Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-04-08


when the council will be heard in behalf of the
Central Pacific Railraad,
The Clymer Committee.
Washington, April Z. Thomas B, Connery
testified
That he was in charge of the New York Herald
under Mr.. Bennett at the time of the cypher des-
| patch of Feb. 10th was printed
Mr.. Danford-Do you know Detective Bell
| Witness-I dc.
Q-How long
| A.-Met him in New York on Sunday, Feb. 8,
and had conversation with him.
| Witness declined to answer any question rela.
| tive to the subject Of that conversation without
the consent of Mr.. Bennett.
The committee decided that witness should go
to New ork and consult with Mr.. Bennett, and
return by Tuesday next.
| Quartermaster-G General Meigs testified:
That the statements of David Webster this
morning, to the effect that he sought an interest
| in his moth exterminator by suggestion of any
kind that could be tortured into such suspicion,
were absolutely false.
Witness said that he had never told Webster
| that the government was swindled out of large
| sums because the process then in use was worth
less. He bad never asked him what benefit the
contract would be to him; that he mad never asked
him how much he would give him; he had always
| considered that Webster, like many inventors,
was crazy on the subject of his preparation for
exterminating moths. Webster had offered to
furnish hundred dollars worth Of the extermi-
nator, provided that he be allowed to use it him
self.
Witness declined to permit him to go into the
| arsenal and handle the clothing, as he did not
know enough about him; he had considered him
honest, but rather light in the head; had never
inquired into his character.
Witness did not want outsiders in the arsenal, be-
| cause it was q dangerous policy TO admit them.
Witness corroborated generally the other state
ments of Webster from the record, but said his
| charges were false in every partcular-the crea-
| ton of a very active and imaginative brain.
During all this time Webster was walking about
very much excited leaning over the shoulders of
| members of the committee and proposing ques-
| tons, much to the amusement of everybody
present.
| Witness was asked whether he was the means
| of the adoption of Geo. w. Cowles & Co.'S pro-
cess for mInating moths. He replied that he
had opposed its adoption, even after board of
army officers had recommended its adoption, but
| finally yielded to the accumulation of testimonials
in its favor. When asked by whose influence it
had been kept in use, he replied that George W.
Brega and Dom Piatt were very active IN the
matter.
Witness said that the Cowles process is not now
| in use because at the last session of Congress it
was provided in appropriation bill that no
| money should be paid for the use OF any patent
process for exterminatlng moths or preventing
mildew. They now use camphor.
| Postal Contracts Frauds.
The House Postal committee to day continued
the examination of the books and papers of the
late F. 2. Sawyer, late contractor. Numerous
paid notes and drafts were identified by G. f.
Clark, Sawyer's book-keeper, showing among
other things that Sawyer paid to w. p. Farrow
designated in the memorandum examined yester.
day as one of the sparks) 1900 the 9Th Of
June, 1872. A paid note for $500. endorsed by
j. j. Kinds, was found, accompanied with a
memorandum in Sawyers handwriting, stating
that this was only one-half the amount the Kinds
party got from the Ell Paso Stage Co. The party
consisted of Kinds of Alabama aud Mcdonald
and Chidesdar of Arkansas. 1t also appeared that
Sawyer's checks to the amount Of $4,000 were
paid to Thomas J. Hood.
The Spencer Investigation.
| The Spencer investigating committee closed to-
| day. The committee announced that counsel
would be allowed two weeks in which to prepare
written arguments.