Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-01-10
THE OREGON SWINDLE.
CrOnlm's TestlMOny-TurneT
Declines 60 Answer.

/ WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.--Cronin was
before the Senate Committee to-day;
| he denied having made arrangements
with anybody whereby tho ELECTORAL
certificates were to be handed to him
by the Secretary of State; he was
convinced that he was lawfully ap-
pointed in placeof Watts; he refused
the certificates, fearing that Watts
and the others would take them; he
had refused to come here rs q mess
| enger unless he should receive three
| thousand dollars for expenses, and the
money was furnished him; 1t WAS
raised, he supposed, by subscription
among the Oregon Democrats.
Billinger, Chairman OF the Demo
cratic Committee, informed witnets
the day before he started for Washing
ton that he tT,illingerl had g., 500 and
$500 more was necessary to make the
81, 900 required; this was raised on n
note signed by Billinger ana witness,
which was deposited at the banking
house of Ladd & rilton, at Portland,
Oregon; Tilton IL n New Yorker, and
his politics are unknown to witness.
Cronin said he knew a man named
Patrick; met him i'm the ofIi.e OF
Judge Strong ut Portland; Patrick
lives at Omaha; Billinger met wit
ness on the street ut Portland about
ten d. " previous to the meeting of
the ELECTORAL college, and informed
him that gentleman wished to see
him tCroninl AT the Office of Judge
Strong; witness refused to go, and
told Billinger that whatever was
done In this electoral muddle must
| he done by others than himself; wit
ness afterwards went to Strong's Of.
flee, aud there met Patrick, who said
he had heard witness had said that
| if n certificate as an eleetor Was is
sued To him he would not act, but
witness informed Patrick he had
changed his mind, and Patrick said
to witness; "lf'rilden il President,
he will give you anything you want"
witness informed Patrick that II he
| Patrick was acquainted with Til
den, he might tell him that he had
nothing 10 give which he (Croninl
| wanted.
| Witness said that at the time he
was n little angry at Patrick for talk
ing In such manner; Patrick IT.
formed witness that he supposed the
reason he Patrick had been sent to
Oregon was that he was the E,rthest
one.West; witness did not know what
Patrick meant by this remark; he
had heard that Patrick was Superin-
| tendent OF n mine in Colorado. Pat
rick said nothing about money in
his interview with witness; witness
never saw Patrick except on the one
occasion before mentioned, and
had no conversation with Billinger
about Patrick.
Witness had received no message
from tho East in relation to the ell
ectOriai nuddIc before seeing Pat
rick; witness knows Of q Dimond in
New York; thinks he is u banker;
after the Electoral College had met
and adjourned, witness saw dis
patch signed Bristow, which said at
Is important that the returns OF Ore
gon should he properly made up and
ssnt to their destinations" Ladd &
Tilton have banking house at Port
land; Laid Il Bush have one mt Sa-
lem; A. Il. a. G. u. Tilton, il5 Liber-
ty street, New York, are correspon-
dents OF the Oregon banking houses
above mentioned.
Witness received draft for the
money for his expenses between four
aud five o'clock 4. NJ, on the Sth OF
December, In I.add IL Tilton's bank.
There were three drafts, one.on New
York and two on the California
banks; the $4,000 was not rendered
in cash; Dimond's name is mention
ed in the draft on New York, which
IL for 81, 100; witness did say mt
first that he would not act as an cl-
ector II q certificate was given him,
but changed his mind after looking
up the Florida and Louisiana return
ing boards.
In answer to Senator Herman wit
ness stated that he canvassed the
State with Mr Watts, and they closed
tho canvass together at Portland.
Watts being Il postmaster had been
mentioned by Watts and witness
: In q jocose Way ut public meetings;
} witness knew Watts was ineligible
: as All eleelor before tho election, but
+ said nothing aboutit.
Wm. j. Turner, manager of the
Western Union Telegraph Office at
/. jacksonville, was the next witness,
!. and In answer to question from
4 senat0r Morton stated that be saw =
) man whom hs supposed Was Patrick