The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-06-08
Blaine and the Railrord Bonds,


which caused the eX-speaker and his friends to
Vince, and give evidence that an exceedingly
sore spot had been probed. This was the sum-
monilg of Elisha Atkins, Warren Fisher and
James Mulligan-.he first two railroad brokers
and contractors, and the latter clerk. Multi
gan had in his possession certain letters regard
cd as seriously duplicating Blaine in the matter
Of the bonds disposed OF to parties in Maine and
elsewhere. Blaine met Mulgan as soon as he
arrived, asked to see the letters, and having got
possession of them. put them il: his pocket, and
refused TO retuln them. We give below Multi
gan's testimony on this point
He said Iwsh to ask the indulgence of the Com
mittee for few minutes to make personal and, to
me, painful statement When first arrived in
this city, and within about fifteen minutes after my
arrival, there came a communication from Mr..
Blaine to Mr.. Fisher. OF course wish il under
stood that am stating this under oath
The Chairman-We SO understand it.
The Witness-There came u communication from
Mr.. Blaine inviting Mr. Fisher and myself up to his
residence | declined to go for the reason that did
not want it said that had been to see Mr.. Blaine.
wanted TO come into this Committee room untram
inelled by any influence. Mr. Fisher went M to Mr..
Rlaine's house. or at least he reported to me. and
he told Mr.. Blaine about certain facts that could
prove and certain letters that had got. Mr.. Blaine
said that ii | should publish Them or that If this
Committee should get hold of them, they would ruin
him for life, and wanted TO know if would not sur
render them. | told INN no, ana tnat L would not
give them the Committee unless it should turn out
that il necessary TO produce them after my eN
animation here yesterday. Mr.. Blaine came up to
the hotel, the Riggs House, and there had a confer
ence with MIR. Atkins, Mr. Fisher and myself. He
wanted to the letters that had. declined to
let him them. He prayed and almost went on
his knees, would say his knees, and lmplored Inc
think OF his six children and his wife, and that if
The Committee should get hold of this communication
ilwould sink him Immediately and ruin him forever.
told him should not give them tie him. He asked
if | would let him read them. | said would, if
lie would promise me on the word OF a gentleman
that he would return them to me. did let him read
them II read them over onct, and called for
them again and read them over again. lie still i'm
portuned me TO giHe those papers up. declined to
do it and retired 10 my room, and he followed
up and went over the same history about his
family and children, and mplored me to give them
up to him, and said he even contemplated suicide
tie asked me if wanted to see his children left in
that state and than asked me again if | would not
let him look over those papers cUnsecutlvely had
them numbered. told hun would if he would re-
turn them to me. He took the papers, read them
over and "mong them had memorandum that
made by way of synopsis OF the letters, ana referring
20 the numbers OF the letters, synopsis containing
points OF the letters. had made that melnoran-
dun TO be able to refer to here when question
ed lie asked me to let him read the letters, and |
showed him this statement too. After he had them
read he asked me what wanted to do with those
papers-it / wanted to use them. told him never
wanted TO use the papers nor would show them to
the Committee unless | called upon to do so.
men he asked me if would not give them TO him.
There was one letter 10 particular that he wanted me
to give him. / told him would not do it, and the
only reason would not do it was because | saw ii
stated in one of the evening papers hert-the Star
| thnk-that the Blaine party were going TO com
pletey break down the testimony that had to give
aud that they were satisfied about that. | said !
should not publish these letters unless my testimony
was impcachcd impugned that was not the only
reason that wanted to keep them, but wanted TO
keep them for that purpose These are the 1acts,
gentlemen, and leave Them to you, if understand
the order under which this Committee has power to
send for persons and papers; and want this Com
nlttee to get for me those papers MI Blame mas
got them and would NOT give them up TO me:
Q.-Who was present when you first delivered
those letters TO Mr. Blaine to read, on the
promise that he would return them: AIR. At
kins and think Mr.. Fisher, WAS in the room when
| first gave them to him the promise that he
would return them to me. then retired from that
room, and he came up to my room and asked me if
would not let him see them again, and told him
| had let him see them once, and there was nothing
in them that he Ind not read. He said he wanted
TO sec them again l asked him whether, upon the
WoFd Oh Il hehti5nlh' ne Wpuu se5 ti i paeA ~ ~
me, and he said he would He admitted to Mt
Fisher and Mr.. Atkins that the only thing that
maze him rot give up the papers to me was my re
mark that ii any reports were made where the We
Tacity of my testimony impugned should pub
fish those letters, told Mr.. fisher and Mr.. Atkins
that. say SO now, too
1t is shown by documentary evidence thai
these bonds were disposed of TO various per
sons among whom are the following
A. & P. Colburn, Skowhcgan, 500 600, Peter Stan
ton, Augusta : 10 000; Arson z. Morrill,, Readield
$4,000; RapA {. johnson, Belfast $4,000; =. X
Hazeltne, Belfast, 50 600, C. l.. Hazeltne, Belfast
5000; NJ !, Monroe, Belfast, 5000; A, W. John
son. deceased Belfast, $1,000; II. IL. johnson, Bel
fast, 5000; Philo iiersey, Belfast, $4,000, Lot. NJ
Morrill,, Augusta, 5000; A. b. Fnrwell, Augusta
5000, Joseph H. Williams, Augusta, 1000, c. NJ
Bailey, Winthrop, 5000; total SlJ0ooO
Each OF these persons was to receive ar
amount equal to subscription of common stock
and mortgage bonds. This money after
wards all refunded, Is the Investment did not
turn out well. For his services, Blaine received
about $4,000.
of June 1, says
Senators and members listened to the story witt
open mouths, and would hardly believe it possible
That Mulligan had given such testimony even when
assured and treasured that ii was That the
udroit, sefreiant, aggressive Blaine had been
caught at last try ing TO fix witness seemed bad
enough that he had been forced to beg and plead
Tint Il witness would "let up" on him and not ruin
him, and would give up the possession of certain
letters, the publication of which would effect that
ruin, seemed improbable; that he had been much
alarmed that he had fallen on his knees ana almost
wept, and tried to bride with a promise of a consul
ship, and had threatened suicide, seemed simply in.
credible. ct there Mullgan's testimony clear
positive and eX pcit. There was Blaine's acknow
edgnent that he had torcby possessed himself OF the
Fisher letters and would not give them up aud the
only thing in rebuttal was Blane's DENIAL of the
weeping brbng and suicidal part of the story. The
fact that Mngan had retained posse sion OF private
letters that undoubtedly belonged to Blaine or Fish
Ct, was no longer condemned when he made the
statement that The letters were Civ en- TO linn by Fish
II, with permission - use as might seem best.
THE SCENE IN The COMMITTEE ROOM
was striking. The testimony WAS unexpected and
startling thar it fairly seemed to take away every
ones breath. and the intense silence OF the room
hardly broken by whisper Blaine, pale and ner-
vous, sat close by Frye, now whispering earnestly in
his ear, tearing on and chewing Tits OF paper
bat mostly watching intently each word it fell
from the witnesses lips his massive head thrust for
ward indhe watchtul way that has become second
nature to him Mnlllgan, calm, quiet and seI1-poses
std, gave his testimony i'll quiet way often drop
ping his voice so !ow that it was difficult to catch the
words at the far end OF the crow ded room.
All the afternoon and this evening the testimony
OF Mulligan and its probable effect on Blaine has
been the one theme discussed at the Capital over the
dlnner and t5a tables, on the street corners and ill
all the hotels. at has killed Blaine dead Presi-
Dental candidate" say most of the people. ellis
name will not be presented to the Convention" SAYS
Gen. Banks. Whether Mulligan's previous testilno-
ny could have bt en- rebuted not, say ALL the fact
that Blaine is trying TO suppress evidence at ALL and
that he is afraid OF these Fisher letters that he has
torciby possessed himself OF them is terribly dam
aging disclosure in and OF itself Mr. Blaines friends
still nope almost against hope that he will be able TO
clear himself, and are loud and vehement in their
denunciatons OF Mulligan's keeping and threatening
10 private letters. Indeed there is growing sen
llneilt here among conservative men on both sides
that the growing Willingness to violate the sanctity
of private correspondence has become alarming, and
the more bitter parisans of Blaine in their abhor-
renee Of this, lose sight Of the things disclosed.
The Post correspondent of June I'd, saws
1t is almost impossible to say what is the public
opinion here of Mr. Baines situation tonight. Hard
ly two can be found who think alike, and the feeling
it has been at any time before The opinion of the
majority however, is that Fishers testimony corro-
borates all the main points stated by Mr.. Mulligan,
and that Mr.. Atkins weakens Mugan's testimony
only so far as concerns his statement that Atkins
told him that the bonds Tom Scott sold to the I'm
Pacific were the bonds Of Mr.. Blaine. The myst eri-
Gus letters mysterious tonight ever, save
one; that one according to the testimony OF both
Mulligan and Fisher, was understood by both of
them refer to the S6i 900 paid Scott which Fish
er had charged Blaine with receiving and wished to
have taken into account in the settlement then pend
ing between Elaine and Fisher, and the substance of
Baincs letter that if Fisher thought that he
(Baine) had received any benefit from that money
he mistaken, for it not in his hands forty
eight hours, but was paid to parties in Maine. In
brief, the case against Mr.. Blaine may be summed
up TO night us follows
A SUMMING UP OF FACTS.
1t is certain that Blaine for years partner
with Fisher in Fort Smith and Northern Pacific Rail
road speculations; that he induced Maine friends to
invest largely and received largely Of the stock and
bonds himself; that in all this business there was
something so private that when the final settlement