West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-02-22
The Potter Committee EXAMINING
Ciphers.

1be Committee investigating cipber die.
patches met in New York on the 6tb.
ana Col. Pelton appeared ms witness
lie testified that the most important Of tho
clpher kilograms were genuine, and he
received them. One dispatch seemed TO
be In Mr. Marbles handwriting. He had
also kilograms from Colonel Woolley. whose
name was Fox" His emphasis was mt
upon denials that MIR. Tilden knew about
me attempts to purchase Electors and Re.
turning Boards.
The investigation into the cipher dis.
patches was begun on the 9TH, with Mon,on
Marble on the stand. He said in answer To
questions ! went to Florida to look after
the Electoral vote. can not say wentun.
der instructions of the Democratic Com.
mittee ana not go at the specific request of
any one. Had no conversation with Gov.
ernor Tilden on the matter. | called on the
Governor the evening left, and simply babe
hlm good bye. On my way Imet Randolnh
Blair and Fox, and of course canyassed the
matter with them. Think / got the cipber
from Pelton, at the Everett House, and used
subsequently; neither sent TO nor
received from Tiden any teIesxams
addressed my dispatches to Pelton, NV
object In going to Florida was TO take On re
OF Electoral votes, and let me here suggest
that the cipher dispatches as published in
tne iri0nne, 80 far as | am concerned, are
simply rubbish. The witness testi6ed that
@A'N bNuShl uO II lOTlUd votes. thOnpl
they were for sale. He said that so far as
pecuniary arrangements were concerned
ne had nothing to do with them
except IN this way: He transmitted bv
wire all propositions made to him. but as 10
their contamination he had nothing to do
ph nelng asked, Were you not aware
that NoOlley was authorized to buy ont
the returning Board?" Mr. Marble re-.
lied | was not aware of anything of the
KIND. Witness met Governor Tilden lone
after the decision of the Returning BOARD
lie denounced the whole proceeding. and
SAID that under no circumstances would he
nave countenanced any such arrangement
My friendly relations with Governor Tilden
have not been changed, for, as / have
already told you, he knew that had
nothing to do with these propositions. and
merely included them in my cipher mes.
sages to accommodate the parties who made
them"
AZ the evening session Mr.. Marble testified
that he saw Governor Tilden Immediately
on his arrival from Florida, but did NOT a.
that time mention to him any thing about
the buying and selling Florida business
and took pains TO conceal from him the
whole facts, for obvious reasons. | knew
he would not approve of it. Pehon gave me
the cipher. j know nothing of its origin
witness further testified that the impreg.
SION that Mr.. Tildeu managed the whole
campaign was a great error. Had no con.
yersaton with PeltOn upon the return from
Florida asto his proposition telling me 4" TO
close at once" He must he m.s.aS,u in
saying we had a conversation on the sub.
Ject / suppose the whole matter came
from him alone, and that the Dem ,cratic
Committee and Mr.. Tilden knew nothing
Of IL.
Al meeting OF the committee investi.
eating the cipher dispatches, Samuel !
llIden, immediately upon entering the
room, was sworn by Mr.. Hunton, Chairman.
who said
Governor Tilden, we received your note
expressing your willingness TO testify"
Mr.. Iilden-I have q cold, and cannot
speak very loud; the publication and trans.
actions in New York papers have read I
did not recognize single dispatch, either
in cipher or translation, which / had ever
seen before ] never entered into any ar.
rangements TO purchase the vote of south
Carolina or Florida ] had no information.
no suspicion, that any such communica.
tiOns were being carried on until saw the
dispatches published in the New York
Tribune / had no knowledge, no DEALINGS
with the parties 20 these negotiations. I
never authorized any such negotiations iu
any form whatever. on the morning Of
November 20, 1876, Mrs. Colonel Peiton
mentioned in my presence that her hus.
band had gone for the day didn't know
be had gone, or was going out OF the city.
lie went 90 Philadelphia, believe Later
ln the day was called on by Mr.. Cooper.
who was on his way down t,wn,
and was told by him that he had received
an offer frOm some party Offering
to obtain for money the vote Of south
Carolina. said ] would authorize no such
transaction, nor spend money for any such
purpose. the whole conversation occupied
only few minutes ] obtained Colonel
Pelton's address in Baltimore, and tele.
graphed him 10 come home. knew moth.
ing 81 the ciphers that had been passing be.
tween him and others, and ] could not have
translated them
with regard 70 Florida, never saw one
ot the kilograms, either boo cipher or trans
lauon. ] did not know, and ! was not
informed, that negotiations were going ON in
regard ~ illegally obtaining certificates Of
the Returning Board. Some time after Mr..
Marble called and told me in a casual kind
OF way about the corruption o. the Return.
ing Board Of Florida. never saw any Of
these dispatches relating te Florida, either
in cipher or translation
81 In regard 10 the Orgon dispatches. did
not know they came in cipher until after
the meeting Of the committee % investigate
them Some OF the dispatches were ad.
dressed 90 my resi- Hence, % Gramercy Park.
] don't know that any OF these dispatches
were ever delivered there Colonel Pelton'g
habits Of mind and mine are very different