Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-30
THE CIPHER INTESTIG4T
MIR. TYNER EXPLAINING HIS DISPATCHES.


day
First Assistant Postmaster General Tyner
was sworn. He said the testimony of Mr.
Greene, to the effect that telegrams passed be-
tween himself and John w. Foster concerning
the sale OF certain Offices and between himself
ard Zach. Chandler regarding the appointment
OF lIdlan agents had no warrant Whatever in
their contents. He would verify this statement
Dy producing all the telegram3 bearing upon
tte SUBJECT under investigation He procured
these tele grams after an accidental conversation
with President Olton, that gentleman having
mentioned during the course OF the conversation,
one evening at Wizards hotel. that by dis
closing the telegraphic correspondence required
by Il committee many persons might be some
what embarrassed, adding that If the request
to furnish the same had been u little later the
telegraniS would in the regular order OF blSi-
ness, have been destroyed, 1t being customary
TO destroy them every six months MIR. Tyner,
te'egTamS, and inquired If he could properly
withdraw them. as they might be mtscon-
strued ard act injuriously TO all parties con-
cerEed. Mr.. Orton informed Mr.. Tyner that if he
would furnish memorandum OF his telegramS
they would be sent him. This was done, and he
subsequently received the teesrams and was
now ready to produce them entirely. The wit
ness then produced the telegrams, and where
they were in cipher gave an explanation OF the
cipher an and Interpretation or the message
Tie first of the FOSteI-Tyner dispatches were
dated Indianapolis, september 29, and read as
follows:
10 Jas n. Tyner. (Personal:]-Smith case and
arrangements are satisfactory. Certain will be
ItCeSsaIy In addition TO early promised by Mr..
&Cto'1nlck. Wait at Washington for my letter
n&lied last night, ard then go to New York at
C1ce. j. w FOSTER"
Tie witness explained how these '9IaE teIeEr.ms
Same to be written and the cypher to be used.
SCme time during the campaign, he said prob
%t!y as early as July or August, he had con-
yCrSatiOn with Mr. Zach. Chandler chairman of
the republican national committee with refer
eEce 10 Indiana, the central committee of which
slaIe had written TO him asking the assistance
OF lne national committee. Gentlemen in New
\ ofk and elsewhere. WitIeSS was Informed had
expressed their readiness to assist Indiana ii
Mr.. Foster, who was formerly chairman of the
committee in Indiana, was connected with the
dence III lilo management. Witness suggested
that Mr. Foster, who was on a 1urlOugh from
Mexico at the time, should be requested to go
to Indiana TO assist the local committee with
bis advice and presence. subsequently MI
FoSter was asked and consented 10 do this, and
telegram dated BiUghamtOn, y. y, was re-
oeived by witness from hm TO that effect. OF
that telegram witness had no copy. Upon the
invitation contained in that telegram witness
net him at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York,
in september Mr.. Foster said that at Indiana
tEey would need &, coo from the national COM
mittee OF New York, TO be used in meeting the
expenses OF speakers, printing bills &c and
1t was proposed TO make an effort to secure
the services OF some active members OF the
gIeenback organization there to induce
voters to 60 back On their old love and vote the
republican ticket. Another proposition was for
a
democratic newspaper in the city Of Indianapo-
lis, which was said to be in financial distress
and might be purchased cheaply. We went
into General McCormicks room, and that gen
tleman promptly stated that within a Snort
time the committee would be able to furnish
the Indiana republicans with $1,000 towards
Their campaign expenses The proposition
about purchasing the Sentinel was not then
taken up. AS Foster was leaving the hotel he
said: Il might want to telegraph to YOU, and
l1ght II not 6e wen TO have some phrase to use
between u.s." lie theIeupon sat down and
made tie phrase which is used in these tele.
CLANS. Every thing that related to the greed
hackers, aside from the purchase of the sentias!
y as To be known as the Smith arrangement
The term smith" applies TO no person what.
ever. Tie proposal as to purchasing the Sesti-
mel was TO be known as BROWN" Tne word
o certain meant 5000, and the .'early" $1,000,
This was The extent OF The cypher. The tore
gong Telegram meant that active members o.
the greenback party had agreed To assist in ar
resting the Greenbdck movement. Five thoI-
sand dollars would be necessary 70 meet thp!r
expenses. in addition TO the ten thousand dol
lars promised by Mccormick for general earn
palgn purposes. On the same dite. probably
there was telegram from Foster requesting
witness to leave Washington for New York,
and on the 1st Of October he received the fol-
lowing from Indianapolis:
dispatched you Friday 10 90 to New York at
once. Have no answer. 1t is of utmost i'm
poltanCe you should go to New York. Letters
and particulars await you there. 1t is essential
TO success. j. w FOSrERv
TO this the following report was sent: mt: En-
"WashiHgton, Oct /, 1S76-G W, Foster. In
dianapolis: Your telegramS all received Early
viii positively leave New York next Tuesday:
by That time l hope to complete other arrange,
mehis heie, as it is half done now.
JAMES " TYNER"
This referred to the $4,000 promised by the
national committee, and to the tact that witness
hoped to be able to obtain the S. 900, one-half
Of which he had already obtained for the spe
c1al purpose mentioned.
BY Mr. McMahon.-1he expenses for that spe-
.eariy?' Al know nothing about that The
S10,6oO was to go to the Indiana central com
mittee, and the 5000 to Foster, who was not a
member OF The committee. That was the spe-
Mr.. McMahon John w Foster was sort OF
side committee-to get round The greenbick
leaders? A.-TboSe who might be Induced TO
assist the republican party.
The next telegram was ed indianapolis,
oct. 2, to James n. Tyner, and read as follows:
send the certain direct to me. Telegraph
warded if absent Charge to republican COM
mlttee." On the same date a second telegram
Was received from Mr.. Foster as follows:
THE arrangements as to Smith is in satiSfac-
tory progress; that now secured, all our friends
agree, IL would be highly desirable to do what
Brown asked in his visit to New York to be
peIsoDally pledge certain, If certain can be pro-
ylded through you or others at once This you
understand is in addition to all previously
promised We all feel sure OF IT'S success:
The Interpretation of this. the witness testi-
fed, was that the arrangement to secure the
gleenbackerS was In satisfactory progress
That being secured, all Mr. Fosters friends
agreed. 1t would be highly desirable to Dur.
chase the Indianapolis Sentinel to be controller
by republicans. 1t would only require ZEN
thousand dollars, and they pledged themselves
10 raise S., 600 in Indiana il S. 900 more were nro
Vided by outsiders This latter sum was to be
In addition TO the $4,000 promised by the ma
t1onal committee. To this the witness forward
ed the following reply from Washington on the
same date: VIZ ''-o
Your last telegram confuses me- Is the ar
rangement with Smith Still unsettled? If so Is
1t contemplated to substitute Brotea's pronosi
tion which he made in New York? That promo
Sitl0n would not meet with favor here hut
to carry out Smith arrangement all that was
promised would be done. IL cannot now assure
you all the certain. as only One-half was O5-
tanned, but will telegraph you from Philadel-
phla In the morning. go there this evening in
answer to kilograms received"
Tie witness explained the dispatch to the
committee, and stated that he sent the follow
ing from the Pennsylvania depot, PHILADELPHIA
tie same evening: Messenger leaves here t.
night with half of certain. | go TO New York
tonight: will telegraph Tomorrow" From the
post Office building, La New York city, witness
telegraphed to Foster the next day: g. All right
go ahead. Last messenger leaves here IiIi,
evening"" This meant that the 81 5'8 the othe.
hall or certain, for special purpose. had beeI
sent. In this connection witness asked leave II
state that the Indianapolis .Seatitet was no,
purchased, and nothing further was ever sal
about IL. This concluded the 1vner- Fos' er dis
patches, After the October and bafDrt, 1ia Nj