The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-02-13
THE CIPHER TELEGRAMS,

The Potter Sub Committee, sent to
New York to prosecute the investigation of the
cipher kilograms, began work on the 5th inst
Smith M. Weed, OF New York, was the first
witness. He acknowledged having done good
deal of telegraphng in cipher while the electoral
count was pending, and said the translation of
the dispatches published, so far as he know,
was pretty correct Mr.. Weed testified that
while in South Carolina a proposition was
handed him offering a decision Of the State
Canvassing Board for Tilden, in consideration
of 5000 or $4,000, but he declined to enter
tain it. He subsequently sent the proposition
to New York; Pelton stirred himself around to
raise the money the matter came to
the ears of Mr.. Tilden, and, according to the
witness, she brought us to order in very forcible
terms for having attempted to make trade
with the Returning Board, and repeated his
positive adherence of any such scheme"
Col. Pelton, the nephew of Gov. Til
den, was before the Potter Sub Committee at
New York, on the 9th inst, and told what he
knew about the cipher dispatches. He said
that all the kilograms sent by Smith M Weed
were by his instructions, and that In his absence
they were opened by the National Democratic
Committee kilograms from Florida signed
Marble" stating that propositions looking to
the purchase Of the Returning Board had been
made, and askingif he (Pelton) could raise the
required funds, were also shown to witness and
acknowledged to be correct; also the replies of
Pelton, in which he notified Marble of the &C.
ceptance Of the propositions, and that the money
would be forthcoming. Dispatches touching
similar negotiations in South Carolina were also
exhibited and their authenticity acknowledged
by the witness GOV. Tilden was entirely
ignorant of these negotiations, and had
no hand in them whatever. W Witness
said he had an idea that the Returning Board
propositions, even if not carried out, would
result, if assented to, in delay which would be
favorable to the Democratic party He had
made no arrangements for raising money, but
Intended eventually TO lay the matter before the
Democratic National Committee, and letit decide
In the meanwhile he thought it best to commit the
members of the Returning Board to the prop
ositions in question. He acted wholly on his
own responsibility, without consultation with
any one. He held no authority to act for the
Democratic National Committee in the matter
Manton Marble testified before the
Potter sub committee, at New York, on the 7th
inst He said that he went to Florida on his
own volton to look after the electoral vote;
did not go under the instructions of the De mo-
cratic committee, at the request of Gov. Tilden
or anybody else He was furnished by Col
Pelton with cipher before he left New York,
and used it subsequently. He neither sent to, nor
received from, Gov. Tilden any kilograms. All
his dispatches were addressed to Pelton He said
the cipher kilograms, as published in the New
York Tribune, were simply rubbish, so far as
he (Marble) was concerned He did not remem-
Der the dispatch to Pelton stating that the vote
of Florida could be purchased for $200, O00
and to which the latter replied that the figure
was too high. The second dispatch, in which
Pelton was informed that the vote could be mad
for $4,000, the witness recollected He
stated, however, that none Of these propositions
| were his, and that he only telegraphed them as
matters of news. The witness explained the
| meaning of certain phrases in the kilograms he
sent to Pelton, and said that none of them had
reference to money or purchasing transactions
Samuel j. Tillen was summoned as
witness by the Potter ub-Comnittee at New
| York, on the 9Th inst He was sworn the same