New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-18
THE EVIDENCE INTERESTING.

IILErNS TESTIMONY N NIW-Gofh i''SNlblf ihI
CLIMAX OF THE POPULAR INTEREST But TIE
FACTS SOW COMING OUT VERY IMPORTANT.
10y TELEGRAPH TO TRrBrNHl
WASuNCr0N Feb. 1.-THE Potter Committee.
after W.. X OF res. resumed to-day the Invc,tQa-
ton Of the cipher telegram conspiracy to steal the
Presidency.
For some reason OF o.her pabl.c interest in this
iraairr seems 20 have died ont ~ the Cap tai.
The climax Of tho iny,sii- dtion was probably
reached 3D. New-York when Governor illen, Smith
Weed W.r-on Marble AID Colonel Pclton were put
upon tie stand and the Washington public seems TO
have reached the conclusion that nothing further s
sensational as The testimony of these leading copar-
crpers remains to be disclosed De small fry of the
conspiracy must make their stories agree with those
OF o.. "b.cfsh." The Washington public may be
mistaken in its estimates OF what Is to come.
The c.Huony taken to-day, though not OF such
starr ling ,harlc.n r ga some previously obtained
Was extremely important ia its bearing upon
tie case, for it took and traced out some
threads of the evidence that were left at
loose e44s By the New-Yor., Proceedings, and lis
general te99cncv viii De 20 close the net Of cvden'"
around the coparceu.r,s Sd closely that even they
must give up all hope Of escape.
TIE committee began today with secret -es-
sion Of half an hour There had been
umoIs about the CAPITAL that at some stage
Of the proceedings the Democrats Of the
committee intended 10 90 back OF the date Of the
election. November :, 1876, and push their iUqul-
riey into matters connected with tie political cam
paicn which ended on that day. Mr.. HiscocI
thinking il only far that the Republicans
cf the committee should know it If any
.rch purpose existed and ask for short
secret session. The Democrats Of the
committee. declared that they had no purpose to
extend the inquiry in the direction indicated, and
so tina; matter was soon settled.
The fist witness examined to-day was John I.
Coyle. a gentleman Of line presence and ex-
cellent address, who appeared in The
role cf an honest Democrat, unfortunately
tied 70 wicked partners. Mr. Coyle was preemi-
reutly u good Witness lie seemed to have moth
ING 10 conceal. He answered every question
mt him without hesitation and with great
apparent frankness, showing no desire
to 20 into long explanations Of his acts OF Of his
dispatches. dc even let out facts that 1t
was not necessary for him 10 disclose,
and tins seemed 10 suggest lines of in
o1;fv that otherwise might not have been
entered upon. Turning over the volume of fac
smile cipher dispatches, he suddenly came
upon one signed with Woollcy's nom de
crynt Fox which IN his lCoyle's)
handwriting. No member Of the committee
knew TINS. flu IL hl~'lNoult ny lIr VII
n,s. was the foundation for a long series Of qucs-
,tous that Mr.. Coye might well have been glad 70
ee,ape If Mr.. Coylc was concealiug anything from
the committee, he did 1t with cOnsummate ability.
The story Mr. Coyle to d contained very little
tina, was new. In a letter written 20 me Her
aid. on the 1st of last November, he de-
scrihad the reception If the cipher from
MIR Edward Cooper and the Instructions lie re-
c,iy.d s 10 It's Use. This he repeated to-day some
what more IN detail. He described Lis intIo-
luctioa 10 Alexander ThIin. now a member Of
the Ncv-York Assembly, by Mr.. Hewitt, and the
sub,couCDt warnings he received from Colonel Pei
TON that Than was not TO he trusted. He said that
he bad received propositions from Thain to sell
the state of Flonda to Iilden for 100000,
tha. the offer had been repeated and that he
had been told that THAN had made the
same offer 20 Manton Marble. He dll NOT,
however think 1t WORTH while 10 show any
.. danger signal although in letter 10 Colonel
Pelton he had mentioned this offer Mr.. Coyle said
he did nor know what Marble was doing in
Florida, but he heard that he was calling
on Cowwu and McIn, ot thc Returning
Beard. Colonel Woollcy did ask him once il
he had authority TO draw for consul
cradle -um. Mentioning 10000. lie replied
thar he had. Woolley said that if he bad that
authority be- might do something in Florida, bnt rs
II wa, be- could accomplish very little Cos le told
him be had better wlItr ant get -uch authority.
on. Of the most curious facts brought ont by
Iovle's testimony was that the dispatches sent
Ly Woolley which asked for money, and which
announced that authority secured too late, By
were in Coyle's handwriting The most important
Of these were Nos. - and So IN THE TmBUNE
pamphlet. or which the following are the transla-
tions:
Nav winning o. p, WooIc'J Eve hundred loou'snd
dollars .e-- half foe IIldcn additional Board member
. Lieutenant NcoL"y, -, co.
r Toccyrd , TOO o,n at. TTGqy oot rye f, ,Sa
necessary Jane CHARLES William. WoOLLLY.
These dispatches, Mr.. Coyle said, that he simply
transcribed for Colonel Woollcy without know
ing what they meant, and he did this at
Woollev's request Coylc dsclamcd having ever
entertained OF transmitted any proposition that
,ros corrurt in ~ nature or having known of any.
IN this connection IL is fair to give Mr. Hewitt's
or,vgte explanation Of the introduction of AlcXan-
der Than 80 Mr.. Coyle. He says that Thain had
b,ep . nun;I Of the Cooper Institute, and came 10
him and said that he had n wide acquaintance
among Florida politicians. and could bc Of assist
aace II lie went down. Mr.. Hewitt told
him 10 90. and introduced him 10
Covlc. who was going on the same
train. The next day Judge AcQuade. of Harlem,
called on Mr.. Hewitt and presented n card from
Thain saving that McQaade could be trusted.
McOuade said he called 10 see about tho money
Thain WAS TO have. Hewitt ashed him
what money. McQuadc said the money he was to
use in his mission to Florida. Hewitt said he was
70 have no money; that his expenses were not 10
be paid. McQuade expressed some surprise
and left. Mr. Hewitt says that this interview made
him distrust Than, and he Immediately requested
Pelton 10 telegraph Coyle in cipher not to trust
| Thain.
The second witness OF the day was Mr.. Joseph l..
linz. NJ uiscnck hnl information which led