Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-01-16

Brentan0. Hendee ard Henkle, mena-
bers Of ihe House, and several solher
Witnesses: In fact. al persons suggested
10 Il as being sbie 70 give any Informs
ton on the subject. and al The witness
ses we're sworn and testified under cath.
As she report gives fair abstract ofthe
testimony elected By the investigation,
we shall conclude with The publication
Of the synopsis It presents. promising
that II shows Or. Henkle. - wei IS tbe
other members implicated. not only 70
have been blameIrss. but even above
any suspicion Of wrOng-dOing. The
committee say--
your committee was earnest IN It's
endeavor to bring out the bottom facts
but could not elicit = particle Of tesiimo-
ny tending 10 show that any money was
used, or any corrupt influence brought
10 bear 20 further the passage Of The
District bin, a. alleged In the article
named IN said resolution.
ssMr. Hutchins testified that he heard
about the time Of the publication Of said
article rumors Of corruption ~ connec-
ton with said bill, but that they made
but little impression upon hira. That
he received several communSeszs09s-oFF
the subject, some of them anonymous,
others with fictitious names, and few
with real names signed TO them; but
that none Of them named any particular
member Of the District Committee or Of
this House as having been corruptly i'm
fluenced. That he handed all such
communications over 10 Mr.. Barton, one
of has staff, with instructions 10 look into
the matter and write an article thereon.
That he did not remember and could
not recall the name of single person
signed 10 any oil the communications or
circulating such rumors. That had he
seen the article before publication, he
would have suppressed the last part,
which seemed to locate members sus-
pected of corruption.
"Mr. Barton testified that he did
look into the matter. but could find no
real foundation for the charges; that he
could recall but one name signed TO any
Of the communications appearing in the
directory; that 3 paper signed "lndig-
nant Property-owner" was also signed
by one johnson, and said johnson 5
name was in the directory; lie could not
remember the first name. We handed
him The directory, with the request that
he refresh his memory; he was unable
to do so. The remarkable discovery
was then made that there are seventeen
columns Of Johnsons, and only fifteen of
Smiths, only one or two other names
occupying as much as ten columns. He
stated that the charge that the First Ma
tional Bank of New York had raised
pool for corrupt purposes in connection
with the District bill was simply street
rumor, which he did not believe even
at the time; that such rumors were star
ted in connection with all District legis-
lation; that as his article did not specifi-
cally touch any particular member,
there was no danger Of libel suit, and
therefore all Of the communications
went to the waste basket; that he had
not heard anything duplicating any par
ticular member of the House.
"Mr. Baker, president of the First
National Bank Of New York. testified
that his bank held abou. halt million
OF the 3.65 District bonds; held them as
an investment. and not Is speculation.
That they considered the same, at the
ruling rate Of money for the past year,
as worth to them about ninety-three
dollars on the hundred; that they were
higher before the passage of the bill
than after: that they had gone to So be-
fore the passage Of the bill. but had since
fallen to about rs or 78. That another
concern, the Mutual Life of New York,
held about a million; held them as an
investment, and not as speculation.
That no money bad been used by his
bank, or the Mutual Life, or by any one
for them. directly or indirectly, to fur
:her the passage Of the bill in question,
or any other bill connected with the
District. That neither he, his bank,
nor any one connected with 1t, or the
Mutual Life, had ever been approached
to RAISE any money or pool in connec-
ton with the matter; and that be had
no reason 70 believe any money bad
been so raised or expended. Thathe did
not consider that the passage ofthis bill
made the bonds more valuable, and that
they had not disposed of them. That
they always considered the government
bound for the 3.65 bonds, and that this
bill did not increase the liability of the
government.
s'Messrs. Brentano, Hendee and Hen
kIe severally testified that they had not,
nor had either one Of them, ever heard
any intimation that any money was be-
ing, or had been, used to influence leg
islation in connection with this bill.
That neither one Of them had ever been
approached with any corrupt PROPOSE
ton IN connection with 1t: and they did
not believe any money had been so
used. That the clause in the bill in
reference TO the 1855 bonds had been
passed by a unanimous vote oftbe COM
mittee, and its propriety was not ques-
toned. That L had come down as q
legacy from IS far back as the Forty
third Congress.
"The other witnesses. Messrs. Alex
ander, Offley, Curtis, and Mcbride, had
heard rumors, but nothing further, and
could give Us no names or facts con1ec-
ted Herewith.
"At the request of the gentlemen who
had reasons, from their locality. 10 think
themselves attacked. we recommend