Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-24
SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.
DOlNes OF THE POTTER COMMITTEE,
Potter Committee.


WASHINGTON, January 23.-Upon the
reassembling of the Potter Committee
to-day, General Butler said that if he
made a statement yesterday to the ef-
feet that the cipher dispatches were in
his possession all last summer, and that
at one time he missed them from his
desk, he must have been drunk or in
sane. What he did say was to show
the impossibility Of the dispatches print
ell in the Tribune coming from him.
Hiscock-I had good reason to be-
believe that the kilograms were copied
from the Tribune before they came into
your hands. Sabina Moses, clerk in the
Office OF the Secretary of the Senate, and
formerly private secretary to Nice-Pres-
ident Ferry, remembered the burlesque
certificate from Louisiana, called the
Smith certificate. 1t was suppressed
without objection; didn't know what
became of it; last saw it in the official
teller's possession; didn't remember that
there had since been any application for
it. The Committee then held secret
session.
When the doors were re-Opened, Mr.
Butler offered the following:
R>solred, That the committee receive
from Mr.. Butler the cipher dispatches
which he shall present to them, and
that the clerk bedirected, in connection
with some person whom Butler shall
designate, TO make a complete invent
tory of the dispatches so received in
duplicate, and certify to same, one copy
to be preserved for the use OF the com
mittee, and one to be given to Butler;
that all cipher dispatches so received
shall be printed for the committee; that
unless hereafter otherwise oJdered, be-
fore any originals or copies are given
out for publication, they shall be sub
mitted to an expert TO be chosen by the
committee, who shall be sworn TO make
faithful transcription of and deCipher
the same according 10 his best knOwl-
edge, skill and ability, and that he will
not allow any cipher dispatches given
him to be- given to any person, or given
out for publication, nor any dispatch, or
supposed translation, without previous
agreement obtained from the commit
tee so To do, and he will return to the
committee all the printed sheets and
tclcgrams committed To him, with such
translationS as he shall make, receiving
from the committee such reasonable sum
for his work as the committee may
Judge proper.
The resolution was unanimously
agreed to.
Mr.. Reed then offered the following:
WHEREAS, Mr.. Hewitt, OF New York,
i'm his place in the House after alleging
that samuel j. Tildcn had been charged
with the cipher dispatches, has de-
Inanded that Mr.. Tilden have an oppor-
tunity to face his accusers before COM
petent tribunal; therefore,
Resolrtd. That copy of the resolu-
ton directing this committee 10 inves-
tgate the cipher dispatches be sent to
Mr.. Tildcn, and that Mr.. Tildcn be
allowed To be represented by counsel in
the same manner and under the same
limitations as persons arraigned under
the ordinary resolution constituting this
committee.
Mr.. Reed remarked that he offered this
resolution in good faith. and not in any
partisan spirit.
The resolution was accepted. The
Chair called st. Martin, who was exam
ined at length regarding his affidavit,
already published. The following are
the most important points OF his testi-
mony:
Q-Your affidavit SAYS You were in
structed by Stenger tn report mot
found when you had any subpPnas 10
serve upon Republican witnesses.
At was not Stenger but Maddox.
Ii is mistake and altered il as soon a.
saw it in the papers. The affidavit
was made on December 2d and | did not
alter it until last week. had not a
copy of the affidavit and did not know
that Stenger's name occurred where it
ought To read Maddox. Witness then
stated how, when acting "a sergeant-at-
arms OF the committee he had returned
twelve or thirteen subpoenas with the
report mot found lie did so on in
struCtions from Maddox. In all these
cases they were witnesses who were
Republicans or those whom he was
unable to "fN" To testify as Maddox
desired. On further examination on
his affidavit he denied that he ever in
tended to refer 10 Stenger's conduCt,an
said that the charges therein made
against that gentleman were untrue.
The other portions of his affidavit he
confirmed.
Mr.. Potter then Cruss-eXamincd him
on the evidence rendered by witness at
New Orleans, taking his questions al
most seriatim as they stood, and re
questing the witness tn point out those
which were true. \ great part Of his
former evidence was declared by II.
Martin 10 he entirely false and given at
the instigation Of Gibson and Maddox.
This part OF the examination Was not
concluded when Butler suggested that
the examination be adjourned. The
balance of the sitting was passed in
secret session. The committee expect
% begin Ia take testimony concerning
the cipher dispatches Monday.
Government Printing once.
wASHlSGrux. January 23.-Repre-
sentative Finley has submitted 10 the
Committee on Public Expenditures his
report with reference Ia the investlga-
ton Of the government printing office.
After changing general eXtravagAnCe
the report recommends the adjustment
Of the printing office and that the print.