The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-29
HOW AND WHY THEY WERE TAKEN
Agitation in the Pool of Politics, With
the Natural Result.
SPECIMEN POLITICAL HONESTY
Dirty Work Suggested and the Man
Found To Do II.


WAsII1SGroN, Jan. %, 1872
In the Potter Committee to-day General Brady
Second Assistant Postmaster General was the first
witness, and was examined by the chairman relative
to the package of papers given him for safe keeping
by Mr. Bullock. of the Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections Mr. Brady suspected the contents of
the package opened it and had copies of them made;
he then gave aporton of the originals to Mr. William
E. Chandler and another portion of them anony
mously to Mr.. Whitelaw Reid of the New York Tribune
the balance then remaining then given
to Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Hiscock: witness had
recognized two thrceof the kilograms sent Mr.. Reid
in the pamphlet recently issued by the New York Tr
bune; Mr.. Chandler was given the copies relating to
Florida.
In reply to Mr.. McMahon. witness said Mr..
Chandler and himself had endeavored to translate
the kilograms; Colonel Parker, chief of special
agents in the Post Office Department, being one
evening at General Brady's house, also attempted to
translate the messages. but their efforts total
failures.
Mr.. Evans. of Indiana, in giving General Brady
the package merely requested him to take charge Of
them some time after keeping them locked up his
curiosity great that he opened them, where
upon he impressed with the idea that they were
important documents; he remember
he mentioned their contents to William +. Chandler
first; kilograms of both parties were contained in
the bundle and both sides of the question were re-
viscd by them; the democratic kilograms. however
more interesting to them than the other side
were.
FLORIDA.
Mr. Blackburn INTERCEPTED witness as to whether
in 1876 Special Agent Morton, of the Post Office De-
partment, designated to visit Florida.
Mr Brady. replying. said he believed Mr.. Morton
was in Florida; he had never read his testimony
before this committee, and knew Of the facts
connected with Mr. Morton's visit.
In reply to a question whether he had received or
any kilograms bearing upon the late election for
President and Vice President, the General said
six or seven messages had been exchanged between
himself and Judge Tyner during his BRADY 81 stay
| in Florida.
President Grant requested go to Florida and in
compliance with his request went.
Q. What did you so for? A. To fair count
Mr.. Blackburn then put witness through rigid
examination regarding his idea of an almost Cabinet
eticer of the United States government interfering in
him if he considered that the policy of civil service
| reformcrs.
The witness said he saw no impropriety in the
matter.
TEIEGRANs STOLEN.
In reply to Mr. Mcmahon. witness testified that he
assorted of kilograms in the Senate commit
| tee room those which had passed between Mr.. Tyncr
| and himself.
Mr. McMahon-Then it was not untrue as stated
I were taken from the committee room? A. Those
have mentioned were taken: Mr.. Brady an
grams sent and received by him he
| would produce them before the committee.
| left for Tallahassee, which amount he turned to
W. 4. Chandler upon arrival 1t was understood by
expenses of of the witnesses in Florida this.
| however. he did not know from his own knowledge
he Brady advanced S1.Ooo OF his own money to de-
fray the hotel expenses of the party and that amount
| was refunded by z. Chandler upon his return to
| Washington.
| The Chairman then nterrogated the witness IL he
|
tee certain papers which had been entrusted to
| the care of the government.
Mr.. Brady-It was assumed at the time withdrew
| the kilograms that they would ultimately be de-
stroyed and desired to preserve the record of my
part Of the transaction relic: there nothing
| / would fear the world seeing in their contents.
! WILLIAM Il. CHANDLER SWORN.
Mr.. William T.. Chandler the next witness. and
| was first examined by Chairman Potter testifying
that he left the major part of the kilograms given
him by General Brady in the private office of
| ent at the time; he had not had any pre-
vious arrangement or even spoken OF the
| affair to General Butler either before or after
| the delivery; subsequently he took another pack
| age from Mr.. Brady, which was taken to his house
| and examined after which he took it to the local
Tribune Office aud after sealing and addressing it to
| Mr.. whitelaw Reid left it in charge of the
spondent, Mr.. White. to be forwarded to New York
q. Did you consider that the papers would be more
apt to be kept in safety by General Butler? A. Until
| these kilograms placed in his hands I consid
cred him u very careful man with papers tgreat
laughter) Mr.. Chandler had frequently looked
the dispatches while they i'll the custody of the
| Senate
recognized some of these dispatches: when he sub
| seuuently examined those in Mr. Brady's possession
hc understood that Mr. Bullock had given the tcle-
BY Mr.. Potter-You knew Mr.. Bullock's politics.
| A. Yes, sir.
O. Had you the slightest idea that any of the tele-
| grams in the package delivered by Mr.. Bullock to
General Brady and by General Brady to you and by
You in turn put the custody Of General Butler.
were of such character To in any way injure the
| republican partyY A. did not know anything that
the republican party had done the record of which
| were republican dispatches in the bundle.
The committee at this point, halfpast one P. NJ.
Mr. Chandler was requested to be present at half
past two r. NJ. when his examination viii be re-
| sumcd
While in secret session 10 was decided that in
sequence of the crowded state OF the in future
| the general public should not be admitted. The
| chairman thought that such a regulation was
scarcely necessary. for the reason that in short
time the present curiosity in regard 10 the proceed
| inas would have died away. In the afternoon how,
ever the regulation was carried into effect but the
room was very crowded. nevertheless. with news
| paper reporters. members of Congress, witnesses
and people admitted by the courtesy of the commit
| tee.
session in reference to the calling of certain wit
| ncsscs. and IL decided that tomorrow Judge
Southwark and Mr. Tyner should be called to the
| stand.
Mr.. Chandler being again called upon to testify
stated that he was unable to say from whom he got
| the permission to look through the cipher de-
spatchcs while they were in the committee room; IL
| might be senator Morton Senator Mitchell; he
did not know that there any arrangement nj that
time that the dispatches not to be made public,
| but he assumed IL; he knew there was arrange
| ment by which other committees investigating the
Presidential election matters should have tree access
| to kilograms.
| The Charmau-was there not arrangement be
tween the political parties that the cipher de-
spatches should not be gone into? A. do not know
| whether there such arrangement or not;
| know that about the time first declined to testify
with regard to them, without the leave of my client,
that shortly after, when had obtained leave and
ready TO testify, discovered that there was no
| desire to proceed with the inquiry the part
| of the democratic members. and also understood
| that the republicans willing to- let the
investigation of the dispatches remain where IL
was DESTROYS that the fullest investigation should
| be made: did not like to drop the subject; when
| MIR. Chambers and Mr.. Tilden's bank books were
about TO be called for understood IL stopped by
! the representatives OF Mr. Tildcn
| Mr.. McMahop--you were mistaken in that?
| Upon being asked from what he drcw this infer