New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-01

attrbuting % hlln fraudulent cohhecuoii WIN
the Emma Mine transactions. and second at the charac
ter OF the evidence. The Committee adjourned I'LL TO-
morrow
THE CATTELL TRANSACTIONS.
FOUR PER CENT RECEIVED on ALL CONTRACTS Sc
CURED FOR THE NETWORK CLOTHING HOUSE
1ILToN, RIPLEY AND THE wHEELwRIGHT CLAIM
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUNEl
WAsHINGToN, March 31.-The House Com
mttee Naval Affairs has been engaged lor inc paS'
two days in an examination Of the books of Mathewsa
large New-Yor contractor who has furnished clothing
and other articles the navy and also bookkeeper Oh
the firm, who has made some interesting eApl"iiN
tons Of obscure entries discovered by the committee
From testimony already taken and from that YET 10 NC
secured it has will be shown that this firm palo 10
T. g. Cattell Of New-Jersey commission of four per
cent upon all contracts which the firm obtained from the
Navy Department Cattell did not however, act as
agent for the firm perform any service Whatever III
return this commission. About 1870 the nrm' seek
ing to obtain contracts from the Navy Department.
found that they had to compete with persons from Pha
dclpha, and that this account they were laporins
under great disadvantages.
In order to remove this competition, ana secure ior
themselves clear field, they made the arrangement de-
with Ct,e and have since that time pald hlia
In the neghbOrhOOd Of 100000. The drafts CHECKS
IA understood, made payable to the order OF A. G
CattelI & Co.. but they delivered to Il. g.
House Committee Naval Affairs day Defore
YESTERDAY, desires to correct some wrong I'M
pressions which he thinks may be derived from
reports OF that testimony published He says Nc dld
not say the Committee that lie received $o,ooo from
the Wheelwrght claim. lie never received Il cent OF
morey although he entitled TO 1t. Tilton collected
the money the Navy Department but he never paid
any Of il to Ripley. Rpeys lawyers began suit against
Tton for Wheelwrghs share Of II, but Iiton dd hot
pay giving as his reason that Wheelwright had become
bankrupt n 1867. The money collected by linton
fin 1874.
Two months after this william b. Castle. one Of Rip
ley. lawyers bought IN his Interest at bic auction
the ass, Of wheelwgght In the schedule Of assets, no
claim against the United States Government appeared
and Cast caused It TO added by the assignee in bank
ruptcy. Ripley not aware that they had claim
AGAINST the United States until 1874, and In no way
aided them IN collecting IT, In regard 70 the assertion
that the money paid 10 Hanscom and Thornton,
It may bc said that both these gentlemen
have denied it.
TIE "NO IMMUNITY LETTER CENSCRED.
SEVERE REPORT OF THE HOUSE JUDICIAL COMMIT
TIE Of MIR. PIRRREPoNT's ISTIMIDAuoN OF
wIrNEssEs-HE VIOLATES AN ANCIENT And
SOUND RULE OF IAw-LEGIsLATIoN 10 CoUN-
TERACT THE LETTER.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCHl
WASHINGTON, March 3l.-Mr. Lord Of newborn,
FROM the Committee on the Judiciary Today SUD-
mittcd a report on the resolution referred to that
Committee in relation 10 the letter sent by the At
10 the United States attorneys at st.
Louis Chicago. and Milwaukee That part of the
letter to which such resolution more particularly re-
frrrcd was as follows:
Iwuts THE by way OF abundant caution. FOR am de-
cruIue ir ~ lies m my power, to nave t.cse lio-e
cu, SEQ conducted that when they over the honest
iGd cut the honest men OF the country, which IS sure
10 the main 10 urin' WI say tAti none pa, 3,,a PROSE
ouicl malice and that no guilty one las Deen let On
through fyortsn. aud thai no guilty one 40 has oeeH
proved guilty confessed himself guilty., has been su1
tcrcd 10 escape punishment
Tie Coaniitee then say
A. nu accompce from the necessity of the case con
re,d I'm cT guilty he OF course under such decrIni-
nation, could not escape punishment although ne hau or
r,ud furnish violence ssouial 10 tie Government IL
Do, E1t icr claimed AMI wilt pot be, that any PROPOSE
ton hal been made to allow gully man ~ escape pun
,lucut merely because he had tonfcssed himself guilty
Therefore ~ was tEa the determination or the Attorney
General was understood 70 Include aceompces
who. oouf-ng their own guilt had or should give ey
dsn., az tHcr associates IN crime. IL was viii THIS
view that The Attorney General was requested To in
form the House 10y what authority ana lor "hal pur-
pose hc recently instructions 10 ms suh0rdin1tcs
alleged To be IN cOutrayrnilOn OF the OngcStabushcd
rule relating 10 the testimony 81 accOmPncts N criminal
ions" To tins request the Attorney General among
10y tue AttoucyGencIa to ms a,oolGnites ~ CONTRA
pliccs criminal actions, and no instructions that had
ans such purpose intent. nor any To which
auy such purpose could bc1airly attributed
nntructng his subOrnacs, acted III cOntravcnOn of
the 0ng,stDl.hed rule relating to the testimony OF ac-
pl,cs been used against their associates from tho
early days of our jurisprudence me e't'noe "t ac-
I, 5,,b rhe general rule is that person who con
f,,.rs himself guilty Is competent witness against his
partners IN guilt. BarbOus Criminal Law, a. Aren't
states. An accomlicc may give evidence against |
those Jointly guilty with him. But although IN point o.
law they may be- guilty his testimony alone yet
In practice l. not usual 10 convict on the testimony OF
accomplice; unlcss cOhlrhen III
some majerql part by the testimony of other credible
Witnesses"
The necessity Of such rule is apparent But for con-
splrac,s 10 commit crtne very Of the gigantic crimes
which sarlc extensive communities could be- committed,
and comparatively but hide crime would he committed.
IN to which me letter OF the Acknowledgment
relates ,pracics essential TO then existence when
eac con-pirator knows that any OF the necessary
aocompccs may gam immunity by revealing the con-
spracy Il leads hin 10 hesitate and after TIE conspr-
tors have committed the crime for which they combine
very difficult II not Impossible, un one or more OF
their number seeks the immunity gwen Witness,
justice. Preventing aeeomp.Ices rom ttstIynS
gard 10 the cOnspracie5 IN question may DEPRIVE tht
Treasury OF millions more than mas been lost 10y tan>dc-
But the law furnishes perfect answer 10 the position
OF the Attorney General An accompIcc Is eu'l'eu 10
no immunity because he charges Others cocoon
sfatOrs Al promises Of favor or pardon are conditional
upon his telling the truth false accusation world only
agayutc his punishment. The Attorney General Is not
willing that the truth Of the accusation shall he settled 10
rIle OF law should be applied I'm favor OF
accompce who tells the truth but he lstrets us sub
Orduatcs that guilty man, SO eoniessing MS glt,
must escape punishment.
The Commit, ee recommend the adoption of the
following resolution:
Rtsored That IN the Judgment Of this House, the Ions
established rule relating the testimony of nccOmpices
In criminal actions necessary To prevent combinations
Tor criminal purposes, and greatly aids IN the disclosure
Of cunspiric 10 commit crime and tat the letter OF
fine Attorney General 10 the DIstTictAttorneys OF tue
United states residing IN 1t. Louis, Milwaukee, ana chi
c1go dated the 10Th day OF January A d. 1876 stating
the determination OF the Attorney General that no per-
son confessng himself gully should escape punishment
~ In of such rule, ana that the Attorney
General should Immediately revoke the instructions
covered implied by the announcement Oi snch deter
IuinatiOn.