The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-06-06
The Kerr InvestiaatiOn.

WASHINGTON, june 0.-lne commit
tee on Expenditures in the War De-
psrtment to day, continued the investi-
CATION into the charges against Speaker
herr. Mary T. Murray testified that
she had resided on Capital Hill since
1866, and Kept boarders there In De.
cember, 1866, Lawrence Harvey hired d
room in her house. In 1866 he also had
q room there with his wife, and both took
their meals there. Mr.. Danford raised a
poiut as to how far the committee could
20 into this part of the matter, taking
grounds that witness could not be
contradicted on an immateral or col
lateral question. Mr.. Elliott, counsel
for Kerr, replied, taking the ground that
it was competent to show by antecedents
of the witness that he was not compe-
tent witness. Mr.. Blackburn said If
Harney had deliberately sworn falsely as
to his married life, the committee was
entitled to know whether such was the
fact. Dantord repeated mis- objection,
and asked whether this committee was
not bound by some rules that court
could enforce, and whether the witness
would not be entitled to protection.
Mr.. Blackburn said the committee was
not bound by the strict technical rules
that govern courts. The question was
as to the date of Harveys marriage, and
if it could be shown that he had perjured
himself, it would impeach his credibility
as witness.
MIR. Elliott referred to the testimony
taken on the second instant, IN which
Harvey SAID he was married In July,
1867, to Annie Pryor, and that he had
no wife when he was here as assistant
doorkeeper. Mr.. Elliott quoted Judge
Story TO show that if witness
does not testify correctly in relation to q
tact, about which he bould not be mis-
taken he is not entitled to the evidence.
Mr.. Clymer also took the ground that
it was competent to pursue the question
80 MS to show the character of the man,
tor if Murray was not married at the
time he boarded with Mrs. Murray, he
lived IN adulterous intereour-: and with
Il woman. ..r
Then Mr.. Clymer asked the question
of Mrs. Murray: Did you have any
doubt whether the woman who lived
wit Harvey at your house was his wife?
Answer-l would not have boarded them
if had thought they we're not mrrried
and if l had found out they haI de-
ceived me | would have got rid of them.
| keep a respectable boarding house and
would not have boarded man or wo-
man who was not married for one hun
dred dollars day. ....-.
A, r. Green was recalled and contra
dcted Harvey's testimony in several par
ticulars, and said he din not believe Har
vey ever paid Speaker Kerr cent OF
the money hat Green paid to Harvey.
j. :. Moure testified TO mis- interview
with Harry in New York in regard to
the anonymous letters sent to Kerr, when
Harvey said that George Bliss WAS
crowding him, and that Bliss and Johi ny
Davenport wanted to make pplit-
ical capital out of the charges
against Kerr, and that they were
both id rascals and scoundrels. 1t
,ppesrs from Mares testimony, that
Kerr, through the advice of friends, en-
gagged Sidney Webster to ind out the
writer of the anonymous letter, so as to
have the writer prosecuted, 1t being
thought that the bringing of the matter
before "A criminal court would have the
effect OF punlshing him for conspiracy.
A written statement from Speaker
Kerr was read by Mr.. Elliott, IN the
presence OF the Speaker. He repeats that
he never knew Harvey, never taxed
with him on business matters, aud that
Harvey never offered or gave him any
money. The statement was utterly and
wlckedly false. The Speaker explains at
length The circumstances attending the
appointment Of Greene.