The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-05-16
WASHINGTON.
Investigation OF Charges Against
Ex-SDeaker blaine.

charges against eX.Spenker Blaine IN re
latiOn 10 the Fort Smith & Little Rocl
Railroad bonds.
John c. S. Harrison, Of indianapolis
in response to questions put by Hunton
chairman, testified that he was the Harri
son alluded TO in the article published il
the Cincinnati GaIette OF April Goth, and
that the interview as published was cor
rectly reported. He had been Govern
ment Director OF tie Union Pacific Rail
road for almost four years. Mr.. Clark
President OF the Union Pacific Railroad,
told the witness that he had exchanged
75 bonds Of the Fort Smith & Little Rock
Road for 70 Of the new bonds TO be issued
by the Union Pacific Road. Witness
thought II a strange transaction, and al
the meeting Of the Board OF Directors in
September, 1872, moved committee be
appointed 10 investigate the matter. Mr.
Rollins came TO witness and asked him ia
withdraw the motion as the investiga.
tion would involve ex-Speaker Blaine and
might defeat his reelection to the House,
Wishing to fully.understand the matter,
he took Mr.. Willard, Of Omaha, with
him. next day to see Mr.. Rollins, and
asked him further in regard to the
matter, and Mr.. Rollins then said il
would involve a prominent member oi
the Republican party. When the House
was investigating the credit mobilier
case Mr.. Rollins was on the stand. The
witness wrote TO Mr.. Wilson, Of Iowa,
and asked him to PROFOUND certain ques.
tions in relation to the matter to Mr..
Rollins, but saw from the daily reports
that 1t was not done. The witness found
an entry on tho books Of the Executive
Committee directing Morton, Bliss & Co.
to draw on the Treasurer for S64, 900, and
hold Fort Smith and Little Rock bonds
as security. Mr.. Rollins did not tell the
witness how II would involve Mr.. Blaine.
In the following March an effort was
made TO change the whole OF the Board Of
Directors. The witness did not receive
any letter from Secretary Delano, but he
had letter in his possession written by
Secretary Delano to Senator Morton, as
fallows:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, /
WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb. 90, 1873. !
Hon. O. p Morton, Us. Senator:
DEAR sIR-As promised in our con-
versation yesterday, 1 now write to say it
is deemed advisable TO change the entire
Board Of Directors Of the Union Pacific
Railroad. shall therefore feel obliged
II you will give come name from Indiana
in place Of John G. S. Harrison, against
whom there is 10 personal objection what
ever. Very respectfully your obedien;
servant,
(signed) c. DELANO, Secretary.
Witness never made any investigation
about the matter, but Understood Wilson
had done so. Morton, Bliss & Co. drew
on the company for SG4,000, and Rollins
as Treasurer paid it. Witness regarded
the transaction on the books rs very mys-
tcrious, but thought perhaps il could be
satisfactorily explained. he himself
knew nothing further about the matter.
Jos. Willard, Of Omaha, testified he had
been government Director Of the U. P.
Railroad about A years, was present at
the conversation between Rollins and
Harrison, in September, 1872, and heard
Rollins say that the investigation spoken
Of by Harrison would involve a gentle.
man in high political circles; understood
it to refer to Blaine, although does not
recollect that his name was mentioned
by Harrison.
O. Did not say to you after We came
out TO stick pin IN what Rollins had said
about Blaine2 Witness-I do not recol.
lect it. Witness knew nothing about the
bonds spoken OF only what appeared on
the records Of the executive Of tho com:
pany; never made any investigation OF
the matter. Rollins had since told wit
ness several times that he was mistaken
about Blaine being mixed up in the mat
ter, and that there was nothing wrong
about it.
BY Mr.. Blaine-Did Harrison ever ask
for an explanation Of the matter in any
meeting had by the Board of Directors 2
Witness-No, Sir. The interview be.
tween Blaine and himself took place in
Washington. In this interview he de-
MED that he ever had possession OF any
Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad bonds
except those for which he subscribed and
paid for. Blaine did not say he held
rs bonds for any OF his constituents--on
tho contrary, he said he did not, and that
he had nothing to do with the 70 bonds
passed TO the Union Pacific Railroad.
Wilson talked with Dillon and others on
this subject. Dillon had for two years
been President OF the company, and the
only explanation he obtained was that
the bonds we're put in by Col. Scott in ac-
cordance with an arrangement between
him and the Union Pacific Railroad Co.
These bonds remain on the books Of the
company as an unadjusted question, and
Col. Scott has not yet received his salary
for the time he was President OF the COM
pany.
II. Rollins, Secretary and Treasurer Of
the Union Pacific R. K, Company, testi-
fed: Being interrogated by. Hunton, he
did not think that Harrison offered the
resolution in the board Of directors TO in
vestigate the subject Of The ownership Of
75 bonds by the Union Pacific Railroad
Company, but he thought that he had
simply made informal motion to invesIi-
gate the transaction at that time. Mr..
Rollins had heard that the bonds belong
cd 10 Mr.. Blaine, but he could not now
say from whom he derived the iniorma-
ton, he could only state the fact. When
Mr.. Harrison made his motion, he remem.
bered that the road and its mauagemnt
had been the subject oil severe criticism in
the newspapers and elsewhere. and as this
transaction had been closed up, he desir-
ed 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 BIaine's or some equivalent express
sion.
o. By Huntou, and that an investi.
CATION would involve Mr.. Blaine. A. |
may have said that they were Mr.. Blaine's
bonds or that he would be involved in the
matter. may have used words equlva.
lent TO these: / merely state as matter
Of memory that heard these were Mr..
Blaine's bonds and that Mr., Blaine might
be involved.
@. Then you confirm Harrison's state.
ment? a. l have given you my state
ment.
Rollins, in further testimony, said Har-
rison was mistaken in the time Of the &C.
currence, the Maine election having taken
place two days previous 10 the meeting,
when Blaine was triumphantly elected TO
fs.,a.. RnIIina AID mt aak HaFrianb