The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-29
heard that Senator Morton had mad. formal Dropo-

sltion to that effect.
HOW HE CAME TO SEARCH FOR THEM.
Mr McAIahon--How did you come TO go to the
committee room to look for those dispatches?
The witness replied that he had heard from
Governor Stearns that some Geographic tramps had
testified that while listening to the wires they had
overheard messages relating to money troops pass
ing between stearns and Chandler; he (wtness) was
confident there were no snch dispatches. and lie
wanted to verify his opinion; he made search. but
failed to find any.
On being asked how he came to know that the
cipher dispatches were in the hands of General
Brady the witness stated that Mr. Eugene Hale
and informed him, because he witness) had made SO
bitter complaint from the spring of 1877 up to that
time with regard to the stopping of the investigation
of these dispatches; he bitter because the de-
spatches winch he had sent had been printed while
be discovered If the other dispatches had
had been allowed investigation. lost; he
understood that after tho session of Congress
closed the cipher dispatches had returned to tho
Western Union Telegraph Company, and by them
had been destroyed When Mr. Hale convinced him
that the dispatches in existence he at
paired to General Brady's house and looked them
by the Charman-who the client of whom
yon had to obtain permission to testify A. Before
that time had been in the relation of counsel for
the Electoral Committee for the position of Governor
in the State of Florida and also counsel in the
Electoral Commission; do not know who the client
was paughterl; was counsel for the republican
party.
O. Do you know if any dispatches taken out
prior to their being returned to the Western Union
Telegraph Company A. have knowledge what
ever of any abstraction of kilograms from the time
they went into the COMMITTEES room to the time I
which You are now investigatng there
no ruraor that any of these dispatches had
the despatch he recently sent to the New York
Tribune, the witness stated that he took copies
and that his impression that they related to the
Oregon Florida, Louisiana and perhaps South Caro-
lima elections, although he would not be positive
about any except Florida and Oregon; Mr.. Brady did
not tell him he had other dispatches until the pres
ent session OF Congress- the original dispatches Mr.
Brady sent to the Tribune into his hands,
BUTLER ExoNERATED.
General Butler had nothing whatever to do with
furnishing copies originals to the Tribune that he
had any knowledge Of
IL first furnished them twelve fifteen Florida
copies he said, (which they returned to me.
atterward forwarded to them all the remaining Flor
ida copies. subsequently they received by way Of
Mr. Hiscock all the remaining copies of kilograms
These did not include the second bundle of tele-
grams. That sent by Mr.. Brady himself"
In reply to Mr. Mcmahon the witness stated that
he had no papers at ALL With regard to the trans
actions to which the kilograms referred, he had
| shifted his responsibility on to other good men.
Mr.. McMahon-why did you not formally offer the
dispatches to the committee A. l liked General
Butler better than any other member of the commit
teee-(laughterj-ho was the only member that
could find who willing to investigate the Worm
ley conference, and thought therefore that he
the best man to initiate the cipher dispatches.
General Butler observed that he afterward laid the
dispatches before the committee. but none Of the
members seemed DESTROYS of taking them up.
Mr. Mcmahon Ito witness)-Why did You turn them
over to General Butler without notifying him? A.
He not in his office at the time; never told him
afterward that ef them ad t think ne h It.
you will allow me to say 1.-THE most responsible
member OF the committee my duty was at an end;
l informed Mr.. Hiscock that had left them with
Mr.. Butler.
Mr. Hiscock-I stood next in Mr.. Chandler estima-
ton, 1t seems.
WHY THIS MYSTERY?
Mr. Mcmahon ito witnessl-Why was it necessary
for you to leave them there mysteriously and
never mentioning the fact Mr.. Butler? A. never
said that there was the slightest necessity.
| Q. The General has stated during the last two
weeks that he did not know. and had no suspicion
where they came from.
General Butler-I said last week that did not
xrI.o fhayc ovna from
Witness-I should like to have the General sworn
if he is going to answer. QLaughter.)
Mr.. Mcmahon repeated his question to the witness
half q dozen times without elicting any answer
materially different from that given above beyond
that for the amusement of the democrats He de-
sired the documents to be brought to public view in
artistic manner.
placed them on his table,, he said ut last. but
have said SO to him and he said to me;
il had that General Buffers reputation was
likely to be compromised by the possession OF these
dispatches ] should have promptly informed the
world that placed them there"
THE LOUISIANA CERrrFIcATEs.
In reply to number OF questions from the Cbu1E.
man. with reference to the Lousiana certincates, lie
witness stated that he informed that tho nrst
certificate informal on account Of It's not being
Endorsed on the back with the signatures OF ok
parties who sent the first certificate bsck were mot
instrumental in sending back the second fortunstoly
they had no right to dol and they did not try.
FLORIDA EXPENSES.
In reply to Mr.. iiscock witness stated that when
he went down Tallahassee he received from Zach.
delpha for 81 coo; lie paid that to Mr. Morgan. thu
chairman of the Florida campaign COMMITTEES. aad Il
the canvassing Board; witness also received ssooo
from John Brady, and q few thousand dollars
5000 were paid by him to General Morton.
and by the latter dsbursed; the other
$4,000 witness himself disburscd in counsel fees and
some minor bills and Legitimate expenses; he had
already stated that the work of preparing testimony
for the Canvassing Board was protracted and
witnesses, probably, and the
thoroughly prepared as well as any legal
and got up very chcaply; for instance, the demo-
Gratis Sunday finished their with reference
jefferson county and put in three four hundred
affdavts; upon this the republican party sent
special tram down to Jefferson county saturday.
brought up fifty or sixty witnesses. took their
testimony on Sunday morning and had them before
the Canvassing Board on Monday; he gave this ~
instance of how the money was expended.
TELEGIlAMs AGAIN.
Mr.. Butler-Did not you hear from various sources
open declarations that had received these tele-
grams?
witness-You yourself spoke to me Of the fact
that you had them; talked about getting them de-
ciphered and said you knew 1t could be DONE but 1t
Mr. McMahon-And yet in all those conversations
he asked whether it was you who left them ON
his desk not? A. Not word; l knew that had
left them there, aud suspected that he suspected
that had.
Mr.. Butler-As you said nothing about il. Thought
1 had bctter say nothing about il, for IL you HAD
wished me to know you would have told me.
The witness-we perfectly understood each othcrs
General.
THE LETTER BULLOCK.
Mr. Evans was ut this point recalled and asked II
he had found the original letter from Mr.. Bullock
copy of which read before the committee yester
| day. Mr.. Evans replied that he had. and he wished
| to know who wrote the copy.
| The Chairman will tell you who wrote my copy.
Mr. Evans-I don't want to know that; Iwant to
| know who copied my letter. MS
The Chairman explained how he came by it, Some
weeks ago called upon him and said he had
seen letter which showed whore the missing des.
patches gone, and that he could procure copy
OF it, The left his address and went away, with
the request from Mr.. Potter to secure such copy.
| Mr.. Potter lost the address and the man did not
come back, but one day the former met him on the
and asked for the letter. aud the handed
il to him. Mr.. Potter could not tell the mans name.
Mr.. Chandcr-Is there not as much mystery about
that about the dispatches being placed on General
Buffers table
Mr. Evans--I want to know his name That letter
l am confident was copied at my desk. will give
new suit of clothes to body who will give his