Daily globe., 1879-01-24
THE POTTER BUSINESS.
DRUNK OR INSANE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Upon the assembling
of the Potter committee to-day Gen. Butler
said it he made statement yesterday to The
effect that the cipher dispatches we're in his
possession all last summer. and that one time
he missed them from his desk, he must have
been drunk or insane. Laughter.] What be
did say yesterday was to show the impossibility
that the dispatches printed in the Tribune
came from him.
Mr.. Hiscock--Yes. I had good reason to be-
lieEe the kilograms were copied for the Tribune
before they came into your hands.
Iebina Moses, clerk in the Office of the Sec
retary to Vice-President Ferry, remembered a
burlesque certificate from Louisiana called the
Smith certificate" 1t was suppressed without
| objection. He did not know what became Of
it; last saw it in the possession Of the official
tellers. Did not remember there had since
been any application.
When the doors were reopened MI. Butle
offered the following:
Resoyyed, That the committee receive from
Mr.. Butler the cipher dispatches which be shall
present to them, and that the clerk be directed,
in connection with some person whom Mr.. But
Ter shall designate, to make complete inven-
tory of the dispatches received, in duplicate,
and certify to some one, a copy to be preserved
for use of the committee, aud one given to
Mr.. Butler; that all the cipher dispatches SO
received shall be printed for the committee;
that unless hereafter otherwise ordered before
any originals copies are given out for pu bli ;
cation, they shall be submitted to expert to be
chosen by the committee, who shall be sworn to
make a faithful transcription of and 0ecipher
the same according to his best knowledge, skill
and ability, and that he will not allow any
cipher dispatches given hum to be given to any
person. or given out for publication, nor any
of the dispatches, nor any supposed transla-
tlon, without previous agreement obtained
from the committee so to do and he will return
to the committee all printed sheets and tele-
grams committed to him, with such transla-
tlons as he shall make, receiving from the COM
mlttee such reasonable sum for his work as the
committee may judge proper.
The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
Mr.. Reed then offered the following:
WHEREAS, Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, in his
place in the House, after alleging that Samuel
J. Tilden has been charged with the cipher dis
patches, has demanded that Mr.. Tilden have an
| opportunity to face his accusers before a COM
petent tribunal, therefore,
Resolved, That copy of this resolution di-
recting this committee to investigate the cipher
| dispatches be sent to MI. Tilden, and that Mr..
Tllden be allowed to be represented by counsel,
lin the same nauaer end under.ths game lliusi-
tations as person arraigned under the ordi-
nary resolution constituting this committee.
MI. Reed remarked that he offered this reso-
| luton in good faith and not in any partisan
! spirit. The resolution was accepted.
ST. MARTINS CHARGES.
| The chairman called st. Martin, who was ex-
amined at some length regarding his affidavit
already published. The following is the most
important points of the testimony:
Question-Your affidavit says that you were
instructed by MIR. Stenger to report mot
found when you had any subpnnas to serve
| on Republican witnesses?
Alt was not Mr.. Stenger, but Mr.. Maddox.
1t was mistake, and I altered it as soon as
saw it in the papers. This affidavit was made
the I'd of December, and did not alter it un-
! til last week. I had not copy of the affidavit
and did not know. Mr.. Stengers name oc-
| Cured where it should read Mr.. Maddox.
Witness then stated how, when acting as
sergeant-at-arms for the committee. he had re-
turned twelve OF thirteen subpoenas with the
report mot found" He did so on instructions
from Mr., Maddox. In all these cases they were
witnesses who were Republicans, or witnesses
| whom he was unable to fix up to testify as
| Maddox desired.
On further examination upon his affidavit
witness denied that he ever intended to refer
to MIR. Stenger's conduct. and said that the
| charges therein made against that gentleman
| were untrue. Other portions Of his affidavit
| he confirmed.
Chairman Potter then cross-examined him
| upon the evidence rendered by witness at New
Orleans, taking the questions almost seriatim as
| they stond, and requesting witness to point ont
| mer evidence was declared by st. Martin to be
entirely false, and given ut the instigation of
| Stenger and Maddox.
| This part of the examination was not con-
cluded when Mr. Butler suggested the exaulin-
| alton be adjourned. The remainder of the ses-
| sion was secret. The committee expect to COM
meuce to take testimony concerning the cipher
| dispatches Monday