Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-05-04
MIR. BLAINE'S CASE.
MIR. Harrison. Of Indiana, Makes
His Statement.

From Cincinnati Gazette, 9th ult.
Mr.. John S. c. Harrison, banker of Indian
apolis, whose naIne was quoted as authorit,
for the story in regard to Mr Blaine, frs
published in the Indianapolis Sentinel, was il
the city yesterday on private bust ness. 1t il
well known that since that publication Mr.
Harrison has steadily refused to make any
statement on the matter, further than he wa
ready at any time to go before Congressiona
Committee and give all the information thai
he was possessed of Learning that he wa'
at the Grand Hotel yesterday, a reporter el
the Gazette called upon him to ascertain if, in
view of the late explanation of Mr.. Blaine, he
was disposed to give any facts to the public.
The result was the following
PLAIN AND COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT
of the whole Fort Smith bonds transaction as
far as his information of it extended. We
give the story in his own words:
'.At the September, 1872, meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Union Pacific Rail-
road, at which | was present, the President OF
the board, Mr.. Horace f. Clark, called the
attention of the directors to letter from the
President of the Fort Smith & Little Rock
Land Grant Railroad with reference TO some
bonds of that road held by the Union Pacific
COMPANY. Desiring to know something more
about these bonds, made motion to appoint
a committee of three to investigate and report,
berore the adjournment of the board, as to
how they came into its possession, and al
matters connected Herewith. Thereupon, e.
II. Rollins, the Secretary, took me to one side
and told me that | must withdraw that mo-
ton, for an investigation of the bond trans
action
WOULD INVOLVE JAS G. BLAINE.
He said the fall elections were near at hand,
and Blaine was candidate for reelection to
Congress in Maine. An exposure of the trans
action just at that time would be sure to de-
feat him.
With that / withdrew the motion. Subse-
quently took J. H. Millard, of Omaha, who
was, and still remains, Government Director,
to Mr. Rollins, and in his presence asked Rol-
Inns if mad understood him correctly in rela-
tion to the bond transaction involving Blaine
He repeated that did, and that an investiga-
ton would be sure to kill off Mr. Blaine at the
approaching election.
JEREMIAH N. Wilson'S INVESTIGATION.
Afterwards, when the Investigating Com
mittee, of which jeremiah NJ. Wilson was
chairman, was in session, and E. III. Rollins
was on the stand, | telegraphed Wilson to ask
the witness certain questions concerning the
Fort Smith & Little Rock bonds, but in no.
ticing the daily reports of the committee after
wards | saw that no such questions were
asked.
On the Sd of February, 1878, wrote to
Wilson, chairman Of the committee, more full
ly about the matter, detailing the facts that l
have lust stated But | did not mention
Blaine's name. stated that the transaction
implicated prominent member OF the Repub-
lican party. That letter was copied into my
regular bank letter-book at Indianapolis, and
can be referred to at ony time. l never re-
ceived any answer to the letter to Wilson, but
on the 26th of FebruaryAjust twenty-three
days later-Mr Delano, then Secretary of the
Interior, wrote letter to prominent Repub-
lican official, saying that it was deemed best
on the part of the government to
CHANGE THE ENTIRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
of the Union Pacific Railroad, and that he,