The Portland daily press., 1878-06-24
Mrs. jerks Makes a Sensation.
She Claims the Authorship Of the SheI-
man Letter.
Dramatic Scenes i'm the Commit
tee Room.

BY him.
Capt Jerks Testimony Continued.
Captain jerks then resumed the stand and
was cross-examined by Mr.. MacMahon, more
particularly upon the existence of the alleged
Sherman letter, the conversation with Pitkin
on the sixth oil January, and what occurred to
impress the conversation so distinctly on his
memory.
The witness did not remember that there
was anything special which occurred. He
was positive that he never heard of the Sher-
man letter until it was mentioned to him by
Pitkin.
After some very sharp questions by Mr.. Nc
Mahon, the witness said he thought it was the
9th of January that the conversation took
place. He would not say positively. but was
confident it was about that time. Considera-
BILE time was consumed in questions and an
swers with reference to the visit of Mrs jerks
to Washington, during which the witness stat
ed that he paid his wife's expenses to Wash
ington. She came there at the instance of Mr..
Kellogg. The witness did not know that she
was there in the interest of Packard. Ander-
son it was understood, ha certain documen is
which Kellogg desired to get and Mrs. jerks
was there for that purpose having been the re-
cpent of letter from Kellogg to come on.
He could not give the contents of the letter.
Wa ~
After further unimportant testimony, the
witness was examined by Mr.. Butler in rela-
ton to letters written by Anderson to the
witness, in which be was requested to obtain
"the letter" "the document" etc, meaning
the so-called Sherman letter, and assuring
him that if he could do SO his fortune could
be made. The witness disclaimed knowing
anything about what letter or document An.
derson referred to.
this document you could make your fortune,
and that you did not have some curiosity as to
what the document was?
Al had written Anderson for description
of the document, but had no idea at this time
what the document was, and the first l knew
of it was from the conversation with Mr., Pit.
kin.
Mr.. Butler said that it was we'll known fact
that women were curious, and enquired If his
wife never asked what the document was that
was going to make their fortune?
The witness replied that she may have asked
but he did not remember it,
OF she did ask you what did you reply?
A-That knew nothing about it.
Q-Then she did not know any more about
| it than you did?
A-Not to my knowledge.
Mr.. Batter closely questioned jerks regard
ing the Sherman letter and his wifes connec-
ton Herewith The substance of his answer
was that be knew nothing about it either per-
sonally or through his wife.
Mrs. Jenks' Testimony.
Mrs. jerks next took the stand and was
sworn. She said that Anderson had written
her from Philadelphia in relation to docu-
ment which he termed the Sherman letter"
She knew nothing of it until last January.
thing about the letter before January last.
She had seen the paper in question.
Odd you ever have that document?
Al don't think have ever had the origi-
nal.
She said she might Lave had the letter in
her hands. She was at that time on the
street. No one gave it to her, nobody showed
1t to her, and she asked no permission to take
it.
General Batler then questioned her closely
as to whom she got it from or bow she came in
possession of it, She finally said she picked it
from table, and there might have beef per-
sons in the room,-she did not look around.
She then stated that after she picked it up, she
went into the street with 1t, and keptit in her
possession for abOnt TIVE minutes and half.
Q-Where was that table from which you
took the document?
Alt was in parlor "P" OF the ST. Charles
Hotel.
She said she presented the paper to Dan
Weber at the entrance of the st. Charles Ho-
tel 1t was about noon. Weber had left wit
ness, after conversation, at the corner of st.
Charles and Com mon streets.
Here she said she desired to make state
ment before answering further, and Mr.. But
Ter consented.
The statement was in substance that she
wished in the presence of this committee and
for the benefit of the country at large, to ex-
any connection whatever with the paper known
as the Weber guarantee, and she did not think
it was necessary for her to make any further
explanation with reference thereto.
Mr.. Butler explained that it was necessary
to give the committee information desired with
out hesitency and the witness proceeded to
state that after giving the letter to Weber he
remarked that Anderson was not satisfied with
his treatment, but wished to have written
guarantee. When questioned as to the con-
tanta of the 1pttpr haDdQ1 IN her hU Wnhar Che
repeated word for word the contents Of the
SHERMAN letter. as published. Mr.. Butler
then submitted letter written to Mrs. Weber
and signed "Agnes jerks" which she recog.
nized as written by herself, requesting Mrs
Weber to look well for the document as it would
be of much benefit to her husband and Mr..
Anderson, and if she found it she Mrs. Jenks)
would see that she was well paid for her trou-
BILE. The witness said she never knew of any
other letter addressed to Anderson and Weber
which contained guarantee She mad never
seen the letter since she gave it to Weber Her
husband told her that PItkin mentioned the
Sherman letter to him January 9th. She came
to Washington on her own account and notified
Mr.. Kellogg of her intention of coming before
she left New Orleans. She came on her own
business and business concerning the
nation at large. She admitted having written
Anderson inquiring if he desired the letter.
After further questions she asked Mr.. Butler
what he wanted with Mr.. Sherman, and he re-
piled, II will tell you. If that letter can be
found we can settle whether Sherman wrote
Butler-Do you know or have you ever known
where that letter was or whether it was in ex-
lsteuce, after you gave it to Weber?
Al do not.
Q-Do you know of any other letter purport-
ing to be signed by John Sherman, excepting
this one?
A-Oh, no, there was no other.
Q-Have you since November Goth, ever
written letter of the same purport as the
Sherman letter and signed John Sherman's
name to it?
After considerable evasion, such as "Wby
should l do so," "What was the occasion for
it, ets,the witness said she never did any such
thing.
With reference to the persons present in par
lor Up OF the ST. Charles Hotel at the tt me
she picked up the letter bearing the signatu re
of John Sherman, the witness Stated that some
visiting statesmen were present, including
Messrs. Garfield and Hale, but she Is quite pos
tive that Sherman was not there.
The examination by Mr.. Butler of Mrs.
her stating that Weber stated that Anderson
wanted guaranty from John Sherman and
she took letter from Weber to the st. Charles
Hotel, where the visiting statesmen were ask
ing for said guaranty; that while taking the
letter there, she inadvertently bit off the end
of the envelope; that when she arrived in the
reception room she thought the bitten envelope
not very presentable, and then the idea struck
her that she would not give 1t to Sherman, but
would furnish the guaranty nevertheless; that
Sherman was not in the room with the other
statesmen; that she never gave Sherman the
letter of Weber's; that the statesmen would
not be guilty of breach of etiquette in looking
over lady's shoulder while writing in their
presence; that she gave response to Weber,
and that the letter was addressed to Weber
and Anderson, She stated the letter she gave
Weber was signed John Sherman"
She further stated that this was the 0ocu-
ment that Anderson was so anxious about, but
as she did not think it of SO great Importance
she had an idea that there might have been
some other letter, but this was the one which
being printed was the one to which SO much
Importance was attached.
After further long examination, Butler
elected from Mrs. jerks that there was no
other letter signed "John Sherman" that she
knew of, she contending there could be none
other, as no further guarantee were needed.