The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-02-08
The Potter Investigation,
GOV. TI1DEN ON THE STAND

NEW I ORh, req Cat Tue eSsSIOA VI
the Cipher Investigating Committee this
morning, Ex-Governor Samuel j. Illden
was sworn, Immediately upon entering the
room, by Mr.. Hunton, the chairman OF the
committee. The Governor spoke of his
being afflicted with severe cold, which
would prevent his speaking very -oQd. lie
then began his statement BY saying i
have read the tFansiations, published in
the New York papers, Of dispatches re-
atipg to the late presidential contest. |
did not recognize a single despatch,
either in the cipher or the trans
lation, which l had ever received.
never entered into any arrangement
to purchase the vote of G0ath Carohaa or
Florida. / had no'information, no suspi-
tcion. that any such COMMUNICATIONS were
being carried on until | saw the des
patches published in the New York Til
bune. had no knowledge, 10 dealings
with any parties to these negotiations. !
never authorized any such sc
gotiations il any tor1 whatever.
On the morning Of NoYem GER
twentieth, | $40, Mrs. Col. Pelton mention q
| ia nv presence that her husband had gon6
for the day; it didn't know he had gone or
was going out OF the city. He went to
Philadelphia, believe. Later in the day
was called on by Mr.. Cooper who was
on his way down towD, and vas told by
him that he had received an offer from
some party, Offering to obtain for money.
| the vote of South CacGliaa. is4id l'W0uid
tautLori4e no such Transaetion, nor spend
Fmoney for any such purpose. The whole
conversation occupied only a few minutes
| obtained Col. PetoE's address In Balti-
more, and telegraphed him to come home
| know nothing of the cipher that he's ha9g
lpassiDg between him ana 0tAeEs aud
could BQt have been Translated them
= With regard to Florida l never saw one OF
the kilograms either in cipher or transla
ton. | did not know, was not informed
THAT negotiations were going on Z .4aar,
. to illegally obteiniEG tae certificates OF til
IreturuiDg board Some time Mr.. MarDl
loalled and Told me in casual kind OF
, Way. about the corruption Of the returnIn
L board OF Florida / Fever saw any :
those dispatches relasing to tAodaa, eithe
= in cipher OF translation IN ln regard to th
Greg n dispatches | did rot know the
10 me N cinhA. until af,ef the meeting
\ 1.-THE committee t. investigate them.
l. Some of the dispatches we're addressed
nv residence, Is Gramercy PARK. 90 AZ
know that any Of those dispatches Wei
delivered there. CUl. i1eit0a h2oits
NJ mind and mine are very different.
f. Gsv or two after the election, Gen. IRA
% wrote letter recon meudiDg that Gel
49, mjstee 60 south 10 see fair count h'
nothing to do with the seleotion OF tho
committees. | never heard from them b
7 IL
: bv Ottendorfer aud others. was We
e busy all the time and did not undertake
correct the idea that they were my perso
al agents. They did not represent t
J., democratic party. None OF them' SO lar
ER [ know, went 20 those states authorized
a fr do any thing that gentlemen might not
From the 7th of November 1876, until |
cember 9th, of the same year, under
;. circumstances did / enter into any conn
tition for seeking certificates by venal
lducement. There never was an hour
~ minute that | entertained any SD
!, thought. To the people who, as belle
elected me president OF the United Stat
10 the four million citizens who were
frauded, owed it to proclaim | would
. yield one jot Or title of my right, whate'
NAV result FROM this subVerslon OF
electoral system and of free governme
| resolved would enter into no action
and the purchase of the chief maglstra
the rCheeers, which the chairman suppress
LIS, / was resolved that would continue
the protest against the wrong by which
ca- neople were defrauded of their rlgl
les Mr.. Ti!den's voice owing to his severe
Ed became husky aud it required an effort
"f' catch bis words
O-Who is your private Secretary
less less A.-George w. Smith.
and have no knowledge of the following
Ach, patch: ,.r,-.,.nn Nv o.
George w. Smith, Is Gramercy Ia
Ii has been suggested from here
have the governor Of Oregon rel,
n issuing a certificate 10 favor OF the lnel
bIe.eleclor. until advised thereon; v
n not obtain aud telegraph him OConn
oninionP See my despatch to Spain.
be opi'''N' 1S;onedl M.
the T read the 1ribuae's disclosures but
lnt' knew of the ciphers in that way.
Tue Witness private secretary, smith, p
ene showed him any of the dispatches. III
s S5sc know that he had cipher; knew mott
ooI &c the eiphers. When Pelton Ietnl
from Baltimore. witness SAID some,
Mess 20 him about bis action, and ne maos
and md renlv. Got from him no Information ! q
each the siphers until they were puDlIs
z the n:5,'t believe Peltou had any power