Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-29
the BkEQUE MARY MERRITT INVESTIGATION.
Testimony OF an Attorney I'm the Case.

Aeshmoby of an Attorney I'm the Case.
| AT the afternoon session OF the committee
examining into the alleged connection or
secretary Bristow with the Mary Merritt case.
": Erois, of Kentucky, formerly q law
pPsction OF hr; Ireland, spoke OF their con.
nection with the Mary Merritt case. and
gave history OF the vessel. He said he
came mere In the spring or summer of 1873
10 ,ntt SIae[ 70 secure the remission OF the for
| Ielture or the vessel. Gen. Bristow having
resigned the office of Solicitor General was
at that time in Philadelphia, engaged in the
| railroad business as an attorney He stated
| TO General Bristow the object of his errand
and offered 10 give him part OF the comDen,
sation. General Bristow declined TO take a
| Zee, but said he would assist him in present
| ipg the matter fairly to the Secretary of the
Treasury. Secretary Bris:ow introduced
him TO the Secretary, and TO Mr.. Banfeld,
the Solicitor, and was Informed 10 was not the
policy there to grant any remission of for
| feiture pending litigation. Next year the at
iorneys again came on. The Supreme
Judge Drummond's decision Ia the court be-
| low FORGETTING the vessel. They filed petit
| ton for rehearing Of the case with Secre-
tary Richardson, who, until a hearing could
had, directed the suspension of any proceed
ipgs In the Mary Merritt case until further
orders.
MIR. BRIsTow's CONDUCT IN THE PRE,Irsrs
! was merely an act of kindness, he having
CecIlned all or any compensation, and was
| merely serving his Kentucky neghbors
General Brlstow, when he assisted the attor-
neys, said that the Secretary was required
TO cOnfine himself 10 the certificate OF the
court alone: He did not argue the facts of
Inc case; The judge In that case said dis
unctly there was no wilful negligence or
fraud. The witness then read several letters
addressed to him by General Bristow, by
which 1t appeared that the latter had no pro.
fessiOnal connection with the case, and was
very careful TO have this fact clearly and
explicitly understood. The witness related
the circumstances attending the seizure of
the vessel, which was for a supposed viola
uon OF law, and the Judgment Of the court
was for a bond of $4,000. James Murray
concerned in the vessel, owed VIM IL, and
stephen +. Trlce, who were part owners
$4,000. The witness was their counsel and
knew that they never received one dollar of
the money.
Witness, IN answer to a question of Secre-
tary Bristow, repeated that the latter never
had any understanding or agreement or in
tentlon, so lar as he knew, of re covering any
money for advice In the case. Gen. Bristow
emphatically declined 10 have anything TO
do with fee.
Secretary BristOw called the attention OF
the witness TO that part of the House resolu-
tion directing the Investigation, in which IL
Is said that lone of the attorneys for the
owners of the Mary Merritt applied TO b. III,
BristOw, Secretary of the Treasury for n re-
mission of the forfeiture, 10 which said Bris-
low replied that he would do nothing himself
but his private secretary could Il IL up, and
the said attorney met his private secretary
and had the forfeiture remittet."
The witness replied that the mention OF
The attorney in the extract reai certainly
does not apply to him. He was no. the man.
Adjourned.
To day.
The committee this morning hearI f. b.
Northrup, editor OF the Commercial Times OF
Milwaukee, who testified that ne wrote the
article In his paper against Secretary Bris-
tow and that a u. ;. deputy marshal, either
Ed. Simpson or Burke, first called his alien
tton TO the facys and asked him to work up
The case. His knowledge OF the case was de-
rived from Colonel Goodwin, who received
his statement from Mr.. Johnson aud from
John a. Hinze, a detective, the latter o.
tanning his Information from Mr. Weiss.
Inc witness kCew nothing OF the case ex-
cept what he derived from Others and by an
examination of the court records.
Secretary Bristow asked the witness a
question concerning Colonel GooIwin. and
he wi mess replied he had for the last eight
months been engaged exclusively In
THE WHISKY FRAUD TRIALS
At Milwaukee,
Secretary Bristow asked the witness whe-
her Colonel Good win was not his (Bristow's)
open ard avowed enemy because OF his
course in the whisky trials at Milwaukee.
Mr.. Bright said the committee was not en-
gagged in an examination Of whisky frauds.
Secretary BIistow said il seemed to him
hat it was competent to show the motive
tOT the attack,
Mr.. Bright thought tho question was ir-
relevant 10 the investigation, besides Col.
Goodwin was not a witness before the COM
mittee. He did not consider evidence what
Col Goodwin said TO third party.
Secretary BristOw remarked, that was
undoubtedly SO, but he desired to show that
Col. Goodwin was melted by hostility in
instigatiDg this charge, because OF his OIL
cial course in the WHISKY trials.
Mr. HartZel thought the committee had
better summon Col. Goodwin, and he could
then be investigated as to his motives.
Mr.. Northrup, after further eXamina alton,
said Col. Goodwin did not 1nstigate the state
ment against Secretary EristOw.
q. f. Weiss testified that he was formerly
Deputy Collector at Milwaukee, and stated
facts relative To the release OF the Mary
Merritt, which ne resisted until he secured
the moieties. He paid Judge Hubbell $500
out of gratitude for not favorng the RENTS
sion of the bond in the Mary Merritt case
He testified that after Gen. Bristow made
he withdrew having said that he merely APP
peared In behalf of neighbors and friends,
having no pecuniary interest in the matter
PAID AN VI. c. $500
Mr.. Weiss also testified that he paid Gerry
w. Hazeltop, member OF Congress, 500
for arguing against the remission OF the
bond before the Treasury department.
Mr.. NorthOup was asked by Secretary
Bristow what other position in Milwaukee
than that Of detective did Mr.. Henzie
hold?
A. He is president OF the Central demo
cratic committee of the city.
Mr.. Weiss.-Well, to make the story COM
plete, Will state TO the committee that |
am the president.
The chairman, (Mr. EIy.)-Wen, that is
not at all discreditabe. Laughter
APPROVED THE CLAIM.
Mr.. Lyman, in charge of the navigation
division OF the,Treasury department, testified
that when the case was first presented for
remission while Secretary Richardson was
at the head of the Treasury department, he
was opposed TO IL. After giving il further
examination in 1875 he thought, as the vessel
was shown TO have been libelled for only
technical violation OF law, the fine should
be RENTED. In this conclusion he was en-
GoTsed by Assistant Secretary of the Trea-
sury Hartley. Upon the recommendation OF
Lyman and Hartley, Acting Secretary Co
nant, In the absence of Secretary Bristow,
Issued the warrant of remission.
CONFLICTS BETWEEN CHURCH AND
STATE.-A telegram from Rome, April p,
says: The representatives of some great pow
ers were recently in conference with several
inf1uent al cardinals with the view Of ascer-
tanning the best means of bringing to an end
the CONNECTS between various states and the
church. The cardinals unanimously de-