The New York herald., 1879-02-06
Avowed Attempt to Purchase South
Cardinals Electoral Vote.
HOW THE DEMOCRATS LOST TT.
a Grocer Carries the Presidency Of the
United States in His Pocket
MAYOR COOPER RISES TO EXPLAIN.
Tilden Recalls the Virtuous Pelton and
SpoIs Magnificent Game.

The subcommittee Of the Potter Investigating
Committee met yesterday at the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
The subcommittee is composed of General Eppa
Hunton of Virginia; William S. Stenger, of Pennsy
vania, and NJ. Springer of Illinois, democrats; and
Frank Hscock, of New York. and G. d. Reed of
Maine, republicans. The committee had before them
bulky volumes of photo Autographed copies of the
cipher kilograms, these copies being executed
on telegraph blanks and showing every scratch
and mark on the originals. They numbered
about seven hundred in all. and embraced con-
siderable number of kilograms never published or
deciphered Mr.. Springer pointed out to the
HERALD representative several ciphers which had
hitherto bafed the ingenuity of all decipherers, and
still remained unsolved mysteries. The volumes OF
photo Autographs included republican well as
democratic ciphers-the limited number Of republican
ciphers which had not been previously destroyed.
The room in which the committee held its session
was Parlor F, right behind the bar. Considering
that the members of the committee quite dis
tinguished temperance advocates this proximity
appeared to be piece Of needless satire the
part of the hotel clerk Two long tables
were placed across the room, one for
the committee, the witness and official stenograph
ers. and the other for the newspaper reporters The
subcommittee is one of more than average Congress
sional intelligence. General Hunton, the chairman
is tall. dignfed Southerner, with quiet, delib-
crate manner Mr. Springer looks like some rev.
erend minister of the Gospel and his keenfeatured
face is framed in solemn but handsome black
beard Mr. Stenger is q small. youthful-lookng man,
with tiny blonde mustache, who some years ago
could boast of the distinction of being the youngest
member OF Congress Mr. Hiscock. Of New York, is
very sad. clerical-lookng gentleman. who held his
hand desparingy to his head during the greater part
of the proceedings though he thoroughly
bored. Mr.. Reed, of Maine, is fresh-look-
Ing, burly. rosy-faced man, with quizzi-
cal expression of countenance, ana he and
his colleague, Mr.. Hiscock assumed from the start
tcourteously) hostile position to the witness, watch
Ing sharply for every opportunity to direct their
cross-fire at him. There only small attendance
Ut the opening of the Among the spectators
was one OF Governor Tilden's most intimate friends
ex-secretary Bigeow. who will be able to give his
distinguished political chief faithful narrative of
all that occurred in the committee room. Later in
the day the attendance increased somewhat, though
the room never crowded, and embraced quite
delegation Of artists from illustrated newspapers who
were taking sketches Of the committee. the Witness
the reporters and "the scene. generally. Ex-Mayor
Oakley Hall arrived early in the afternoon, but left
soon after and later Police Commissioners Nichols
and Wheeler were among the interested spectators.
Mr.. Smith NJ. Weed. the first Witness is large.
heavy, dark beard and deep bass voice. Mr.. Weed
looked quite pale and worn and at first did seem
perfectly under the fire of Messrs Hiscock and
Reed. When General Hunton put his first decisive
question asking him to state his connection with the
cipher kilograms Mr.. Weed scratched his head rather
nervousy, passed his hand his nose and beard,
in the manner of man who is trying to settle HIM
self down rather disagrecable piece of business
and then clasped his hands his legs as
he spoke When Mr. Weed first testified
to asking for money solely "for legal
penses Mr.. Reed, the republican member from
Maine, smiled sardoncaly and looked askance at Mr..
Weed. Very Mr.. Weed and refreshed him
self with large tumblerful of water. Much Of the
day taken up with a tedious comparison between
the dispatches photo-lithographed for tho COM
mittee and as printed in compilation made by the
Tribune, which was also in the hands Of the commit
tee. While this comparison (which entered intimately
into every syllable and every letter. very long,
Mr.. Weeds explanation of its translation, IL he
gave one ut all. very short. The substance
of Mr.. Weeds testimony that he did not
remember the kilograms separately. but only
indefinitely and generally from his impression that
such negotiations for the capture Of the South Caro-
lima electoral vote going at that tme-nego-
tiations which ho justified parcnthctcaly the
ground that the money to be paid was simply the
ransom offered to robbers. The various amounts
r.
their correctness he declared were asked solely to
defray legitimate legal expenses.
SMITH NJ. WEEDS TESTIMONY.
He testified that he was forty-fvc years of age;
sided in Platsnurg; & n; ~; r., and was lawyer by
to Raleigh, n. c., and thence to South Carolina; had
never been in Florida in his life.
O. Well, now, sir, tell us IL you have any knowl-
edge of these cipher dispatches as published in the
New York papers? A. had cipher when left
and South Carolina. l destroyed both my key aud
tho dispatches. that have no means OF knowing
the accuracy of tho printed dispatches in the Tribune
and other publications. Some of them am certain
nre not correctly printed. some know arc not
rectly translated and many OF the Others agree Sub
transpired While In Raleigh. witness said. he met
large number of gentlemen whom he knew; he ap-
peared there In his and did not register in
the of Thomas Keith or i'll any other false name
DEMOCRATS CARRIED THE STATES.
Fully believing then, continued the witness, what
believe to have been since demonstrated that the
democrats had carried two at least out of the thrco
disputed States, and that a-dont know what you
may call it--conspifacy hsd been formed by the
other side to count out, and that II the vote OF
electors as believed IL had bocn honestly cast by
the people, tho deadlock would be- at end so they
would not pretend to take either Louisiana or
Florida If they lost any votcthcx had to have them
NIL to consuminatc their arrangcment-I determined
TO what there was Of II and ut tclcgraphcd
to New York asking IL money could be furnished.
Mr. Weed said he could not refer to any particular
dispatches; he would givc the bones OF the transac
tom all the dispatches which he wero directed
10 Henry Havemeycr; finally q proposition was
made to him by the Returning Board OF south Caro-
lima, Offering To give the state to the democrats for
either SCOoOo or ss0Ooo; he tecgraphed this TO
New York. and received an answer which nc under
stood as an assent to the proposition; nc had
said that South Carolina had gone for Hayes; tho
face of the county returns that effect he n-
dcrsood, but the precinct returns showed that tho
State had gone democratic.
left Columbia. as I said continued witness on
Saturday afternoon. representative of tho Return
ing Board coming on the same train with mo by
previous arrangements.
General Huufon.-what his name ?
A. His name Hardy solomon. arrived In Bal
timorc on Monday; met Colonel Felton there about
noon of that day. AS soon as met him hc informed
me In substance that, since he left New York the
night before, the matter had come TO tho knowledge
of Governor 1ildcn. and that he clton) had received
two dcspatchos--ono from MIR. Edward Cooper. the