The Portland daily press., 1876-05-16
RY TELEGRAPH.
Mr.. BLAINE,
The Arkansas Bond
Investigation.
MIR. Harrison ON tine
Stand.
He Tells His Story Which Doesn't
Amount to Much.
Col. Scott Tells Where the Bonds
Came From.
And Entirely Acquits Mr.. Blaine.
Treasurer Rollins, Does the Same.
Col. Scott Tells Where the Bonds
Came From.
And Entirely Acquits Mr.. Blaine.
Treasurer Rollins, Does the Same.

tie Rock bonds.
John g. Harrison testified that he was the
Harrison alluded to in the article published in
Cincinnati paper April Goth, and that the in
terview as published was correctly reported.
He had been a government director of the
Union Pacific Railroad about four years. Mr..
Clark, President of the Union Pacific, told the
witness that he exchanged IS bonds of the
Fort Wayne and Little Rock road for 10 new
bonds, to be issued by the Union Pacific. Wit
ness thought it strange transaction, and at
meeting of the directors in September, 1872,
NOV ed that a committee of three be appointed
to investigate the matter. Rollins came to
witness and asked him to withdraw the mo-
ton as an Investigation would involve ex-
Speaker Blaine and might defeat his re-elec
ton. Wishing to fully understand the matter
he took Willard of Omaha with him the next
day to see Rollins, and ask him further in re-
gard to the matter, and Rollins then said that
it would involve prominent member of the
Republican party.
When the House was investigating the
Credit Mobilier case Rollins was on the stand.
Witness wrote to Mr.. Wilson of Iowa and ask
ed him to PROFOUND certain questions in rela-
ton to the matter to Rollins, but saw from the
daily reports that it was not done, Witness
found an entry on the books of the executive
committee directing Morton. Bliss & Co., to
draw on the treasurer for 1854, 900 and hold the
Fort Smith and Little Rock bonds as collateral
securities. Rollins did not tell the witness
how it would involve Blaine.
In Cn6 1OllOWlHS MdrCQ au ouOTG Was mdu0
to change the whole board of Directors. Witt
ness did not receive any letter from Secretary
Delano, but he had a letterin his possession
written by Delano to Senator Morton as fol-
lows:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, Sept. 26, 1873.
Dear Sir,--As promised in our conversation
yesterday, L now write to say that it is deemed
advisable to change the entire board of direc-
tots for the Union Pacific. shall therefore
Co. Nk1 ~1l rwsrvn farV
danaIn place of John o. Harrison, against
whom there is no personal objection whatever.
Very respectfully
G. DELANo.
0. 2. MORTON,
Witness had never made any investigation
about the latter, but understood that Wilson
had done So Morton, Bliss & Co. drew on the
company for $4,000, and Rollins, as treasurer,
paid it. Witness regarded the transaction on
books as very mysterious, but perhaps it could
be satisfactorily explained. He himself knows
nothing further about the matter.
Joseph III. Willard of Omaha testified that
he had been a government director Of the I'm
ion Pacific road about four years. He was pres
ent at the conversation between Rollins and
Harrison, in September, 1872, and heard Rol-
Inns say that the investigation spoken of by
Harrison would involve a gentleman high in
political circles. He unde rstood it to refer to
Mr.. Blaine, although he does not recolect that
Questionable not say to you after we. had
come out to stick pin on what Rollins had
said about Blaine?
Witness-I do not recollect
Witness certified that he knew nothing about
| the bonds spoken of, only what appeared on the
records of the executive committee of the COM
pany; never made an Investigation of the mat
ter. Rollins had since told witness several
| times that he was mistaken about Blaine's be-
| ing mixed up in the matter, and there was
nothing wrong about it.
Question by Mr.. Blaine-Did Mr.. Harrison
ever ask for an explanation of the matter in
any meeting held by the board of directors?
Witness-No, sir.
Witness knows nothing about Mr.. Blaine
| ownership of any Fort Smith and Little Rock
bonds. Thought at the time of the converse
| ton between Rollins and Harrison took place
that Mr.. Blaine was mixed up in the trinsac-
since that time all that impression had been
dissipated. He understood that an effort was
| made the next spring to change the entire board
of directors but did not know that it had any
thing to do with their action about these par
| ticular bonds; thought the Credit Mobilier had
| something to do with it, as that matter was be-
| ing investigated about that time; that neither
| witness nor Harrison were directors at the time
of the Credit Mobilier transaction, and they
were both reappointed as directors of the Union
| Pacific.
In response to another question witness swore
that he knows nothing further whatever about
the case under investig CATION.
James S. Wilson testified that he had been
a government director of the Union Pacific
Railroad Co. since 1869, and in reply to ques-
ton propounded by Representative Hunton,
| said he had seen by the record that certain
lands of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Rail-
road Co., had come into the possession of the
| Union Pacific Railroad Co. He had heard
they came through Col. Thomas A. Scott, who
was president of the company from 1871 to
1872. He had no knowledge of John C. S.
Harrison having introduced at the meeting OF
| the board of directors resolution inquiring
| how these bonds came into the possession Of
the company but Mr.. Harrison informed i'm
how that be had introduced such resoluti on
and he was also informed by Mr.. Harrison that
+ Rollins told him that Mr.. Blaine would be inn
peached if there should be an Investigation
| Mr.. Wilson afterwards had conversation with
| Mr.. Rollins on the subject. when Mr.. Rollins
| said that Mr.. Harrison had no right to use Mr..
| Blaine's name in that connection. Witness
mentioned the matter to Mr.. Blaine few
| months after September, 1872, when Mr.. Blaine
| asserted that he had no interest in these bonds
and no one could be more surprised than him.
| self that his name should be connected with
them. The interview between Mr.. Blaine and
himself took place in Washington. Mr.. Blaine
in this interview denied that he ever had pos.
session of any Little Rock & Fort Smith rail-
| road bonds except those for which he sub.
| scribed and paid. Mr.. Blaine did not say that
he had the Is bonds for any OF his constituents.
| On the contrary he said he did not and that he
had nothing to do with the Is bonds passed to
| the Union Pacific Railroad Co.
Mr.. Wilson talked with Mr.. A. G. Dillon and
| others on this subject Dillon had for 25 years
beea president of the company, and the only
we're put in BY Col. Scott in accordance with
| an arrangement between him and the Union
| Pacific Co. These bonds remain on the books
| of the company as an upadJusted question, and
| Col Scott has not yet received his salary for
| tho me IA w proeidapt 0f ha
e. FL. Rollins, Secretary and Treasurer of the
Union Pacific Railroad Co., testified, being
Intercepted by Mr.. Harrison. He said that he
| did not think Mr.. Harrison offered resolution
| in the Board of Directors to investigated the
| subject of the ownership of IS bonds by the
| Union Pacific Railroad Co., but he thought he
| simply made an informal motion to investigate
| the transaction. At that time Rollins had
heard of the bonds coming to Blaine, and he
| could not now say from whence he derived the
| information. He could only state the fact that
| when Mr. Harrison made the motion or sug-
| gestion he remembered that the road and its
| management had been the subject of severe
criticism N the newspapers and elsewhere As
this transaction had been closed up he desired
| to obviate the scandal in connection with Mr..
Blaine's name, whether the report was true
| or false He may have said to Mr.. Harrison
| under these circumstances that the bonds in
| question were Mr. Blaine's, or me equivalent
expression.
Question by Mr.. Hunton-And that an in
vestigation would involve Mr. Blaine?
Al may have said that they were Mr.
Blaine's bonds, or that he was involved in the
matter may have used words equivalent to
those. I merely state as matter of memory
that heard they were Blane's bonds and that
Blaine might be involved.
Q-Then you confirm Mr.. Harriseu's state
ment?
Al have given you my statement.
Mr.. Rollins in further testimony said Mr.
Harrison was mistaken as to the time of the
above mentioned occurrence, the election hav-
ing taken place two days previous to the meet
ing, when Blaine was triumphantly elected to
Congress. Rollins did not ask Harrison to
withdraw his motion, but may have said to
him that an investigation would involve Mr..
Blaine.
Q-How would the ownership of those 70
bonds involve Mr.. Blaine?
A.-Because it would be thought a ques-
tionable transaction as he could not see why
the Union Pacific Railroad Co. should buy
bonds of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Rail-
road Co., or any other company.
Rollins said in further response TO questions
in acting as he did, that he desired to avoid
scandal.