New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-25
THE TESTIMONY.

The Woodin Investigating Committee yes
terday was in all day at the Fifth Avenue HOTEL
the chief interest cenering in the testimony OF CON
troller John Kelly who apparently unbosomed hInsen
| without reservation, answering all questions III
STRAIGHTFORWARD way and with apparent frankness ne
connected The World charges against senator "ooun
directly with the asserted Tweed Confession through
statements made by himself and after he had
large number persons sent private dispatches 10 Al
| bany Andrew j. Garvey also gave interesting tes'i-
mony.
The committee assembled soon after 10 o'clock husn
j. Hastings early hand not so much 10 look a'cr
the $4,000 Tweed check business as AFTER SIN hi'
with Grape it," exchange having been hhue tue
day before to manifest disadvantage. The nrst VIII
ness called George Jones, who was dlhgenty queS
toned by the committee without bringing to light any
thing Of Importance bearing on the Woodln Investigations
The appearance of Controller John Kelly created
ripple OF excitement He tok the oath Win the grees
composure anu appeared be in candid state OF nina
The committee approached him as II he might pe OK
pected evade searching questions and SENSATION
was made when hes disclosed what he knew
of the Tweed statement. Mr.. Kelly said ne bad pcen
Controller about four Months and half; ne WIS Al
derman 1s53-54; CONGRESSMAN In lsoo-oo-o'-ooi
Sheriff IN 1s59606l -65-66-67. He had been idenuned
with the regular organization Of the Democratic parry
except when he supported Godfrey G. Gunther' IN
dependent candidate for Mayor. He had known tweed
since 1854 their relations were never lnImate' 81"
him time in the Spring OF 1877, when rweeu
"a
organization during days of Tweed power but dld
not act with Tweed He had known William Henry
Hurbert OF The World by reputation for II OF ID years.
and had been intimately acquainted with him Tor three
or four years. He him on saturday, and had
not seen him since. His acquaintance with Baiiaru
smith OF The World had extended over
few weeks. He read The World articles entitled
.Tweed's Confession" published April II. Before the
publication OF the article he had conversations with Mr.
mbeLt and Mr. Smith relative to the subject matter Oh
the article furnished TO both statements whch were
the foundation Of the greater part OF the article lie
had furnished statements entire relating 10 senators
Woodn aud Bxby and Hugh j. Hastings He did not
know OF his own knowedge that Tweed had m arrange
ment with Norris Wnslow, or that Tweed gave
100000 check 10 Mr. Hastings with the understanding
that part to go 10 some Senator Win relerfuce
TO the new City Charter BILL Mr.. Kelly said that 1t
would legislate the present Controller, himself out OF
Office He was appointed for term OF four years from
last December Under the BILL his term would expire IN
May OF next year He knew that Senator WOOdln was
Chairman of the senate Committee on Cities IA snle
but denied that had in any sought to influence
legislation by supplying the Information winch hau peeh
published duplicating Senator woOdn
Mr. Kelly rc,aIed narrative form how he learned the
statements comm mice I'd to The World As head Of the
Finance Department the City CO. rnment, he was
interested suits ntn2 Ia ~, OJOO, which gre"
out Of the Ring frauds, in which NJ Tweed II dis
posed 10 testify would he important witness About
hun to confer about the Charles OConor letter pub
Iishcd IN Hayper's weekly, March 30 This letter
led the Attorney General to seek conference
with Mr. Tweed after which he visited BIN tir Kelly
again and in a general conversation related what Tweed
would do. The Attorney-General SAID TWeed7 state
euts were indefinite and probably could not he eorroh
GRATED. Shortly afJerward John ID. TOWNSEND, Mr.
Twecds counselor. called upon hin and asked If the At
torneyC General had been To him. Assured OF ths
Mr. Townsend wanted TO know what would be required
OF tweed, and told that Tweed must surrender al
property in his possession and help to moneys
taken from the city and paid tn other persons. Mr.
Townsend then informed him that after several conver
sat,ons with weed had told his client chat unless lac
placed himself in position Ia All entirely the Interests
of the city there hope OF settlement Mr. Town
send visited Tweed after this and again calling upon
linn Cir. Kelly showed memoranda of the Information
impaired by his client. He u that The memo
r,nda were important and asked permission Of Mr..
Townsend to take copy. which granted, Mr. Town
send insisting, however that tho memOrauda BIZ not
Iade pubhc but e (Nr Kelly mad already obtained the
facts contained in the memoranda in conversation
with Attorney General FiTchid. Mr. HurDert came
into bis office during the latter part Of March on diff
fcrent business; and the conversation turred on the
disappearance of Oakley Hail. Mr. Hurlbcrt expressing
the beicf that Mr. Hall prosecuted He told
MI Uurlber be TOO Of this, for il he knew all
the facts concerning the Ring frauds no would think DIFF
fareuty of Mr. Halls connection with them. He gave
MT Hurbert Bn account or what lie had Fafnd ~ me
Tweed statement. asked him MAKE publication
of the matter before the statement should be IN the
hands OF the Attorney General ami promised when tina.
| occurred 10 giant III Interview 10 Ballard Smith
On the Saturday evening preceding the delivery OF
Tweeis statement tD the Attorney General. Mr.. TOWN.
send brou sht the document his mouse. the object
being 70 get his judgment the question whether not
the statement was likely meet the requirements Of
tho Attorney General It did not il would he folly to
send il Albany. Mr. Townsend the papers,
hnrredy reading among other portions statements
| Iating to Senators Woodin and Wins.Ow and Hugh j.
Hastings Other names mentioned. bur the whole
statement was not read the only object being judge
II confession went far enough 10 the Attorney
General. Mr. Townsend Withdrew after two hours
sultation with Mr. Kelly.
On the following Thursday he CIr Kelly sent word
Ballard Smith him his office in the afternoon
When he told sir. Smith that the Tweed state
ment was probably Albany, and that he ready in
accordance with his promise to ImpaTt what ne knew OF
the The points given afforded basis for the
greater part OF the article OF April II. Tweeds state
ment, iis contents to him ir. Kelly, alleged
that SIR Tweed paid Senator Winsl0w 800 900 which
was 10 be- divided among five persons and tht wnsow
said afterward that this disposition had been made Of
the money. Also that three four days after the
passage OF the Tweed charter Tweed paid Hugh j.
Hastings a check for 10000. and Mr. Kelly thought it
was stated TO be the understanding that this check
for Senator WOodn Tie statement did particularze
a. to how the 100000 divided The statement
mentioned checks which had paid 10 different
persons and which had been preserved. Mr.. Kelly did
not know II ii contained statement the relations
existing between Tweed and Senator WOodn.
MIR. Kelly said he knew Mr.. Woodin but slightly Mr.
Woodin had spoken him by way Of salutaon during
his recent visit 10 Albany. In 1870 he Europe
and returned home in October, 1871. The memoranda
shown him by Mr. Townsend were not in Tweed's hand
thu Ixk Mr. Tnvp