and Blaine said he was now
going to settle with witness referring to the ac-
count between Blaine and Fisher, witness being
the bookeeper. Blaine complained at that time of
his losses on the bond transaction, and witness
said he could not have lost much, for he knew
where he got off seventy five of them for eighty
cents.
By Mr.. Lawrence-Did the settlement you
spoke of refer to Northern Pacific bonds, or the
Little Rock bonds
Aus-To both.
By Mr.. Blaine-I have had business trsnsac-
tions with Mr.. Fisher for twenty years and this
settlement covered all that time.
Witness-Some of the transactions were settled
at the time they took place, before Blaine came
to Congress at all.
Blaine thought the committee had nothing to do
with his private business transactions, which took
place years before he became member Of Cen
gress and Frye and Lawrence objected to having
the witness go into the details of that settlement.
The chairman said he desired to keep within the
bounds of the resolution of inquiry, but wanted to
get at all the facts.
Witness said the settlement bad nothing to do
with the bonds which he had supposed went thro'
Col. Scott to the Union Pacific Co.
Some members Of the committee not understand
ing all the testimony given by the witness, who
spoke in a low Tone and who repeated many OF
his statements some times not very clearly. the
stenographer was directed to have his testimony
written out for use of the committee and his fur
ther examination was postponed till tomorrow.
After adjournment, Atkins stated he never told
Mullipap that IS bonds were sold by Blaine to
Col. Scott, who got them of on Union Pacific Co.,
but that in the conversation alluded to, II was
Mulligan himself who made this assertion. At.
kns and Fisher ill again take the stand to NOR
for m I'M tio IN