Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-17
WASHINGTON.

Suuiciary committee of the House to-
my begun the investigation OF The
. .narges against ex-Speaker Blaine in
iisenion Ito the TT. Smith AZ Little
Rock K. II. bonds. '''o
John Y. s. Harrison. of T,d;o,,
Iis, testified that he was tho Harr;spn,
aiiudcd to in an article nmhl;s,,a9 ~: =,
the CINCINNATI Gogette, of Anil oe.h
and that the interview Ms nnhi; ST,
was correctly reported. Has han,
Government Director of tho RI DID
r., for about four years riaap.
President of the U. T. II. r., told vii,
ness he had exchanged rs bonds ~
the TT. Smith II Little Rock road for
10 of the new bonds to be issued bv
the U. P. r. r.
AT q meeting of the board of direc-
tors' In Sept, 1872, witness moved
.nat q committee be appointed to in
vestigate the matter.
Rollins came to witness and asked
him to withdraw his motion as an in
vestigation would involve ex-Speak-
er Blaine and might:defeat his re-elec-
ton to the House. Wishing to fnlly
understand the matter he took Mil
lard, of Omaha, with him next day,
to see Rollins and asked him further
in regard TO the matter and Rollins
then said il would involve prom;.
nent members of the Republican par
ty.
Witness wrote to Wilson, of Iowa,
asking him to PROFOUND certain ques-
lions In relation to the matter, and
to Rollins, but saw from the daily re-
ports that it was not done. Witness
found an entry on the books of the
executive committee directing Nor
ton, Bliss & Co, to draw on the |
Treasurer for aga, 200 and hold the TT. |
Smith Il Little Rock bonds as collat-
teral security. Rollins did not tell
witness how it would involve Blaine.
In the following March, an. effort
was made to change the whole board
of directors.
Witness received no letter from
Secretary Delano, but had letter i'm
his possession written by Delano to
Senator Morton, dated Washington,
Feb. 26th, 1873, as follows:
DEAR SIR AS / promised in our
conversation yesterday, now write
to say tits deemed advisable to change
the entire board of directors for the
Union Pacific Railroad. / shall
therefore feel obliged if you will give
some name for Indiana in, place of
John G. s. Harrison, against whom
there is no personal objection what
ever. Very respectfully, your obedi-
ent servant.
[Signeal c. DELANo, Sec'y.
To Hon. @. p. Morton, U. S. Senate.
Witness had never made any lnves-
tigation about the matter, but under
stood Wilson had done so. Morton,
Bliss 4 Co. drew on the company for
49,, 00n and Rollins as Treasurer paid
it. Witness regarded the transaction
on the books as a very mysterious
one, but perhaps it could be satisfac-
torily explained. He himself knows
nothing further about the matter.
Joseph Willard, of Omaha, testi-
fed that he had been Government
director of the Union Pacific Rail-
road about four years.
Was present at conversation be-
tween Rollins and Harrison in Sept.
1872. Heard Rollins say the investi-
CATION spoken of by Harrison would
involve gentlemen high in political
circles. Understood it to refer to
Blaine, although nc did not recollect
that his name was mentioned: did
recollect Harrison saying, after the
conference, "stick PIN on what Roll
Inns had said about Blaine. Rollins
had told witness several times that he
was mistaken about Blaine being
mixed up in the matter, and that there
was nothing wrong in it.
Question by Blaine-Did Harrison
ever ask for an explanation of the
matter in any meeting had by the
the board of Directors?
Witness-No sir. Had an inter
view with Blaine in Washington.
Blaine denied having any Little Rock
u TT. Smith railroad bonds, except
what he subscribed and paid for. He
denied having any rs bonds. Wilson
talked with Dillon and others on the
subject. Dillon had for two years
been President of the Company. and
the only explanation he obtained was
that the bonds were put in by Col.
Scott by an arrangement between him
and the Union Pacific Co. These
bonds remain on the Company's books
and Scott has not yet received his sal
AIRY for the time he was President.
e. ii. Rollins, Secretary and Treas.
of the Union Pacific road, testified on
being Intercepted by Hunton that
he did not think Harrison offered a
resolution in the Board of Supervi-
sors to investigate the subject Of the
rs bonds by the Union Pacific rail
road, but he thought he simply made
an informal motion to investigate the
transaction. Harrison said he had
heard, he conld not say where, that
these bonds belonged to Blaine and
had desired to suppress the scandal in
connection with Blaine, whether the
report was true or false, and he NAV
have said the bonds were Blaine's, or
that he would be involved by an in
vesfigation. Harrison said he had
heard that Oliver Ames gave his
check for $4,000 for Little Rock
bonds; didn't know whether it was
true or not.
JAS. f. Wilson testified that he had
been government director on the
U. z. railroad company. He had seen
by the record that certain bonds of
the Little Rock Il TT. Smith r. II. Co.
had come into possession of the U. =.
r.. r. Co. ); had heard they came thro'
Col. Thos. A. Scott, president Of the
company from 1871 to 1872; had no
knowledge of Harrison having intro
duced at meeting of the board of
directors resolution inquiring how
these bonds came into the possession
of the company, but Harrison inform
| I'd hnh aA s,ak,
resolution also that Rollins told him
Blaine would be injured ii there
should be an investigation. Wilson
afterwards had conversation with
Rollins on the subject when Rollins
said Harrison had no right to use
Blaine's name in that connection
| Witness mentioned the matter to
Blaine few months after, September
1872, when Blaine asserted that he
had no interest in these bonds and no
one could be more surprised than
himself that his name should be con-
nected with them.
school Heuse struck by I.tghtning
RoNDEAU, ONTARIO, May l6.-The
school house at this place was struck
by lightning yesterday. One of thi
1 children was killed and six seripuslo
and three slightly injured.
| Yesterday the Great International
Menagerie, Museum, Aquarium, and
Circus inaugurated their second an
nnal tour at the industrial Exposition
Building, the stockholders of this
magnificent ediiice having consented
to let this great show occupy it for
ono week. The days festivities be-
gan with a grand gratuitons street
+, ,,,.,.'.. ,sh'ah waa grandeur itself,
Iu'nP'"J, -
and was witnessed by crowds of spec
tators along its entire route. Last
night we found the Exposition Build
ing thronged with the most brilliant
and Fashionable audience, without
Exception, that we have ever seen
drawn together here. The Menager-
lie and Museum are alone worth the