, 1876-05-02

mont to the following sffect: IIo tad no con-
/. .ctEon with tbs Mary Merritt ctae oHcopt In
tdao capacity Of . friend Of Foland l. Evans. tho
attorneys for Ttce Brothers, all OF whom wcto
his noiRhboru at fforknaytllc, anil his pereonnt
friends II was Tho truth! ~ stated iy Evans tn hls
teatnony .st .hat gentlemen haa had conversation
that o cc!tntd 10 tako my eon,pensatiou wh..ovsr
for any service tint TO m!xht perform. and tst anb.
retiusnt of Eenn. who thought the lawyer waa nnac-
9u"inted with ths practice o. the Department. And
s "a. ssr o
on that occAaon, hs exrtcsAed hlmsclf earnestly
ssn ths Fsos. ct sns 0s ~
h also
EXPRESSED nt:tsELr AoA1xs1 nAzLEroS.
who ut that Tina nonber Of Cougress appearing
there for similar pasroses. Altar he became Secretary
., Tho Treasury. 10 declined to hays anything
Edward T.. Johnson made stake In sayinG that the
Secretary informed him that hs whe going - proceed.
undse or H. vhe
mis,ion Of his forfeiture VA granted; He al not
thnk the case cane up at tss Tine nd dd net ic,sn
this Treasury. ind tho papers In TIC easo wesa brouRh:
bis former position thou!d not have excluded Them
from presenting thsir case TO tha Aeng HecresaEy e
s to M con.n Or :: sa3 ag
" 10 dono will tho caae. Although Solicitor
Wilson approached h! On TIE subject he declined to
Ginning take any notion whatever, lie lid not wish
to be Understood ~ eson Implying that
ANY wroNu WAs COMMITTED
in thu netse,ncnt Of Tho case and ho wished 10 aay
explicitly that lie had knowledge that tho had
l,een aatlcI before this investigation was ordered
lie had never examined the papors IN tho cnHh until
hs did hcra In common with members Of tho Cam
tntee. 1t was not sruc, Is stated ln tho resolution,
'that ono nf the attorneys tn tho applied 10 SEQ
retary l3rstow for rs.ataslou ot tho forfeiture and
ho replied that he would do nothing hinself hut his
pryAte SECRETARY could x 1t ur, aud said the attorney
met Its Private 8scsotsry and had the forfeiture
mttted" Ic did not be1va nuy of tic attorneys
met hs Private Secretary 1t a. lila Private Secretary
transaction Of puhl!o business.
{. r. CoNAET,
Assiaant aecfctAry Of the TrcaBury. tcstiea that to
oifenss In this Mary Merritt was merely technical
Witness further testified that he did nut exchange
word With the Secretary before after the decision OF
tho casr e!ther directly Indirectly, until after tho
Intervention by attorney or other party: Hc decided
this case on hta own responsibility. NO money was
offered OF promised to any officer ct Tho Treasury.
Tic question came up simply on its mcrits.
f. ?. DArCocK, ... -.....
rrlrato gcerctary Of Secretary Drisow testified that
he had never tecn called on by any Attorney and
therefore spoko to any ono about this caso He
ds not az p s S Il
son. tho attorney III tho case.
HpLICIT0N WILSON
narrated tho circumstances uuder which The Mary
Merritt brought TO bis attention. and testified
that Secretary Brisow said It impossible for him
10 tago any action on tho for tho that be Ut
one time presented 1t to Secretary Richardson, and
advanced certain considerations which called for
nllsaion Witness was poa!tiYo that tho Secretary
throw ont no tntimation whatever ~ to how hn would
1ke tho caae decided On the contrary he expressed
himself IN positive aud pe.omptory manner to have
nor others holding out rewards Inducements to any
olllceta Of tho Treasury to favor this case.