Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-25
THE POTTER INVESTIGATIONS.
Gen. Butler CrOss.eNamineS Gen
BOvnfOn.

Alter our report OF the proceedings before
Potter's committee closed yesterday Gen.
Boynton was closely croSSexamned by Gen.
Butler, the latter apparently trying to draw
from the witnesses the admission that the
President told him that Anderson had been
appointed consul at Funchal, because he was
III possession of political secrets which it was
better to have kept quiet than made public.
There was quite sharp passage between the
witness and his cross examiner as will be seen
by the annexed report:
BY Gen. Butler-Q. Have you not said this
substantially, that you asked the President
how he came to make the appointment of such
man. against whom such charges were made,
| and he said he was possessed of some political
secrets? Didn't you. use the words political
Secrets?' A. No, sir, did not. | am abSo-
!ntely certain ! did not say SO to anybody.
The words political secrets were never used
by the President, and do not think / ever
used the words in speaking to anybody OF it.
O. Have you never used these words in
| speaking of it, that the President said he WAS
appointed ION account of matters not best to
want you TO understand that do not propose
| to make any answer here that will reflect upon
| the President of the United States.
q. Why not, If II is the truth? A. / will tell
| you why, because propose to state exactly
| what took place, and not give halfway an
swerS which may reflect upon the President of
| the United States. have told in substance all
that took place between the President and
| myself.
q. Have you given any person whatever to
| understand that the President said to you or
| gave you to understand that Anderson was
| possessed of some political knowledge that it
| was not bent to have made pubic? A. No,
sir and the President did not say anything OF
| the Kind.
Q. Please state what reason the President
| did give for this appointment? 4. His state
| ment was to the effect that this man had been
| good republican. and had done good repub-
| lican service in Louisiana; that was the sub
| stance OF it,
Mr.. Cox objected to the course taken by the
said there seemed to lie desire to argue
| things and put dates together As though il was
| determined that il should be declared before
| the public, step by step, that part Of this
| committee have convicted the President from
the beginning.
| Mr.. Butler denied, as far as he was con
| ceIned any such imputation,. and stated that
| he was not to be affected in his course by the
| glamour of office, but would deal with men,
! however high or low they might be, indiIfer,
emily, and would not put question concern
| ing the President of the United st ties that he
would not put concerning the humblest nIi-
! yidual in the country.
After further discussion the examination Of
BY Mr.. But.er:13. Haven't you stated to
because Anderson had some knowledge Of
| political affairs in Louisiana that it was neces.
sarV convenient or nronpr that his annon2-
ment should be made? A. Not TO nv recoec-
ton. may have conveyed that impression to
several people but as to stating it as the words
| of the Preside mt am confident I never have
| done so.
| O. Have Won stated that in substance as
| what the President said? A. | NAV have done
| so.
o. Did Won state it truly? Al stated if
| truly as it renamed i'm nv mind. and wish to
! say right here that repel all inSlnuatlonS that
necesSarV Sha nro1at mySaf nv a 'siu nc
| imputations. The rest Of this committea are
| gentlemen, and have treated me as such, but
| General Eutler is rOwdy and if the com
| SELF
| BY Nlr. Butier:-Q. You have been on init
Sir: / do not think have been at the White
| House more than half a dozen times since Pre-
| sIdent Hayes Inauguration. was ont with
| the President riding for about five hours on
| detailed, but never have had as long a con
versation with him since. The President
talked freely to me on that occasion. was
which he asked ne.
| -. When did you first hear of the existence
OF The Matthews letter? A. Last September,
| from MI. Gibson, OF the New Ork Sun.
%; when dld you first hear of the supposed
Sherman letter: "A. About the same time; 1t
was mere mater OF newspaper talk:
* Mhele '. were you Wnen tne McN eagn com
WSsi'2 missl9n Went down TO Louisiana? "A. was IN
"MH3iiHS.ohI Mr dosiro 70 .o, .,o so,so sc +,,o
oon,mitfea % ~ ~ Mo oo T % ~ W rito
the nmeston Of the IonSs Of tbe Weagb
commission in April. ISL. Or Whether we have
authority to do So q pmnder the Restitution Of Can.
nnaer Which iG e arc actino VI 'e
The Committee then. on Motion of Mr..
| 9hnn a a n inf
| sion to consider this and o1her matters con.
! nantoT ,,th ~ t,liJ ;iu otiti f aoroio So-
and Shortv after aTinmrged u 'ho 'oiiii'li''ee'
| "'
| To'Day's Proceedings.
| The Potter committee met this morning at
| INK o,oIoot -"
| o ~ w ~
| o,d os,oS mp - t taEho s5 MAs kECALLED LIZ
thu ~ @ ashtu IL sue idu lie letGeis sne proIllseu
~ ~ SivS .AG c0Hllilttee. She sa!d Slle ndq not
% %tnat %aiGf Iu nUt al il'su' dliu Ilal sie uiu nov
| n@nom @ IL lhoF "ouiu oe VI VALUE "ueu luey
ea1le n iuho, did ,,o,, 0oo u., Do 1ua,,o. ,,,.,
| -, Wneu ulu you see MIS-: Dan WeDer last;
| was re0ueSted To take note To her nv C2enerai
| sheldon 7 co w tho nota =. ~ W. HnoE traaJ
0PIeaSe come to Wew SriaanS S", and Nrs IanEs
! will exnlain'E o''N'' GNU --,'' '-'>'
| d lid Won know for what nurnosa Mrs
! Weber was wanted in New 0reannS9 A Ihave
NOT the ram"tast idaa go Wbon ,t 70 10y"
aIdsonvi1Ie Mrs Weher Said thaff ~ a r1arSon ND 0
| had said I had got s100 0o1 for soma donnmnnt
iSad II was fase aSI5ed % bar to o onH o aa.
| Cam SL.fLr A. ''~' "'A'" ava w so ''"" 'eo
| "Cii G HH HHeiuEI, H
| OK vas MIS-. Neber requested Dy you OF Dy
e1'oIeldOn 10 make statement under 0atn?
"a, i never requested such statement L only
| leWiHa?lned WIN her one houT;
| witness SAID that MIS-. weber dld not re
TURN Win her to New Orleans,
-. WHAT reason did she make for not re-
| turning? a, She said she did not want 10
! hear ANYTHING more about 1.-The document -
| that she did not have it.