Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-22
The Cipher DISPATCHES.
HOW THEY WE'RE GIVEN Up AND WHAT BEGAN;
OF THEM.


or THEM.
reporter or the y. Y. Herald was sent to OBJ
taih tiie views or nr. Norvin Green. the preSi-
ubllt 'bn. OF ne Western Union Company. upon the
aocIe SUBJECT ana matters incidentally con-
ILecled with it. During the interview the fol-
ioWInS conversation took place:
un,oS gu are are aware, doctor, OF the impression
MiGh MhiGh prevails that the cipher telegramS were
ultulged through some OFFICER or agent OF the
cCmpanyc'
III such an Impression exists II is utterly
HitHS. SoiileOody stole or copied these teIeA-
grams after they had gone ont OF our hands ana
MIlie they were in the possession CT Senator
morton committee on privileges and elections
Wee these cipher dispatches then. amonc
me teiegrams delivered 10 senator Morton's
c0mmittee?''
Yes sir. Tie way they came 10 he deliy
cred was this. Mr. Morrison offered in the
Hcuse resolution calling for the delivery ef
Gefraln Ctn kilograms which had passed between
William f. Chandler and other republican
managers during the electoral contest in rIp
disputed states. Senator Norton as an offsct
10 lhiS, Wldened the inquiry by serving upon Us
one OF these sweeping drag-net subp0,nas call
ing for all kilograms which had passed between
certain points within a certain time and relat-
ing 10 the election. Mr.. Orton resisted both de-
hahdS, ana. you remember, was for some time
even under arrest in Washington. If ANYBODY
thought that Mr.. Orton from his republican sym
palhles,WaS instrumental in allowing these tcle-
grams 10 DE diyulged hedoeS his memory gr,eyoIlS
injustice, tor know that nobody fought harder
than Mr. Orton against the company,S submfS-
son to this drag-net subpoena. The Sergeant
at-A1mS even took our entire executive commit
tee to Washington, holding us virtually under
arrest until we had TO yield and give up the
tclegramS.
HOW TIE TELEGRAMS WERE GIVEN UP.
And how were they given un?'
''Nhen the executive committee first heard
that tie subpoena was likely to be served upon
uSW were SoleSOlutely opposed 10 Surrenderng
them that 1t was proposed to burn them before
the Congressional demand could formally reach
rs. Al that time the subpoena had only been
served upon one OF our agents and not upon any
officer CT the company. Before resolving, how
ever, TO destroy the kilograms we thought it
wise to consult our counsel. John X Porter
Judge Porter told Us that it would be grave
mistake TO take such a step in advance OF the
congressional demand for these kilograms ana
that it would subject our action 10 marsh suS-
niciOnS. We then, when we found that
1ulther resistance would be useless and that
the entire executive committee would have to
accompany the sergeant-at-arms 10 Washing
ton. instructed Mr.. Clarence Cary, our Office at
toIney, to collect them all, put themfnto trunk
and bring them along TO Washington. 1t was
great lGetal-b0und saratoga trunk which he
specially bought for the purpose. and contained
29,5Co kilograms At Washington he delivered
the uunk 10 Mr.. Whitney, our manager upon
whom the subpoena had first been served. and
who turned the trunk. with its contents over
10 tie committee"
A LOOSE WAY OF KEEPING TEIFdRAMs
" how long did the telegralls remain in the
possession OF the committee"
Here Mr.. cary, who happened to be present.
consulted some memoranda and said. From
January "a, Isl, till March Is, 1s11, nearly two
iLoiitlS j Hti ll.tS were TetuTueuIO US During
that time somebody must have got hold of them
aid either stole or copied them. The kilograms.
| was told. would be spread all over the table
and remain there over night, SO that they could
be readily examined by any member next morn
ing. The clerk OF the committee told lis that
the room was always locked over night and
that they would be safe. OF course, when the
committee sat with closed doors nobody could
tell what was being done with these dis
Patches
- Somebody stole them and got some expert
0pclDlpr
opinion.
.'What did YOU do with them after they We're
returned toyou, and, first OF all. did you count
them to see that the number was complete and
that none were missing or had been ab-
Stracted?"
NO we did not count them," Df. Green re-
Piled, but they were put back into the trunk
which was locked and sent per express to our
New York Office"