The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-24
Her Examination Before the Fraud
Committee Saturday.
ALVEY Woman Who Has Il NearI,
All Her Own Way.

WAaHIHGroH, June 22--Mrs. Jenks
bold, sharp and selt-sAtisfed, stood the
rapid and close cross-examinstion before
the committee to-day, General Butler
taking the lead and carrying on the ex-
animation during nearly two hours, and
Mr.. McMAhon following along in two
hours examination. The committee.
room was packed to It's utmost capacity.
Many privileged persons, including mem.
bers Of the House and many Witnesses,
besides Anderson. jerks and "my dear
Pitkin, occupied plAeeN within the bar,
while the spp y outside the bar was filled
with newspaper people Of both sexes,
and 4 number OF outsiders, including
Mrs. DR.. Mary Walker, trowsers,
cane, 81.
Mrs. jerks is OF French extraction, but
speaks English HuenLy, although with
pleasant accent. Her appearance Ia rath-
er prepossessipg, and her manners are
easy and generally agreeable-such as
josh Billings would call ''nonchalanty"
manners. She rested easily in large arm
chair, gently turning from side 70 side,
answering questions with airs Of indiffer-
ence and matter Of fact, or evading them
cleverly, as best suited her purposes or
desires. She Is very quick.witted, had
ready responses, checked and interrupted
or corrected her interrogators, asked
questions "a answers 10 those put TO her,
and proved 10 be quite as mnch ss
Messfs. Butler and McMahon cared to
manage, The performance was highly
amusing, not only 10 the spectators and
disinterested auditors, but to the members
Of the committee, all Of whom say she is
the smartest woman they ever saw upon
the witness stand. Her assertion that she
dictated that much talked about Sherman
letter to Weber and Anderson, caused con.
sternation, for no such thing had been
thought OF. The Democrats discredIt this
assertion, one OF them remarking pri-
vately, this evening, that he never be-
lieved in the Sherman letter, but that he
is now ready 10 believe that Sherman did
write such = letter. The theory among
Republicans Is, that Mrs. jerks and
Weber got up this letter for the purpose
OF stifiening up the backbone Of Ander>
son, 80 as 10 induce him 10 stick to the
protest be had fled a. TO intimidation,
&c, in East Felicians Parish, for, as she
said to-day, she regarded Anderson as an
unreliable fellow, who was likely TO sell
out to the enemy or 90 back on the party.
Her letter TO Governor Kellogg, which
General Butler produced to-day, much to
her surprise, is thought TO afford par.
tial clue to the truth or fAlsity OF her
assertion that she dictated the Sherman
letter. It is fact that she involved her
self in several respects to-day, but she
succeeded afterwards in clearing up and
Strengthening out TO some extent the tan.
giles into which she was led BY the willy
committeeman in their search for bottom
facts.
Repeatedly she excited roars Of lsugh-
ter BY her quick and singing repartee,
cutting irony aud sarcasm, and clever,
sharp and evasiye answers. For instance,
she proiessed not to understand McMa-
hons word "bluff," as used in the ques-
ton: "Dldn't Secretary Sherman bluff
you off when you called upon him at his
Officer" Mr.. McMahon said: "0h, now,
Madam, bluff Is good American word"
She promptly responded with emphasis: :
at may be & good Democratic word. T"
Then she pleased everybody by her way
Of telling about how Anderson followed
Matthews all over the State OF Ohio, and
wrote postal cards to her, telling her be
had "treed his gsme;;" that she did not tell
Matthews that Anderson was mo &C.
count" and had no letters, because Mat
thews knew that we'll enough without
any word from her; that Matthews
promises didn't amout 10 much, because
he is prolific in promises; that Ohio poll
ticians are light weights; that Louisiana
Republicans called the MacVeagh-Har
Ian Commission "dead BEATS" &c. She
declined TO be 9estioned SO closely about
Secretary Sherman's affairs, saying in
dignantly that she is not the father con-
iessor Of Mr.. Sherman. She says she
knows no such word Is fail, rememl rs
everything she writes, but keeps 4 diary
for the purpose Of refreshing her memory
on some points, and when asked il her
husband had read the notes in her diary,
she informed the committee, in emphatic
language, that she don't allow her hus.
band 10 look over her diary, which was
convincing evidence 10 all present that
their previous belief that, as between her
and her husband she is the bet'.r man
Of the two, was not incorrect.
Mrs. Jenks declined TO answer few Of
the questions put TO her to-day, and will
probably do 60 again In relation to other
matters. There is no way to compel
witnesses TO teItiiy during the absence Of
Congress, and the Potters will be brought
TO 4 standstill by the refusal Of other
witnesses than Mrs. jerks to answer
leading questions. Members now wish
they had tried to put through a law
which would have enabled them TO com.
pei witnesses to testify, for they claim
that II the committee hrs authority to
administer oaths, It ought also to have
authority to compel witnesses to obey its
wishes.
Mr.. McMAhon remarked to-day, alter
General Butler produced the jerks let
ter to Kellogg, that Butler is no less 4
mystery than Mrs. jerks. Nobody
knows what material be has In reserve.
He keeps bis own counsel, and both the
Democrats and Republicans have TO await
de developments TO know what be is about.
Senator kellogg says Butler l. sort Of
i,ckass battery, and when he begins let
ling of his charges people dodge in all
directions, not knowing where the next
shot will strike.
The continuation Of the examination
Of Mrs. jerks on Monday will probably
be even more interesting than that Of to-
day.