New-York tribune., 1878-06-24
THE WOMAN WHO DUPED ANDERSON
MRS. JENKs's ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE

lhpAAANN W N''s'
THE WOMAN WHO DUPED ANDERSON.
MRS. JENKs's ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE
SHERMAN IETTER-A PECULIAR WITNESS
MASKED BATTERIES OF LETTERS.
InY TRLEGRArH TO THE TRBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, June 23.--The most striking fea-
tue of the Potter Committees investigation yester
day was the examination Of Mrs. jerks. She is be-
yOnd question the most remarkable witness ever
before q Congressional committee She has had
ample time 70 learn her part, and while waiting to
be called she has evidently not been idle. With all
the sSlli OF General Butler aud Mr.. Mcmahon, with
the natural advantages lawyers have over wit
ness this uotorous woman Rrappled with her ques-
tiOnefs. and By her smaTtness at repartee and her
natural vyaety of temperament raised the
laugh on them again and again. NOr five hours she
stood the adrOit nteogations of these two masters
and evaded, lodged, and escaped from direct
answers successfully that toward the latter part
Of her examination she became quite sef-conscious
of her Importance, and it may be lost some of the
strength Of her position.
Her personal appearance is rather pleasing. She
is Of medium height and has full figure, bright
round face gray expressive eyes, small mouth, brown
hair and regular features. Her hands unusually
small and she uses them after the manner of the
French women with infantile grace and meaning
She is about thirty-fve years old, dresses plainly
ana wears no leWelfy. sic mas n sweet Nolcc WIN a
slight foreign accent that has peculiar charm, In
her answers she very deliberate except at times
and she was always exasperating.
General Butler was hardly up to his standard in
handling this witness for he never once lost his tenn
per.
The examination Of the witness was confined to
the so-called sherman letter. She was very dTa-
matte when she exOnerated Secretary Sherman from
any completely in the guarantee to Webber and An
derson; and when she acknowledged that she
was the author of the letter in question
there was a genuine sensation in the
committee-room which was crowded all day.
She had been leaning back confidently and care
lessy in her chair and PLAYING with her fan. Then
she closed up her fam laid it the table before her.
assumed more diguifed attitude and said, II wish
10 state in the presence of this august committee
and of the country at large ~ Then she paused
q long time and looked solemn, and Mr. Butler broke
the silence by asking her: Are you going to give
Us anything moref1 "YesD said she, with great
imperturbability. 81 am going to say considerably
more.1 Iheu there was another equally long pause.
as if she were gathering mp all her powers, and then
after awhile she continued, "I distinctly aud en-
tirely exonerate Mr. Secretary Sherman" etc. As
she ended the speech, which was delivered with a
dramatic air, Mr.. Springer burst out with the ex-
elamation, Now let the curtain drop. The act is
finished"
There was one significant omission in this portion
Of her testimony. She testified that she dictated
the Sherman letter. and she repeated il without the
aid of a copy word for word, and said that John
shermans name was at the bottom of it, She did
not say that she signed the name, but when General
Butler asked her what name happened to be at the
bottom OF the letter, she answered at once, John
Shermans.D The significant fact, however, is that
she declined to say to whom she dictated this letter.
The question to ascertain this fact the only
she refused 10 answer during the entire day. The
explanation Of how she came to dictate this letter
has an air Of imDrObability. She said she took
letter from Webber to give TO Mr.. Sherman without
knowing the contents further than that it was re-
quest for a written guarantee from Mr. Sherman to
Webber and Anderson that they would be taken
care Of She said she protested that the
verbal assurance Of such an honorable man was
amply sufficient but Webber said that Ander-
son was anxious TO have written assurance
that he would be taken care Of Mrs jerks, ac-
eording to her story went to deliver the letter. but
not finding Mr. Sherman in, she bit the end off the
envelope IN a moment Of abstraction, and then she
thought she would not deliver the letter at all. She
read IL, and subsequently, in the same room with
many Of what she called the visiting statesmen, she
dictated the guarantee placed it IN an envelope di-
rected to Webber and Anderson, and sought Webber,
who was ID the street. and gave it TO him without
any remarks. She eXODcrateQ Anderson by saying
that he thought 1t genuine letter all the time.
Mrs jerks said she mad never the letter since.
but was rather evasye tins point. She seems TO
have the most cOntemptuOus opinion Of Anderson
and spoke of him as &" one of the most magnificent
and sublime scOundrels"
The session OF the committee yesterday had the
effect of bringing out dirty linen, and the
stock Of letters docs not TO be exhausted yet
Some of Mrs. Jenks's letters presented, at
which she seemed greatly astonished and at the
production on one which she had written TO Mr. Ke-
logg covering one Of AndersOn's, indOrsed by her |
she became very indignant and sald II was breach
Of confidence on the part of Mr. Kellogg This gem
tleman however, said to-day that he does not know
where General Butler obtained the letters but !
that he KeOgg did not give them out |
biTs. jerks bad a package of letters In her |
lap while tcstifying and now and then drew one |
out and gave II 20 the committee and II was read
General Butler also had large package OF dOcu-
lnents, which he guarded jealOusly Mr.. Shella- |
baTger says his side has some DOCUMENTS TO pre-
cent; and it Is intinated that Mr.. McAahOn has a
package also. In addition TO al these sources Mr.
Kellogg viii bring forward large batch OF letters
and Anderson says his locker Is by no means empty
some Of General Butler's friends say that he has
the documents TO convict Mrs. jerks OF perjury but
no suggestion is vOuchsaied 20 the nature OF the
docume1ts The examination of Mrs. jerks Will be
resumed tomorrow She is in high spirits and
seems 20 enjoy her nOt0riety very much
=, sub-cOmmittee, consisting of Messrs. StenRer,
Baekbun aud Reed, will start for Louisiana on
Tuesday next
INVESTIGATION SUPPLIES.