The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-06-08
it What steps did you take TO verify ia

hands from Thursday morning, the first
OF June, and never brought it 10 the no.
tiCe Of the public till l interrosated you
on the floor OF the House on Monday, the
fifth Of June. In those intervening i've
days what steps did you take to acquire
information as to whether it was an au.
thentic dispatch?
Knott took the only steps thought
I ought to take-to find out where Cald'
we'll was, and telegraph 10 him.
Blaine-Did it never occur to you to
telegraph to the London office?
Knott-No, sir.
Blaine-You are lawyer, and | pre-
sumo lawyer Of prominence, else you
would not be chief Of the Judiciary Com
mittee. II a dispatch comes 10 you from
Josiah Caldwell, what is the presumption
as to It's authenticity, that it is from Jo-
siah Caldwell, or not?
| Knott-That is owing TO circumstances.
Mr.. Blaine then cross.examined Knott
on the manner in which the Judiciary
Committee intended to deal with the dis
patch and on the time they intended to
publish it.
Mr.. Knott declared that he intended to
do business in his own way.
Mr.. Blaine-Yo say the cable dispatch
was no evidence; will the affidavit that
Caldwell proposed 10 send be no evidence!
Mr.. Knott-It looked to me a good deal
in this way: that il had sent to man
in London asking him to send dispatch
exculpating ME, would probably make
that very suggestion over. lfhe were an
intelligent man he must have known that
IN &c pGrte affidavit made in London
could not be read as evidence atall.
The controversy continued, and Blaine,
in voice trembling with anger, said
Do you mean TO imply that you have any
evidence OF the slightest character that l
has, directly or indirectly, any commu-
nication with Josiah Caldwell?
Mr.. Knott-I have never said that you
had.
Mr.. Blaine-Your intimation Just now
meant that or il meant nothing.
Mr.. Knott-Well, suppose it did?
Mr.. Blaine-I want you TO state wheth-
er you have the slightest evidence Of it,
although have heard that you have been
rummaging telegraph offices through the
country for such evidence?
Mr.. knott--Then you have heard u lie,
that is what is what you have heard.
Mr.. Blaine-I am very glad 10 hear
that it is lie, but this is to be UNDER
stood whether you have the slightest ey-
idence that 1 have had, in any manner
whatever, any communication with Jo-
siah Caldwell.
Mr.. Knott-I have no evidence Of il
and never have. pretended that had
any.
After further colloQuy Hunton said
that before Torbox's resolution was intro.
duced in the House two witnesses had
been summoned by the committee under
the Lut1ell resolution. -.
Mr.. Lynde said, will state that the
day when that telegram was received by
Knott, presume it was on Thursday,
az stated. Mr.. Knott when he came to the
house said to me, have received n
telegram this morning which ] want TO
show you. lie took the telegram out OF
his pocket and showed it 10 me, and l
read it. Whether it was in this room or
in the room OF the Managers don't rec
ollect, nor do recollcct who was present
at the time. I remarked to him when l
read the telegram, this ia not evidence
. either before n committee or Il court or
any where in the shape that it now comes.
| It ia necessary that you should ascertain
, whether this dispatch is genuine and you
ought Immediately 10 ascertain whether
Caldwell is in London or where he il,
and whether it is u genuine telegram.
That think was abOut all the conversn'
, ton that passed between me and Knott
. at that time. Ny attention was called
OF to something else. II the telegram
Il hal been in reply TO the one sent by
Knott, after the committee had instruct
. ed him TO telegraph to Caldwell, the
} fact that il was in reply to n telegram
addressed to Caldwell would have been
, sufficient, in my opinion, to have it intro
duced before the committee IA ieS'
timony, but in the shape in which
, liz was, / thought Mr.. Knott had
| no right to make use Of 1t be-
fore the committee, or anywhere else,
until he had some evidence Of its anthem
, ticity. That was my impression at the
time. It is still my impression, and |
believe il is in accordance with the prln-
/ ciples Of the law OF evidence.
Mr.. Blaine returned to the charge, say
ing that Knott had never done anything
to ascertain whether the dispatch was
genuine or not.
Mr.. Kuott-That is not true?
Mr.. Lynde-If that dispatch was spu'
rious, it would be no test 10 telegraph
back to London.
Mr.. Blaine-Eyery American registers
: at the Cable office, and II you had tele-
graphed back to inquire whether the
D sender was Josiah Caldwell or not, you
3 could have obtained the whole police
Q force OF London to look up this matter.
In the hours examination by Mr.,
Blaine Of the whole Judiciary Commit,
tee, he went on in the same strain until
: the committee adjourned.
: Mr.. Ashe, Democratic member OF the
committee, disclaimed all knowledge oil
{ the dispatch.
Mr.. Ashe-This resolution Of Blaine's
} in regard 10 the telegram was referred,
understood, to the Judiciary Committee
I and we are going on examining about \
} here before the committee has directed il
' 10 be taken up.
: Mr.. Blaine-The committee has hat
I 4S hours 10 consider it.
Mr.. Ashe-And it has 4S hours more
Mr.. Blaine-I am perfectly willing tha
II should take six months.
Adjourned till tomorrow.
The scene between Representatives
, Knott and Blaine to-day in the room
!. Of the Committee on Judiciary was
= at times OF the most exciting character
! especially on the part Of Knott, in conse
!, qnence Of questions asked by Blaine
! which Knott supposed impugned hi
honor.
After the subcommittee adjourned
. Knott approached Frye, a member OF th'
committee who had been in attendance a
an advisory friend Of Blaine, and said Z
E him: "Mr. Frye, your friend Blaine j
the God dAmndest scoundrel in America.
: This remark, or its equivalent, having
e already found its way into print, it shoult
be added that Frye replied: "You forge
}. yourself, Mr.. Knott" aye" said Knott
g d did so," and he thereupon immediate
! l., ,V;tLJravv Nha ranorly anil OnnlnOiy yef