New-York tribune., 1879-08-27
THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S WORK.

THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S WORK.
now THE INQUIRY Is CoNDUCrED-APFEARANcE OF
INVESTIGATORS, LAwYRRs AND WITNESSES.
lFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT % THE TRIBUNE-l
SARATOGA Aug 2G.-1he railroad inquiry makes
very deliberate progress. and Judge Shipman in
timaed to-day it is becoming ahttlc doubtful at the
present pace If il will close this side OF the dark
Z river Mr. Jewett's examination has not been hE-
shed althOuy he has been on the stand four days
/ His answers M often exceedingly prclix. He Is
bent on not being placed in false aspect. no matter
how long a reply he may make IL order to put cir
/ curlstsrces IN what he considers the proper light
/ After him Mr. Vanderbilt Is to testify again. al
! though he was questioned at great length last
week.
| Much interest continues to be shown in the in
/ vestigation and the room in which ii Is held ls
! crowded daily, number Of ladies being present
On the platform, behind and around "A long desk,
sit the members of the committee in cosy attitudes
II Is not a stately body so far as positions con-
cerped and the members lol about III their chairs
IN way anything but dignifed. The occasional
tilts between counsel and between counsel and
witnesses do not add to the dignity of the Inquiry.
These are sometimes very sharp, and though the
chairman. Dir. Hepburn. has thus far succeeded In
repressng any actual violence he has not prevented
the use OF some very bitter language lie 10 always
unrutfled. Like Calico. he seems to care
for none Of those things But his pithy and sensi-
bic questions prove that though the angry ripples
on the surface of the investigation may not move
him. il intensely ID earnest IN getting at the Dot
tom facts about the railroads.
On the left of the chairman is Mr.. Wadsworth,
of Livingston who uphoids Mr.. Hepburn stead
fastly in his methods for obtaining TRUTH but
does nOt often put any questions Still further to
the left is a wel-knOwn face which mas been promi-
ncut IN the politics of the State for many years.
Ii il that of James ". Hustled. Always alert
and attentive, Mr.. Husted often enlIyens the
sessions by some quick comments fall Of
snap and vigor Over the chairmans
shoulder peers the round. rosy and boyish face OF
Thomas r. Grady, in whose oratory, full of sound
and fury but siRnifylng nothing Tammany Hall
greatly delI ghts. Whenever he see an opportunity
to court the favor Of the corporations by obec-
tiou a question or a comment, Alr. Grady Is eager
to seize it. Among the other conspicuous members
of the scommittee is Charles S. Baker. Of Monroe
whose large. placid and benevolent countenance
minds one Of a wealthy Quaker at peace with the
world and with himself
The room is divided into two parts by o railing
Behind this gathers the general public. In the
space between it and the platform, at the table
on one side, heGped with books and documents, are
Mr Sterne, who conducts the examination. and his
n-cOuusel On the other side the railway
men with their lawyers-Presidents Jewett and
Vanderbilt Vlce-iresideut Blanchard, Auditor
Little, ex-Judge Shipman, Chauncey NJ Depew, John
l. Burril and Others. Mr. Jewett sits, he gives his
testimony. generally with one leg over the other
and one foot IN continual nervous motion he
rarely looks at the questioner, Mr.. Sterue but in
replying directs his gaze to the chairman Of the
committed. Within easy reach are reports, papers,
DamDhlets and bound volumes, and Mr.
blanchard. Mr. Little and Others
ready TO correct any little lapse OF mem-
orv into which their chief has fallen, or to whisper
a suggestion 3ir Jowett is very positive
and Dol inted witness He does not waste any time
in smoothing down the rough places. He is prompt
and emphatic in contradiction, and apparently
thinks 1t suDeriluous 10 cOncede anything 10
courtesy in bis treatment Of opposing counsel. Nor
is Mr. Sterue bameless, either. His polite
ness is sometimes conspicuous by It's absenco,
and some Of his questions are pushed
home in q style that would better become
q Tombs pettilogger. Near Mr. Jewett sits
.Judge Shipman, whose face has truly Judicial air
in rep0se. and whose whole appearance recalls the
bench. Bus when Mr. Shipman wakes wroth, as
has happoncd more than once, he shows tnat he can
cast all recoeotious of judicial elevation Of mind
70 the winds.
Mr. Jeuett was questioned at tedious length and
In much detail to-day about the relations or MS
companv with the STANDARD Oil Company and the
various contracts and arrangements made at various
times for carving the oil furnished by the latter
eorDoratiOu Mr. Sterne was extremely persistent
and sometimes very irritating in repeating inquiries
which SIR. Jewett had already answered. Several
times. when 1Ir. JeWett had said thai he had 40
recollection Of a matter inquired about, Ar. Steruo
seemed 10 imply doubt of his veracity by his way
Of reiteratiug aud pushing his nterrogatories This
did not cOnduce to harmony, bus in the
main the examination proceeded with less
friction than on some preceding days There was
one fiery outburst from eX-Judgo Shlpman,
who announced his determination to protect lis
client from insult 80 far as he could by remOn-
strance. and who made a yagne threat 70 expose
Mr.. Sterne's conduct at some time hereafter. Mr.
Sterpe made q very sharp reply. and then MIR. Hep
burn. who IN his quiet and calm way tines to keep
tho balance between witnesses and counsel, checked
the controversy.
Two Of the most interesting statements made by
Mr.. Jevgett in the course of his long examination
were in regard to the concentration of the OH
business ana the annual reports Of railways to the
State Engineer. In his opinion, however unpopular
il might be, he said he regarded it important
that the oil busiess should be III few hands that
can follow It as it may SHIFT from place to place
and handle it economically and efficiently In
the uncertainty of the trade and the liability Of its
changing from place to place various sources Of
syuply should be exhausted. he thought the Erie was
NOT called On to build any more oil cars He believed
the supply would be finally exhausted. Concern
ing the annual reports, he SAID that wheh maue IN
conformity with law thcy dId not bring out the
- ont UrnfN D a ram