The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-06-25
had possession of the Stanley Matthews

any documents from Matthews at that
time? A-You know how Anderson
talks.
Q-Yes, but 1 want to hear you talk
nowr A-Well, l hope you are edited
Q-Did you ever see anv documents
thst Anderson said he had from Mat
thewsf A-No. sir, he did not enclose
them for my personal inspection.
never had possession of them; if l had
they never would have gone before this
Committee.
By the Chairmsn-Wss the letter you
dictated In psrlar Z written in ink or
pencil? Ain ink.
@ Was it legible or not when 1t was
finished? A-Thst remains for others TO
discuss. The chirography was not elC-
CANT, it never is; but have made it out.
Q-Hsve you ever read any Of Sher-
mans lettersf Al never have read
any Of his compositions, except l have
read his speeches as reported In the Con-
gresSioaaL Record. | AN familiar with
most OF our ststesmen's style, and if l
read them once | think l could initiate
them.
Odd you try to initiate his style
when you dictated the letter? A-NOt
his particularly. 1t might have done for
any one.
Q-The letter contained this phrase:
"Your note of even date received" Do
you use that phrase when you writer A
Yes, sir; very often l abbreviate it in
that way. AS for the word "Hsyes"
there, it happened to be mentioned while
l was IN the room, otherwise would
not have thought of such an august
parsonage.
A-Was the letter signed "Jno." or
John ShermauW At was sigred
John Sherman"
Q-The letter TO which it was sn ans
wer do you recolleet that? Al es sir,
l do, but it nidn't impress me so mch as
the other.
Q-Please repeat it if you can? A
Sir-We have carefully considered the
arrangements made by you at our recent
interview, Tor something of that kind l
will not be positive as to the word re-
cent? Your assurance that we shall be
provided for Is scarcely specific enough.
In the event, or, In the case we pursue
the course suggesed by you we vii!
be obliged To leave the State. Will you,
therefore, state in writing to whom we
shall look for the tulfIlmeut OF your
promises? JAMES ANDERSON,
ID. A. WEBER.
l believe that ia it.
Q-Is your recollection of it derived
from that single reading in the hotel?
A-Yes, sir; l had it sometime after
wards and may have taken little note
of it.
Q Q-Were you employed in the Tressu-
ry Department at one timer Al was
here two months in rs, and accepted
position during that time. Mr.. Bristow
was Secretary OF the Treasury then,
don't think the GOverdment made much
by my services l had other business to
attend to. l accepted the position be-
cause it was offered TO me, and l held 1t
only for two months.
Odd you render any service TO the
Government? A.-Oh, yes, sir, | did.
l went up there very often; until ] got
tired of il. l used to go in room with
lot of desks in it, where l did some
writing. / went almost every day when
1 had nothing else to do. Laughter.
Senator West, | believe, was COCA
enough to have me appointed.
ON whose writing was tlis letter
tha! was handed to you to deliver? A
think it was Weber,s handwriting.
Q-To whom did you dictate the letter.
"A pen is mechanical instrument,
you know.
Q-You dictated TO pen2 A-Some
one might have been holding the per,
though.
Q-Who WAS that some one2 Al
refuse to tell you
Q-Am | to understand that you then
are the author of the language In that
letter; that the contents were composed
by you? Al dictated the letter; it
WAS an original production.
Q-It originated with your A-Ges,
sir, with me.
Q-Then you ara the author of the con
tents of the letter. A-Yes, sir.
Q-Hsve you forgotten the name OF
the person to whom you dictated this
Sherman letter? Al think l have
yes, have gwen the name to oblivion,
and It never has had resurrection.
Q-You will not say tina! you did not
write the letter yourselt2 A-Ns, sir; |
will not say that.
Q-Iou saw the letter at the time it
WAS being written? A-Ies, sir; l
looked on.
Q-You do not deny that you wrote it?
A-No, sir; do not.
Q.-You say you dictated 1t to pen2
Alt WAS quill, think. | think |
did see feathers on it.
Odd you see any one in the ladies'
reception room2 Al did not | was
contemplating the political affairs OF the
uatiOn mentally.
Q-Was it in parlor "O' that you bit
the end oti this letter and resd it TO
Sherman? Alt was quite an inyol-
untary act on my part. Yes, that wss
the place.
Q-Had you been informed of the
contents Of this letter before you opened
and read III A-Not specially; only
thst they wanted guarantee.
S-1 Ou dlu tnen open ItJLeT mol NJ
dressed to you, and read it? 1t was not
addre, sed to me, to be sure, but It was
quite Involuntary.
Q-Ths letter WAS addressed to SheT-
msn. wasn't it2 Al did not look.
Weber said it WAS and l suppose it was
I discovered afterwards that 1t was.
Q-You started into the hotel with the
view of delivering or sending this letter
To Sherman A-Thst was the fret i'm
pulse, OF course.
Q-Wha. caused you to change
your mind? At was the con-
tents of little note l was contem-
plating political affairs OF 5 tate, and
quite unconsciously bit of the end of it..
They could have no private business with
the distinguished statesmen, and besides
the letter was not prosentsble to him
them and l did not think
it necessary to present II.
| was disgusted that they should want a
written assurance that they should be
provided for. Was not Sherman's word
sufficient without written guaranteed
Odd you think it right to sign Sher.
1,