The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-09

stated, or ulu ne dCknOWleuS6 Jne rSCSlpJ
in any way2
A.-Usually when Isent money by FIX.
press would send him the receipt of the
Company, which he would either return
marked 20. X" or otherwise acknowl-
edge the receipt of the same. Sometimes
Ipaid to him in person in New York
when no receipt was necessary. have
not preserved any receipts or letters,
When sent by express | always deposited
money personally and took receipt for
it.
Question by the Chairman-Have you
at any time had any conversation with
the Secretary of War regarding the post.
leadership at Fort Sill or have you cor
responded with him regarding the same?
A,-0h, frequently have forwarded
requests to the Secretary made to me by
Evans, wishing privileges about the Fort
such as to sell liquors, etc. | don't re-
member what action was taken on them,
They were not returned to me as far as
| know. Evans corresponded regarding
affairs at Fort Sill through me with the
Secretary of War. never heard of any
other way.
Question by the Chairman-Was the
contract between you and Evans ever the
subject of conversation between you
and the Secretary of WARP . 30,
Alt never was, as | remember save
in one instance but | am not positive,
vet it seems to me that when the article
in the newspapers recording affairs at
Fort Sill, probablably in 1872, about the
time the reduction was made in pay
ments from $4,000 to $4,000 appeard,
the next time | saw the Secretary of
War, he asked if | had a contract with
Evans told him that had. | never
showed it to him or anyone else until l
produced it here.
Question by the Chairman-After re-
viewing a telegraph subpoena from the
Sergeant-at-Arms to appear before this
Committee, which was on Monday, the
21st of this month, did you come TO Wash
ington, and if so, had you an interview
with the Secretary Of War, and when and
where?
Al came to Washington on Wednes-
day, the 23d of this month; | went to the
house of the Secretary of War on said
Wednesday night and returned on Thurs
day morning. | showed him the tele-
graphic subpoena, and asked him what it
meant. He said he supposed it was to
state before the Committee what knew
about transactions at Fort Sill. | said l
did not like to appear because | thought
my testimony would be damaging or
would implicate him or give him trouble,
He said he thought not, and advised me
to stay and meet the committee. During
that evening my conversation was cniety
with his wife, he being present part of
the time and understanding the general
tenor of our conversation; she suggested
that | could make statement which
would satisfy the committee and excul-
pate the Secretary. She wanted me to
90 before the committee and represent
that she and | had business transactions
together for many years, and that all this
money [ had sent the Secretary was
money that she had from time to time
deposited with me as kind of banker,
and that she had instructed me to send it
to the Secretary for her. l dined there
and spent the evening, and staid all
night, retiring about twelve o'clock. The
evening was devoted to discussing this
matter. | told her the statement would
not hold water before the committee,
and even if it would, could not make it.
At the same time, | was so wrought up
and had such an anxiety, she pressing
and pressing me about it, and having
slept little since the receipt Of the sub
pena and sympathizing with their con-
dilion, did not give them positive an
swer that night. went to bed at twelve
o'clock, and | don't suppose slept wink.
They said they would breakfast about 8
o'clock. came down at eight and met
the Secretary alone. | told him | thought
| had better leave and get out Of the
country, for l would not perure myself
for any one; that | could afford to have
my throat cut, but not to peUure myself
He said he did not wish me to do that
that we could fix it up some other way.
| said: / think | had better leave the
country The Secretary said | would
ruin him if left. | said, if | 90 before
the committee | will ruin you, for | will
tell the truth. He was greatly excited
when | came down stairs to leave. He
followed and asked me into the parlor
and said, | want to make last appeal to
you to stay longer. He said if went he
would be rnined. said | would ruin
him il | went before the committee, and
left and took the limited express for
New York. On reaching home | con-
suited my attorney, asking him if the
committee could reach me by subpoena if
left the country. | stated the case to
him Mr.. Bartlett) He asked if | was
laed. | told him l had tele-
graphic dispatch calling me to Washing
ton. He said that if a subpoena had been
duly served, they could give me consid-
cradle trouble, but that on telegraphic
message they could not reach me if l was
out of the country. | asked how long
would have to stay. He said if the
committee had leave to sit during recess,
could not come back until the present
Congress expired. | then went to him
and there found dispatch from Dr. VIM.
Tomlinson, brother-in-law of the Secre-
tary. Its purport was not to leave, that
ne ndu gOOu news JudG He was COhIlhS
over. l determined not to be governed
by it, but l was going l thought they
only wished to fix up some new story,
but that would not be a party to it. My
trunk was being packed to leave At
about midnight Thursday, February "a,
DR., Tomlinson arrived at my house. He
said have seen Joe Blackburn-he is a
cousin of mine-who said he thought if
you (Marsh) would write letter, some
thing like the one which he (Tomlinson)
would suggest, that there would be no
further investigation, and if there was
they would ask no questions that would
be difficult for me to answer, and that
Mr.. Black kburn said he thought that if the
committee still wanted to examine me,
they would appoint subcommittee to
come over to New York to do so. He
came to my bed room, and told him to
90 into the sitting room and draw a
sketch of the proposed letter, and that
when dressed would join him and l
would write such letter as he wanted
if l could. l wrote a letter from the
skatch of Tomlinson. The endeavor was