Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-06-26

WASHINGTON, June 22.-The Potter
committee resumed its session to day
Gen. Butler stated that he would be
absent in case Senator Matthews de.
sired to testify, having seen pubiicn.
ton that tho reason that Matthew
did not appear was the fear Of being
insultcd by him (Butler).
Capt. Thomas jerks was further
by Mcmahon, and
stated that he was positive he never
heard Of the so-called Sherman letter
till it was mentioned by Pitkin, he
thought on the 9th of January OF
about that time.
Considerable time was consumed
in the examination regarding the Wis.
it of Mrs. jerks to Washington
Witness stated that he paid his wife'f
expenses to Washington. She came
at the instance of Gov. Kellogg. An.
derson, it was understood, had Ger.
tain documents which Kellogg desir.
ed to get, and Mrs. jerks was here
for that purpose, having received a
letter from Kellogg to come.
Butler cross-examined witness with.
out any important results.
Witness said Anderson never offer.
ed him 5000, but had written that
his document was worth $1,000. He
said certain democrats had offered
that. Witness never authorized his
wife topay Weber anything to produce
the letters. The papers stated that
his wife had the so-called Sherman
letter, but it was false. He never
heard that his wife knew anything
about it.
Mrs. jerks, wife of previous wit
ness, testified that Anderson wrote
her from Philadelphia regarding he
so-called Sherman letter. She knew
nothing of that letter till last January
when she saw it. Didn't think she
ever had the original; might have
had the document two minutes and a
half in the street. Nobody showed
or gave it to her; didn't ask for
it; she didn't know that any
body saw her take it from
the table at the ST. Charles Hotel,
where it was laying. After taking it
she went into the street. She gave it
to Don Weber. Witness here made
q statement for the benefit of the
country at large, to exonorate Secy.
Sherman and Anderson from any con-
nection whatever with this document
known as the Weber guarantee and
she did not think it was necessary for
her to make any further explanation
regarding it.
Butler said witness must give the
requisite testimony.
ed upon receiving the letter that An
derson was dissatisfied with his treat
ment, but wished a written guaran-
tee. Witness repeated the Sherman
letter word for word, in answer 10
the question what letter it was she
handed to Weber.
Mrs. jerks identified the letter
from her to Mrs. Weber, asking Mrs
Weber to look well for the document
as 1t would greatly benefit her and
her husband and Anderson and she,
Mrs. jerks, would see that Mrs.
Weber was well paid, provided she
produced the document. Witness
said she had never seen the docu-
ment since she gave it to Weber. She
came here ON her own business and
concerning the nation at large.
Witness asked Butler what he
wanted with the Sherman letter.
Butler replied, II will tell you. If
that letter can be found we can settle
definitely whether or not Mr.. Sher-
man wrote it,"
Witness said she didn't know and
never had known what became of the
letter after she gave it to Weber, and
there was no other letter purporting
to be signed by Sherman in existence.
Q-Have you since the twentieth of
November ever written q letter of the
same purport as the Sherman letter
and signed John Sherman's name to
it?
Mrs. jerks apswered-Why should
I do so, what was the occasion for
my doing so, ETC., and then said she
had never done such thing.
Recess.
In the course of the examination of
Mrs. jerks with reference to persons
present in parlor p St. Charles Hotel,
at the time she picked up the letter
bearing the signature Of John 6her-
man, stated that General Garfield and
M. Hale were among thOse present,