Daily globe., 1879-01-24
THE POTTER BUSINESS.
DRUNK Oh INSANE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Z5.-UpOn Cle assem- mDllng
of the Potter committee to-day Gen. Butler
said if he made statement yesterday to the
effect that the cipher dispatches were in his
possession all last summer. and that one time
he missed them from his desk. he must have
been drunk or insane. Laughter What he
did say yesterday was to show the impossibility
that the dispatches printed in the Tribune
came from him.
Mr.. Hiscock-Yes. had good reason to be-
lieve the kilograms were copied for the Tribune
before they came into your hands.
Zebina Moses, clerk in the office of the Sec
retary to Vice-President Ferry, remembered
burlesque certificate from Louisiana called the
s'Smith certificate" It was suppressed without
objection. He did not know what became of
it; last saw 1t in the possession of the official
tellers. Did not remember there had since
been any application.
The committee then held g secret session.
When the doors were reopened Mr.. Battle
offered the following:
Resolved, That the committee receive from
Mr.. Butler the cipher dispatches which he shall
present to them, and that the clerk be directed,
in connection with some person whom Mr.. But
Ter shall designate, to make complete inven-
tory OF the dispatches SO received, in duplicate,
and certify to some one, copy to be preserved
for use of the committee, and one given to
Mr.. Butler; that all the cipher dispatches so
received shall be printed for the committee;
that unless hereafter otherwise ordered before
any originals or copies are 81 ven out for publ
cation, they shall be submitted to an expert to be
chosen by the committee, who shall be sworn to
make faithful transcription of and decipher
the same according to his best knowledge, 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
OF the dispatches, nor any supposed transla-
tion, without previous agreement obtained
from the committee SO to do, and he will return
to the committee all printed sheets and tele-
grams committed to him, with such transla-
tions as he shall make, receiving from the COM
mittee 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, in his
place in the House, after alleging that Samuel
J. Tilden has been charged with the cipher dis
patches. has demanded that Mr.. Tilden have an
opportunity to face his accusers before COM
petent tribunal therefore,
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution di-
recting this committee to investigate the cipher
dispatches be sent to Mr.. Tilden, and that Mr.
Tilden be allowed to be represented by counsel
in the same manner and under the same limi-
tations as person arraigued under the ordi-
nary resolution constituting this committee.
Mr.. Reed remarked that he offered this reso-
Luton in good faith, and not in any partisan
spirit. The resolution was accepted.
ST. MARTINS CHARGES.
The chairman called st. Martin, who was ex-
amined at some length regarding his affidavit
already published. The following is the most
important points Of the testimony:
Question-Your affidavit says that you were
instructed by Mr.. Stenger to report ''not
found" when you had any subp9nas to serve
on Republican witnesses?
Alt was not Mr.. Stenger, but Mr. Maddox.
It was mistake and l altered it as soon as
the I'd Of December, and did not alter it un-
til last week. [ had not copy of the affidavit
and did not know. Mr.. Stenger's name oc-
Cured where it should read Mr.. Maddox.
Witness then stated how, when acting as
sergeant-at-arms for the committee he had re-
turned twelve or thirteen subponas with the
report mot found He did so on instructions
from Mr. Maddox. In all these cases they were
witnesses who were Republicans, or witnesses
whom he was unable to iix up to testify as
Maddox desired.
On further examination upon his affidavit
witness denied that he ever intended to refer
to MIR. Steuger's conduct and said that the
charges therein made against that gentleman
were untrue. Other portions of his affidavit
he confirmed.
Chairman Potter then cross-examined him
upon the evidence rendered by witness at New
Orleans, taking the questions almost seriatim as
they stond, and requesting witness to point ont
those that were true. A great part of his for
mer evidence was declared by st. Martin to be
entirely false, and given at the instigation of
Stenger and Maddox.
This part Of the examination was not con-
cluded when Mr.. Butler suggested the examin-
alton be adjourned. The remainder of the ses-
sion was secret. The committee expect to COM
mence to take testimony concerning the cipher
dispatches Monday.