The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-25

ne Values II very nlBuly An'
also that he Il not in possession Of th
document, and you may be sure he shAl
never get II or other papers he deems 0
value. During the questioning BY Nc
Mahon. with 8 view TO having Witneel
cay the letter referred 70 was Sherman
letter, witness evaded the questions ant
made various inquiries Of McMahon
She, however, stated that had there beef
$4,000 offered for Sherman's letter, ant
It in her possession, she would not hayr
degraded her honor 90 much as TO hav,
accepted the offer.
By Mr.. Pot,er-Did you ever see an!
Of sherman's writingH A. No, sir; l dit
not.
Mr.. McMahon referred to the lette
bearing the signature Of Thomas Jenks
asking the witness II 1t was the signatur,
Of her husband.
The direct question was again evaded
and the witpess said her husband coulC
identity his own signature, and he beint
present she referred the gentleman TO hin
ior the information desired.
General Butler said TO Mrs. jerks thaj
he desired to crafty her curiosity in re-
gard to obtaining the letter from Mrs
Weber. he said Gov. Kellogg handed
him the bundle Of papers and in il be
found letter addressed TO Mrs. Weber.
Mrs. jerks [quickly1-Why did you
not hand It back to him.
Mr.. Butler (very slOWly)-Becauss l
had use for II.
Mr.. Springer asked witness regarding
4 certain claim in which her family had
been interested, but the subject proved
uninteresting.
Q. Did you think It right to sign sher'
mans name to letter which might
compromise him hereafter J A. Now
you 20 too fast. It poured oil on ttoub.
led waters for the time being.
Q. In November, 1875, you were on
friendly terms with Anderson, were you
not? A. I do not know what you call
friendly terms. l knew him politically;
he had been guest in my house, and as
such was sacred; was well acquainted
with him.
Q. Were you acquainted with L, A.
Weber? A. Yes sir, very we'll. BE was
afriend and had known him since T6.
Q. You were disposed to be friendly TO
Weber at that time? A. ! had no rea'
son to be unfrieudly to him or to Ander.
son. In fac. was always pretty friendly
to Anderson, but there was method In
our motives, Of course.
@. What had been your motives up to
that time with Secretary Sherman? A.
l had merely known him as = member Of
the United States Senate and heard him
debate often, end admired him. 1had
been introduced to him, but do not know
II he would have known me II he had
met me casually.
o. What reason could you have lad on
the 10Th Of Last November to deceive two
of your intimate friends in the interest
OF q stranger whom you had never
knowuH A. Secretary Sherman was
merely one Of the visiting statesmen, and
as such deserved honor at our hands, l
had no desire to serve him particularly.
l was merely maintaining the dignity Of
the party. II the letter had been ad-
dressed to Mr.. Koughton it would have
been all the same. They would have got
guarantee. These were men high in
the councils Of the nation, and do you
suppose wished them 10 know what q
contemplate strata We had in the party
In Louisiana at that time. It was for the
honor Of the party. did not want them
10 know about 1t.
Q. Why did you give them a forged
docnn1ent IL they were YOUR friendsI A.
Pardon me, I do not admit that.
Q. Why did yon then give them a false
guaranty instead Of genuine one! A. II
made them feel better, and did not wish
to insult the statesmen.
Q. Did you know that Sherman had
given verbal guaranty' A. I did not
know about that.
Q. To whom did you dictate the letter.
A. A pen Is g mechanical instrument,
you know.
o. You dictated to 4 penf A. Some
one might be holding the pen though.
@ Who was that some one? A. l re-
fuse to tell you.
O. Am I TO understand yo1 then from
your language that the contents OF that
letter were composed by you? A. | die
tated the letter; it was an original pro-
duction.
q. Il originated with your A. Yes sir,
with me.
9. Then you are the anthor Of the con.
tents OF that letter? A. Yes sir.
Q. Have you forgotten the name oi
the person to whom you addressed this
Sherman letter. think;I have. Yes /
have given the name 10 oblivion and it
never has had resurrection.
Q. You will not say that you did not
write the letter yourselfH A. No sir, l
will not say that. :.
Q. You saw the letter at the time it
was being written? A. Yes; looked on.
Q. You do not deny you wrote eitr A.
No, sir, l do not.
q. You say you dictated il to q pen !
A. It was a quill, I think 1 think did
see feathers on 1t.
o. Did you see any one in the ladies'
reception room1 A. 1 did not; was
contemplating the political affairs OF the
nation mentally.
o. Was It 10 Parlor y that you bit the
end Of this letter of and read to sher-
man? A. It was quite an involuntary
act on my part; yes thAt was the place.
@ Had you been informed OF the con:
tents Of that letter before you opened and
read it? A. Not specially; only that they
wanted q guarantee.
@. You did then open letter not ad.
dressed to you and read ii? A. It was not
addressed 10 me 70 be sure, but 1t was
quite involuntary.
o, The letter was addressed to Sher-
man wssn'titH A. I did not lock. Web.
or said it wa, and supposed 1t was. l
discovered afterwards that it was.
@. You started into the hotel with 4
view OF delivering or sending this letter
TO Sherman. A. That was my first I'm.
pulse Of eourss.
o. What caused you TO change your
mind? A. It was the contents Of the let.
Ter. I was contemplating the political
sfflirs Of the State, and quite unconscious.
| " bit of the end Of II: They could have
no private business with distinguished
statesmen, besides the letter was rot pre-
ientabIe 70 him then, and did rot think
| Il necessary TO present It. Webe:tmPly
said they had been assured that they
would Be taken care Of and protectedi
Sherman's name was not mentioned in
the whole matter.