The New York herald., 1879-02-07
DAVENPORT'S DOINGS.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT ATTORNEY wooDFoRD
SAYS HE AUTHORIZED THE CHIEF SUPER
VISOR TO ISSUE WARRANTS OF ARREST WHEN
HE HAD SUFFICIENT CAUSE.
The Davenport Investigation Committee resumed
work yesterday morning at the usual hour. At the
opening of the session NJ NJ. Herr. sergeant-atarms
of the committee. reported that he had visited the
office of City Judge Cowing but did not serve the
subpoena upon His Honor for the reason that the
calendar OF the court very heavy and the Judge
could not conveniently appear before Saturday. 1t
is understood that in the meantime Mr.. Davenport
will prepare series of questions to which Judge
Cowing will reply by affidavit 1t is said that the
object of calling Judge Cowing is to show that Mr..
Davenport made discrimination in the exercise of
his duties before or on election day.
District Attorney Woodford testif WAS United
States District Attorney since February, 1876; the
correspondence between witness. Mr. Davenport and
Attorney General Devens in June. 1S7s in regard to
alleged fraudulent naturalization papers. especially
those of 1868, tended to show design Mr. Daven-
port part to get either the District Attorney the
Attorney General indorse his action the Attorney
General il his letter deprecated the process OF get
ting possession Of the naturalization papers of 1868,
saying that if warrants of arrest were issued they
should be for criminal proceedings and should be
carried out, and the only action he would in
dorse was the punishment Of criminals; Mr..
DaVenpOrC tnen reau letter which ne
had written to Attorney General Devens, in which
he stated that the United States government had
pended in this city from 100000 To s10o0O0 each
year since 1870 to fair election and asked
instructions in regard to the arrest of the holders of
fraudulent papers. Attorney General Devens' reply
the witness said complimentary to Mr.. Daven-
port. General Woodford further testified that Mr..
Davenport called upon him about the LIST of Novem-
Der and told him that many persons had regis
tered under papers Of 1865 and that they had
to do he asked the witness what action he should
take in the matter In reply Mr.. Woodford told him
that the time between the 1st and 9Th Of November
entirely too short to examine the many cases !;
that he must his own Judgment in the matter.
act carefully and justly, and do near right pos.
sible; and in this event the Law Department would
sustain him in his action. Mr.. Woodford said he
authorized Mr.. Davenport. where he had sufficient
cause, to issue warrants of arrest.
Upon crossexamination Mr. Woodford said he be-
ieved the Grand Jury had found twenty-one indict-
ments against persons voting " '6S'' papers; he
knew Of no law by which commissioner could take
possession of naturalization papers.
Colonel Wingate offered to show by this witness
that some of Mr. Davenports accounts were cut down
by Attorney General Devens. and he claimed that
Mr. Davenport was actuated by two motives, one
political and the other pecuniary. This assertion
denied by Mr. Davenport, and 1T the session to-
day the committee will decide upon the admissibilty
of this evidence.