The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-06
THE CIPHER DISPATCHES.
TuE pOrrER SrB- COMMITTEE BEGINS
ms SESSION ~ rms CITY

ms SESSION ~ rms CITY
,..,tror, ~ smith VI. weed Begun md Con-
,t,I,t stating the circumstances OF Nr.
,s.,,.,. Nt.it to baltimore TiIden's
A,u.n- snyor Cooper's Testimony In lie
e,ra ~ the Telegram sent 60 Col. FELTON,.
C.n.,rc- men lIunton, Stenger, Springer
uis.,.t. and liccd the mombcrs Of the Potter
c,mmiu a who have bcen appointed TO sit as a
s,,.e,n. .rl .ttse in New York to take testimony
relatn.. o. the cipher dispatches. arrived at tho
rlnp Avenue Hotel yesterday morning. Ser
eoont..t-Arms Potts who accompanied them.
found uuict parlor, on the Twenty
f,urth street side ready for them, and
shortly ho.ure twelve Con. Hunton and
Mr. Srrin.cr entered. followed in few minutes
bvthrotlDrs Gen. lluuton, as Chairman Of tho
Subcommittee took ascat at the head OF long
,,h.,. amt placed before him a little brown pa
per pa ,Aa., carefully tied and heavily scaled.
Ic'nll.nod the cipher dispatches. Congress
man srrn.cr sat at his left. and began at
one, carefully 20 peer through doc
umsu's and the printed copy of the
desr,,ehos. Congressman Stcngcr sat at
MeChaIrmans right. whiic at the other end Of
the tall. we're the Republican members OF tho
Comnitt,c. Congressman Hiscock and Rood.
Mr. lii-oork seemed in Il pleasant irame OF
mind Ilc was disposed TO smile frequently
and often pnss'd some pleasantly with Con-
gresham Rood. Whom the assion began thcro
were NJ politicians present and only
n few guests ot the hotel who had
etraycd into tho room. Later in the day
several politicians came in. but the room was at
no otimo throngrd us WAS the case last summer
when the cxnminauon was held in the Post
onrc building. At tho evening session, how
ever. tho iarlor WINS crowded.
40 suI ralf 80 IN la fttfn
ns Gen. Hunter called upon Smith NJ. Weed TO
be- sworn. Mr. Weed took a seat beside Con-
grcssman Springer. which he did not leave for
fully SIX hours He seemed wcarcd before the
time of adjournment. and asked the Chair
mans pardon for yawuing. US he answered
a question. II was not indifference which
caused him to DO this. but fatigue and
close air. None Of the Committee appeared to
feel the clos mass of the air. nor did they show
any Of the eject Of all-night travel Congress
man Reed narrowly watched the witness. and
jorted down now and then memoranda for RET
orcnse whom he should come to the cross-ex-
animation. while Congressman Hiscock spent
hours in comparing the published and the
original cipher dispatches.
Mr. weed had said but a few words when he
asked permission to refer to minutes that he
had male Of his connection with the matter
under investigation. and this Congressman
Reed promptly objected to. but the Chairman
allowed the witness to uso the reference.
There were a few preliminary questions,
and then Mr. Weed WAS allowed to tell his
story pretty much in his own way. He said that
he left W York with the intention only Of
going o. North Carolina. but did 20 on TO
South Carolina by request from New York.
He heard. he said. soon after getting into
South Carolina. that the electoral vote could
be Obtained for the Tiidcn electors 10y the
payment Of money. His impression was that
100000 was named. although the T'tbme's
translation OF $4,000 may have been correct.
Assured Of this he teegraphed a message to
New York. direct d 10 Henry Havemeycr.
and received what he considered an assent
10 the proposition t. pay the electors
the money Thereupon. IN pursuance OF
other kilograms, he started with Hardy
solomon, the representative OF the South
Carolina Electoral Board. FOR Baltimore to
mect Cnl p-lton. He did meet Col.
Peltuu w.u t0.l him that he had come without
the money When hc LEFT New York. he cx-
p.e,o2 Log Edward Cooper would s'nd it on the
next day. hut after leaving New York. Mr.. Til
don had l.ar,l Of the negotiation, md stopped
H. 0ul hal summoned Col Pelton bach.
Therefore" said Mr Weed. " this negotiation
wos lu-
L. r.-.sl 90 tho two dispatches from Buti-
moro Nr Weed asserted with great positive
ncs- d ; ,h. T-,ime's translation was moor
rect ~ yddu,trofDrtoth the purchase %! nny
Laa-'ttur". rut tp tine raising OF funds 10 pay
leg tuai" court ,NpCus's.
Congressman Reds cross-eNa'n nation was
yery sharp. and during the evening session II
lei to s.N .ral rcbuS"s from Mr.. Weed. WHO IN
hstea that be- hpl some rights as witness;
Mr.. Il X o. draw from Mr.. Weed some Kind
o. aIn.s .i"h ial W.Nll seem 10 liapl,r'.' "'N.