Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-24
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON, May 24-The sub-Judi-
ciary Committee OF the House today
continued the examination of the So
called Blaine bond matter. Mr.. Blaine
was present. Asa P. Robinson, of Ar
kansas, testified that he was chief engi-
neer Of the Fort Smith and Little Rock
railroad from 1869 and 1871. Witness
gave a statement of the contract made
between the directors of the road q Mr..
Fisher, which was afterward transferred
to Mr.. Caldwell. All assets and bonds
OF the company were under the control
Of Fisher and afterward Caldwell. In
1871 witness brought a package from
Mr.. Caldwell, in Boston, to Mr.. Blaine,
in Washington; he called Mr.. Blaine out
into the lobby and delivered the package
to him; witness knew nothing about the
contents Of the package; had no conver-
sation with either Mr.. Caldwell or Mr..
Blaine that would indicate what was in
the package; held q few minutes con
versation with Mr.. Blaine at the time Of
delivering the package, in which he
made some casual inquiry about tue Fort
Smith road, and spoke OF the coal inter.
est out there, which some one had asked
him to take an interest in. Witness
knew nothing whatever about Mr..
Blaine's having q connection with the
Fort Smith road; never told anybody in
the world that the package contained
twenty bonds, and knew absolutely moth
ing about Mr.. Blaine's ownership of any
bonds, or interest in The Fort Smith and
Little Rock road. In answer to ques-
tons by Mr.. Lawrence, witness said that
he brought the package to Mr.. Blaine in
his hand, as it was too large to carry in.
his pocket; it wal a ream of paper I'M
sealed and was directed to Mr., Blaine;
witness came here at that time to attend
to some matters about building a bridge
for the company; there was nothing
about the package to indicate that it
might not be some papers relating to the
building Of the bridge. The witness
being next Intercepted by Mr.. Blaine,
further testified that he has known Mr..
Blaine about twenty-five years, having
become acquainted with him wheu Mr..
Blaine.was an editor in Portland; had an
Office in the same building with Mr.. Blaine
and considered him an old acquaintance;
delivered the package to Mr.. Blaine in
the Speakers public psrlor without any
concealment; there was quite a crowd of
people there; it was thrown down on the
sale by Mr.. Blaine, and was not treated
like q valuable package; if it had con-
tanned bonds it was large enough to con-
tain a large number; it might have con-
tanned a plan Of the coal lands referred
to by Mr.. Blaine; it was a roll open at
both ends.
Amos P. Curry, of Little Rock, Ark,
testified that about five weeks ago Mr..
Robinson told him that be had carried q
package Of bonds of twenty thou
sand dollars from Josiah Caldwell
and delivered it to Mr.. Blaine; previous
to this Mr.. Robinson said he believed
twenty thousand dollars worth Of bonds
was in the package, and his understand
ing was hat these bonds we're only an
installment to Mr.. Blaine; he didn't say
that Mr.. Caldwell told him the object of
delivering these bonds; witness was a
member of the Republican party.
Mr.. Blaine-How have the Republi.
cant Of Arkansas for the lAst year been
effected toward me personality
Answer--I think a majority feel any
thing but friendly toward you owing to
your course on the Poland report con-
corning the affairs of Arkansas.