The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-02-06
Potter Investigation in Washington.

James N. Tyner, before the Potter Inves-
tigatipg Committee on the 10Th of January,
at Washington, stated that there was mis-
construction in regard to the meaning of
certain cipher words in the dispatches sent
during the Indiana campaign. Witness ex.
planned that during The campaign, probably
as early as July or August, he had CONVEX
sation with Zach. Chandler, Chairman of
the Republican National Committee, with
reference to Indiana, the Central Committee
of which State had written him, asking as
sistance from the National Committee.
Gentlemen in New York and elsewhere,
witness was informed, had expressed their
readiness to assist Indiana if Foster,
who was formerly Chairman of the
committee in Indiana, who was not
then connected with the committe, should
be custodian, as they had much confidence
in his management. Witness suggested
that Foster, who was on furlough from
go to Indiana to assist the local committee
with his advice and presence. "a .}s-
Subsequently Mr.. Foster was asked and
consented to do this. Witness met him at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, in Sep
tember. Foster said that in Indiana they
would need $1,000 from the National Com
mittee only, to be used in meeting the ex-
penses of speakers, printing bills, ETC., and
it was proposed to make an effort to secure
the services of some active u embers of
the Greenback organization there to induce
voters to go back on their old love and vote
the Republican ticket. Another PROPOSE.
tion was for the purchase o. the Indianapo-
lis Sentinel, a Democratic newspaper in
the city of Indianapolis, which was said to
be in financial distress, and might be pur-
chased eheaply. We went into McCor-
mick's room, and that gentleman promptly
stated that within shors time the commit
tee would be able to furnish the Indiana
Republicans with $4,000 toward their
campaign expenses. The proposition about
up. As. Foster was leaving the hotel he
said: 81 might want to telegraph to you,
and might it not be we'll to have some
phrase to use between us?" He there
upon sat down and made phrase, which is
used in these kilograms. Every thing that
related to the Greenbackers, aside from the
purchase of the Sentinel was to be known
as the Smith arrangement. The term
Smith applies to no person whatever.
The proposal as to purchasing the Sentinel
was to be known as "Brown." The word
g. Captain ~ meant five thousand, and
"early" meant ten thousand. This was
the extent of the cipher. The foregoing
telegram meant that active members of the
Greenback party had agreed to assist in
arresting the Greenback movement. Five
thousand dollars would be necessary to
meet their expenses in addition to the ten
thousand dollars promised by Mccormick
for general campaign purposes. Sff4
After the October election, witness had a
| conversation with 2 Chandler, as to the
| prospects OF carrying Indiana for the Re
! publicans in November. Witness was to
| go to Indiana and see what could be done.
| If there was any chance of success, he was
to telegraph Chandler, who would furnish
him with funds to the extent of ten thou.
sand dollars. Before he left, witness said
/ to Secretary Chandler: eff we telegraph
about money, we had better use phrase
1t was decided that if five thousand dollars
were needed, witness should telegraph fol
one Indian appointment; if ten thousand
two Indian appointments, and Chandler
would honor his drafts for those sums.
Whitelaw Reid, of the New Yorl
Tribune, was before the Potter Committee
Thursday. He testified that he received ,
package of cipher dispatches from VIM
E. Chandler, and one from Hiscock of tn,
committee. He produced two scrapbook
with the. remark, "Here are two volume
of dispatches received by me-" daughters
dispatches, with appendix of miscellaneou
Volume No. embodies kilograms refer
ing to South Carolina and Oregon
Before the kilograms were deciphered
Mr.. Reid said he published editorials OF
the subject, with the view of inducing som
one to come forward with a key TO tn
cipher, but that failing, copies were al
tackled seriously.
Messrs. Hazard and Grosvenor did tn
entire work of the translation. Professo
Alden aided in some immaterial way.
Mr.. Hiscock Inquired If there had bee
/ any complaint from the parties to whor
the kilograms were attributed. rsss
Mr.. Reid replied: With the exception
of Marble there had been no direct com
plants, and in that case Marble was pei
fectly justified, as he was not the author {
the telegram tributed to him in the pul
lication. The first of the Oregon dispatche
were not deciphered and published in th
Tribune, but in some other paper"
An Associated Press dispatch drew a
tention to the fact that the cipher used WI
an old mining cipher, and was taken fro
the Household Dictionary, and the ciph
was plain. Recess. 4a7 ffa Tag Ea9
Mr.. Reid testified that he never knew Gel
!. Brady or Eugene Hale in connection vii
the transactions. Witness met Gov. Tide
about the time the publication of the d
patches commenced, and told him they We
' bothered by these ciphers, and he ought
! give them the key. Tilden replied in Il
! same Jocular way, and subsequently at Sa
atoga said he did not know anything abo
those ciphers, and did not believe they h
been delivered at his house. Mr.. Reid u
derstood him to mean that he did not ev'
read the telegrams that were then beil
published. a7 aat oas asa.e -s5