The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-06-02

The Celebrated American ExplaIncr A
Success rs n letter SnAtcher
Ne Asks to See Certain Damaging Letters
in the Possession Of a Friend and
POckests those Threatened
to be Published


gan testiles that Mr.. Blaine wrote
himself and Fisher a note to call at
his house. Mulligan declined to go
but Fisher went. After Mulligan los.
titled ON day h..or yesterday, Mr..
Blame eailNlupon him aud asked him
about some letrers which were ia his
possession, aud wanted MulIigan 10
give them up TO him, but Mulligan de.
cllned to do so. Mulligan said Mr..
Blaine almost got down ON his knees
and pleaded for the letters, saying they
would ruin him for life and when Null
ligan further declined, Mr.. Blaine ask
ed him to think of his wife and six
children. He besought Mulligan aud
almost contemplated suicide. Multi
gan then allowed Mr.. Blaine to take
them under pledge that he would re-
turn them. lie looked them over aud
did return them, This was in the
presence of Fisher. MuIligan then re-
tired to his room, and Mr. Blaine fol.
lowed him aud wanted to look at the
letters again, aud he allowed Mr..
Blaine to look at them, and Mr..
Blaine refused to return them and still
retains them. No one was present Mt
this time but Mr.. BlaineAnd Mulligau.
There were about eighteen letters.
While this statement was being made,
Mr. Blaine sat at table opposite Null
.igan and exhibited consider
able mirth at the statement.
laughing outright At the remark about
suicide, and when Mulligan closed Mr..
Blaine rose at once and asked to be
sworn, and be allowed to makeu coun-
ter statement, The chairman objected
to 1t at that time, but assured Mr..
Blaine that he should have an oppOr-
tunity. Mulligan was asked If he
knew the contents OF the letters. MIR
Blaine objected to Mulligan giving the
contents of the letters until he had
male counter statement. He said
upon the ground of fair policy, he
thought he should be allowed to make
statement in relation to what trans
pired yesterday afternoon. lie thought
he could simplify his statement before
they proceeded to examine the wit
ness. The committed decided that
the witness be examined first,
aud he was asked about
the contents of the letters, and said
one of them contained an allusion TO
bonds, and Mr.. Blaines losses in the
transaction. That Mr., Blaine said in
one of them that he did not retain the
money in his possession iorty-eight
hours. Mulligan further explained
that Fisher knew he had these letters,
and allowed him to have them. He
also said that when they were alone
yesterday afternoon, Mr.. Blaine talked
politics to him, and asked him how he
would like to run a committee, and if
he would like Consulship, etc.
AT the conclusion Of Muligan's ex-
animation Mr.. Blaine took the stand,
md with the utmost assertion denied,
riiaer oath, all of Mulligan's state
ments, that he (Blaine) had offered
him any consulship, or that he had
told Mulligan chat the publication Of
the letters would ruin him. This part
of the thing, Mr.. Blaine said, was
pure fancy. He denied that he ob.
tanned the letters under II pledge to re-
turn them. He called on Atkins,
Fisher aud Muligan at their hotel and
talked with all Of them for some
time together. lie had known Multi.
gan for twenty-five years, and he
had been n private secretary for
two OF Blaine's brothers-in.law.
In that capacity he had obtained pos,
session OF many private matters, not
in any way connected with this case,
but concerning other persons who sub
sequently were, many dating back long
before ne lBlaine) came 10 Congress
In examining the letters, Mr.. Blaine
would say that only one of them have
anything whatever 10 do with this
ease, and this one was returned TO
Mulligan, but he had kept the Others,
for the reason he was eXasperated by
Mulllgan's announcing his determine.
ton to publish them if any body i'm
pugned his character or testimony in
any respect. Mr.. Blaine then, in the
pesenre II Fisher and Atkins, told
Mulligan that rs these letters had no
bearing upon the case and were inn
properly in his (Mulligan's) possession
he (Blaine) would not return them
Mr.. Blaine then called on two of his
friends, both lawyers, and read all the
letters to them, and informed them
that he would also to-day lay the let
ters before the two wisest legal coun
sellers in Washington, and If they said
there was anything in the letters bear
ing upon the case in the remG:est way,
he would relirquish them He con-
sidered that Mulligan might just rs
well go to his house and take his other
private letters and lay them before this
committee. Chairman Hunter then
asked Mr.. Blaine to submit the letters
and the memorandum made from
them by Mulligan To the committee
for their private examination. Mr..