The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-25
THE INVESTIGATION.
RObinsOn,s TestimOuy.

Rock railroad from-1S69 to 1871. All assets
and bonds of the road were under control of
| contractor Caldwell. In 1871 witness brought
package from Caldwell in Boston to Mr..
| Blaine in Washington. He called Blaine out
| into the lobby and delivered the package to
| Blaine. Witness knew nothing about the con-
| tents of the package and had no conversation
| with either Caldwell or Blaine that would in
dictate what was in the package. Held few
minutes conversation with Blaine, in which
| Blaine made some casual inquiry about the
Fort Smith road, and spoke of coal mine out
| there which some one asked him to take an in
terest in: Witness knew nothing whatever
| about Blaine having any connection with the
Fort Smith road; never told any person in the
| world that the package contained twenty bonds
| and knew absolutely nothing about Blaines
| ownership of any bonds or interest in the Fort
| Smith & Little Rock road. The package was
a ream of paper, unsealed, and was directed
| to Mr.. Blaine.
Especial to the Boston Journal
David p. SickIes' Testimony.
David P. Sickles was then sworn Was f.
| nancial agent of the State of Arkansas is now
New York broker; was codirector of Little
| Rock and Fort Smith; knew Caldwell; was in
| innate with him; had many bond transactions
| with Caldwell; Caldwell became owner of
| most of the assets of the road; he was to re-
| ceive one million of Arkansas state bonds for
| every 10 miles completed; Caldwell sold all his
bonds except those he hypothecateG; the first
mortgage bonds were sold at s.. and he gave
bonus to the purchasers of certain amount of
| stock; in some instances he gave 80 per cent.
| land grant bonds as a bonus for the purchase
| of first mortgage bonds; he only knows about
| the use of bonds for legislation by what Cald-
well told ihim.
Testimony of MIR. Curry.
MI. Curry, an Arkansas railroad man, was
| then called, evidently to contradict Robinson.
He said Robinson told him that the package
contained about $40, 900 in bonds. which was an
installment. Curry was contractor on the
railroad; has been intimate with Robinson
since 1873. Curry told this story to Judge
| Mcclure, Poker Jack, ten days afterwards
Robinson told Curry that he had carried a
package of bonds, $4,000, from Josiah Cald
well to Blaine. Curry did not know how he
came to be summoned; was surprised; had not
communicated it to anybody except Tom Nc
CluIe. Curry had communicated it later to
Gen. Hunton, chairman of the sub committee
investigating the matter Curry is Republi-
can.
Evidence Objected to-A Vigorous Protest
from MIR. Frye.
JtdgeLawrence here objected to hearsay
testimony until the whole committee should de-
eide the question which had been referred to
it, and Mr.. Frye member of the whole COM
mttee, interposed the objection that the hear
say testimony was not admissible and that
the witness could not be allowed to smirch
members of Congress by hearsay from dead or
absent men. so that defence is not possible.
Mr.. Frye submitted that there is no Justice,
legality or propriety in permitting sach ques-
tons, and made very earnest speech against
what he characterized as the injustice aud uu-
fairness of such course of investigation. He
protested that the questions the subcommittee
had prevented Mr.. Blaine from ans wering were
innocent compared with those which the COM
mttee insisted on having Sickles answer He
said that he could prove the witness against
Mr.. Blaine had come here for the specific pur-
pose of smrching Blaine, and when he said
this he meant Poker jack" who is behind
the witness. Mr. Frye also argued that the
committee had no right to examine these wit
nesses under the resolution, as the present is
sue had no relation to the Union Pacific rail-
road.
MIR. Blaine also Protests.
Mr. Blaine then said that the entire exanin
alton is now outside of the resolution and
point of the inquiry was limited to the Union
Pacific Co. He believed that if the investiga.
ton is thus widened he could not have the op-
portunity of report upon the 1914, 900 SANDER,
and said that every day that the investigation
is widened great grave public injustc is done
to himself.
Gen. Hunton dsclaimed any intention Of
unfairness, and said the only postponement
had been on account of Mr.. Blaines uufortu.
nate illness.
The Witness s-Examined
He was cross.examined by Mr.. BlaineY The
majority of the Arkansas Republicans during
the last year have been unfriendly to Blaine
on account of his action respecting the Poland
report.
Chairman Hunton interfered to prevent
Curry from stating what the general feeling of
Arkansas was, and insisted that he must re-
strict his questions to Curry himself.
Mr.. Blaine wanted to show that Curry was
connected with Il dsreputable gang.
Mr.. Frye maintained that Hunton had in
sisted upon hearsay evidence against Blaine.
Hunten while going into the fullest hearsay
evidence against Blaine, sought to circumscribe
Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine said he wanted to show that all of
this story was part of mass of filth and scan
dial, dug mp by the worst set of politicians in
the continent
Curry said he had heard that Judge Poland
had received bonds
Mr.. Blaine reiterated that he wanted to
show that Curry and his gang came here with
a purpose, an animus. an intention to swndle
him in every way.
Curry said that it was false in every par
ticular.
Mr.. Hunton prohibited Mr.. Blaine from ex-
aiming the witness further in this direction.
A Lively ColIoquy.
There was good deal of fooling manifested
on both sides in connection with these inter-
locutory remarks. Mr.. Frye said that Mr..
Tarbox, who introduced the resolution, told
him he did not think it would hit Blaine, but
that it referred to somebody in New Hamp-
shire. Hunton said Blaine himself thought it
meant him. Blaine said: "Yes, and the reso-
luton was worded in cowardly manner by
Tarbox." Hunton said he had dozen letters
assailiDg Col. Scetts testimony, and also said
that all the testimony being taken might go to
show SCOTS testimony to be false.
Judge Lawrence of the Committee said that
upon the evidence already taken Blaine was
entitled to a verdict of not guilty.
The committee after long and heated con-
troversy, resumed with modified inquiries
Witness said he had heard the story from
Judge Thomas A. Bowen of Colorado and from
Judge Mcclure, "Poker Jack"
An Appeal and a Suspension of Inquiry.
The subcommittee insisted on taking the
hearsay testimony of absent men. Judge Law
renee look an appeal to the whole committee.
pending the decision of which that branch of
the inquiry is suspended.
POLITICAL.