New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-14
SMITHS TELLING EVIDENCE.
,NDERsoN's FAILURE TO HAVE HIS APPLICATION
BROUGHT TO sHERMANs ATTENTION - THE


BROUGHT TO sHERMAN's ATTENTION - The
PRESIDENTS DISLIKE FOR ANDERSON.
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNEl
WAsHINGroN, June 13.-Ihe Potter Committee
goes about its work as though it expected to be IN
session all Summer 1t adjOurns every day. TO
meet at l o'clock on the next; but it has been no
uncommon thing for the whole or part of the com
mittee to wait an hour or two for witnesses ana
on one OF two occasions il has adjourned Tor luncn
after wasting half day without making any pro
gress with the inquiry, or taking word OF testi-
mOny
Even since the machine has begun to run with
little more regularity the waste of time has been
hardly less marked. Yesterday and to-day for in
stance the proceedings of the committee reminded
the lOOker-on of the employment of a forty horse
power engine simply to run ordinary domestic
sewing-maohIne. General Smith, late Appointment
Clerk of the Treasury Department. was
wiling even anxious to give the committee
all the information he possessed in regard
TO James E. Anderson's application to him for
Office, and the appointment of Andersons brother to
a subordinate place in the Baltimore Custom House;
and vet General Butler kept him on the stand hour
after hour, putting to him tho most cunningly de-
yised questions and by requiring of him categorical
answers without explanation, often forcing him to
omit just what would have given the committee the
information it wanted
General Smiths story to-day was, IN brief, that
sometime in May last year James E. Anderson APP
Piled to him for position in the Treasury Depart
ment, naming Senator Matthews as his hacker
General Smith, after seeing Senator Matthews
offered Anderson a place. which the latter con-
sidered altogether too insignificant for him TO
accept Finally Anderson requested General Smith
TO take him to the White House in order that he
might see the President asserting at the same time
that the President understood that he was TO have
. better position, and that when his attention
was called to it. would direct his appointment
General Smith did take Anderson to the White
House, and leaving him in the Office of the Pres-
dents private secretary, went in to see Mr. Hayes
himself. He found that the President had q great
aversion for Anderson, and peremptorily refused to
zee him or to recommend has appointment TO
any moro desirable position than had been
offered to HIM. After this Anderson suggested
the appointment of his brother to place in the
Baltimore Custom House, and when this appoint
ment was made he withdrew his application for
place for himself. The correspondence which grew
ont of these proceedings consisted only of two or
p three letters only one of which found on the
Giles of the department. The remainder General
Smith looked upon as private letters, as did also
Secretary Sherman when they were recently shown
10 him. and they were kept among the private
papers, As soon as Anderson mentioned his visits to
the purpose of furnishing them TO the committee.
Two points only were brought out to-day which
have any important bearing upon the questions in
vOlyed in the present inquiry The first OF these is
that the President, when General Smith called upon
him, refused to see Anderson or to do anything for
him, and acted as though he thought that Anderson
had no claims whatever upon the Administration,
His behavior on this occasion proves, very cOnclu-
sively, what has already been shown by other evil
dence, that the President was not party to any
bargain with Anderson, and was not disposed to
recognize his claims while General Smith said re-
peatedly the President showed great aversion to
Anderson when his name was mentioned and
peremptOrily refused to see him.
The other point is that during the several weeks
when Anderson was attempting to secure place IN
the Treasury Department, he never once suggested
to General Smith that his be presented to Sec
rotary Sherman, or that any understanding existed
between the Secretary and him, placing the former
under obligations TO take OF him. This Is a very
remarkable circumstance. IL Mr. Sherman had writ
ten the letter which Anderson pretcnds that
he and Weber received from him, and had placed
himself under obligations to them, Anderson would
hardly have neglected either TO make his applica-
ton directly to Secretary Sherman OF to request
General Smith to bring it to his attention. But
during these entire proceedings General Smith IS
very positive that he never spoke to Secretary
Sherman, OF gave him any information in regard to
the case whatever. He said in his testimony
to-day that he went to the White House to see the
President because Anderson specially requested him
10 do so. If Anderson had requested him to see Sec
rotary Sherman and consult with him about tins
ease he would have done that, but Anderson never
suggested it, 1t will be very difficult TO recon-
cile this fact and AndersOns testimony III regard TO
the so-eaed Sherman letter
General Buffers treatment OF the witness General
Smith was almost as Objectionable during part Of
the time to day il was yesterday, and
the latier's sharp TetOrts more Than once
caused great amusement among the spectators.
General Cox again accused General Butler Of acting
as prosecutor and not a judge, and Of conduct
ing his Investigation In the manner OF herce ana
determined persecution, and Of treating the wit
nessea as though they were criminals whom he was
seeking 10 entrap.
The management Of the Democratic case seems TO
have been transferred in great measure TO General
Butler, who has taken held Of the investigation
with more zeal than any other member of the com
mittee MIR. Mcmahon alone excepted. In many Ne
gpects General Batter is better informed in
regard to the Democratic case than the Democratic
members of the committee themselves. Mr.. Me
Mahon who has several times spoken Of e" our case"
said to-day that he hadn't spoken three sentences
With aDy witness before the witness came upon the
stand General Butler could not say the same
thing for he has been in consultation with some OF
those who either have been examined or have been
summoned here for thatspurpOse.
IMPORTANT RUMORs.
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