The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-29
First Appearance OF ex-Minister
Schenek.

ter Schenck appeared before the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs to-day bringing
with him a satchel filed with papers,
He privately complained of being weak
and not hsying fully recovered from his
recent attack of sickness. Ex-senator
Stewart and other gentlemen connected
with the Emma Mine transactions were
present. Schenck read the following
paper.
81 desire respectfully TO state to the
committee that since my arrivalin Wash
ington ! have read the testimony OF Jos.
Z. Lyon and Hiram A. johnson, on
which the charges against me appear to
be founded. The testimony of these wit
nesses Was taken in my absence and with
out any opportunity tor cross examina-
tion. This evidence is supposed to
show that the sale of the Emma
Mine by Parks, Baxter and Stewart to
the Emma Mine Company Of London
was u fraud and that to the consumma-
ton of such fraud 1 knowingly lent the
assistance of my name and official posi-
ton. The charge is a very grave one.
and | ask for a most full investigation Of
it. For that purpose, although not in.
vited to appear before the committee, |
left London as soon as l
learned from the newspapers what
action had been taken, and came at once
over to Washington. l might rest my
vindicstion upon the simple statement Of
my own connection with the tEaes-
action in question which l propose
TO make, from which it will appear that
under my sincere belief in the value
of the mine and honesty OF the sale OF
1t | bought and paid Tor the shares |
hold now, and sustained large pecuni.
ary loss; but as the committee have re-
ceived evidence growing out Of the
previous history OF the mine, and in
tended to show that it was of little
value and the sale of it was
fraudulent 'and this evidence
has been in, it was such that after their
interest had been sold and paid for, some
Of them purchased largely of the stock
at high prices, and also loaned the COM
pany large sums of money; that subse-
quently the failure of the mine was ow-
ing to mismanagement IN its working;
that the NINE is to day, if properly
worked, in all probability as valuable
as 1t was claimed or supposed to be;
and finally, that SO far as |
know or believe, parties In
England, who were concerned in the
original purchase, have never claimed
that any fraud or imposition was prac-
ticed upon them; that the claim having
been recently set up by those who have
bought stock, since the alleged failure of
the mine, at nominal prices, it will bs
apparent TO the committee that this proof
involves the interrogating of con-
siderable Dumber of witnesses
that cannot be presented except
through the means universally employed
in judicial tribunals. The examination
OF witnesses BY competent counsel ac-
quainted with the case subject, of course,
to such further questions rs any men,
Der Of the committee may wish 10 ask.
That to conduct the inquiry by calling
upon the witnesses TO examine them
selves or by such desultory and imperfect
examination rs must be made by the
committee not informed of the facts
would be extremely unjust to the party
wn relies upon the testimony, and would
tend to obscure the truth rather than to
elicit il. | have therefore to respectfully
request of the committee that the usual
privilege of assistance of proper counsel
NAV be accorded, rs well rs for the cross
examination of witnesses who have testi-
fed against me, Us for the examination
of those whom | desire to produce,
Should the committee be pleased to
accede TO this, my request, AS | cannot
doubt they will, | will be ready to proceed
| with the cross examination of witnesses
or my own statement as the committee
may think most advisable.
am, gentlemen,
Very respectfully,
RoBT &. SCuENCK.
Mr.. Faulkner said that Schenck mis-
took. It was the intention Of the commit
tee to invite him to appear before the
committee.
Mr.. Swami also remarked that the
committee would give Schenck every ia
clhty with the AID of counsel,
Mr.. Schenck then gave II circumstan-
tial account of his connection with the
Emma Mine.
General Schenck said
that on October lst, 1871, he met, at Ed
wards Hotel, London, Ex-senator Stew
art and Mr.. Parks, at the table of w. NJ.
Evarts. of New York. He was not sure
whether it was at the table or at subse
suent interview that Stewart said some
thing about the purpose of his visi: to
London, and informed him that he and
Parks were interested in the property OF
the Emma mine, and were deslrous Of
putting the stock in the English
market. and they were then
engaged in negotiations. In max
irr this communication to him,
either at the dinner table or afterward
his attention was directed to what
Stewart called Little Cottonwood
Canon, in Utah. He represented that
when ut the land office in Washington,
lust before he lett the United States for
London. calling there for the purpose OF
etiecting the promotion of a clerk, the
Commissioner exhibited some rich sill
yer ore found in Little Cotton
II