Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-07
PROPOSITION PELTON
TIE "NEPHEW OF THE UNCLE" ON
THE WITNESS STAND.

THE WITNESS STAND.
A Day of the Sub-Potter Committee with
Nephew Pelton-History of the Published
Cipher Telegrams-Neither the Demo.
cratic Committee or Mr.. Tildon Knowing
to His Propositions-Weed and Marble
Compromised in the Effort to Circumvent
the Republican Conspirators.
New York, Feb. Cool. Pelton was to-day
ing the cipher dispatches.
Question. Can you remember any of the
names with whom you correspondent or have
you destroyed Your cipher key?
A. l have, and cannot now remember the
names of any persons with whom conferred
All the kilograms sent by Weed were by in.
structions addressed to Havemeyer, who at
once sent them to me. After this they were
presented to the committee at the Everett
house.
@. Who opened these dispatches in you,
absence?
A. The National Democratic committee
The chairman called attention to the dis.
patch dated Tallahassee, Nov. 9th, and signed
in the translation, Marble" The dispatch
stated that the canvassing board may and will
purge the county returns, and ''our first move
will be to require of the board three State
officers, one being an able Democrat, immedi-
ate action
Col. Pelton-I might as well state here /
cannot remember anything about these dis
N -
dispatches get near to the point. Yet they are
inaccurate l always understood Wooley and
Fox were one and the same person. Give me
more latitude and will satisfy you fully.
The witness did not remember whether or
not lie used the word Denmark as his sie-
nature.
MI. Springer, of the committee said several
dispatches from Florida signed sWax," sent bv
Coyle, IN reference to money matters, were ex-
planned by the memorandum of expenses of
the Democratic national committee submitted
by Mayor Cooper.
Witness said he had an idea that the return
ing board propositions, even if MT carried,
would result, IT assented to, in delay, which
would be favorable to the Democratic party.
He had made no arrangements for raising
money, but intended eventually to lay the mat
ter before the Democratic national committee
and let it decide. In the meantime he Thought
1t best to commit members of the returning
board to the propositions in question. He act
ed wholly on his own responsibility without
consultation with any one He held no author.
lty to act for the Democratic national commit
tee in the matter.
Mr.. Pelton examined the original of the dis
patch, which translated as follows:
Tallahassee, Dec. ITO Col. Pelton, Is Gram
marcy Park: Have just received proposition
10 nand over, at any hour required, Tilden de-
clsion OF the board and certificate of the Gov
ernor for two hundred thousand. (Slgned)
Marble. No"l
The witness said that the dispatch seemed to
be in Marbles hand writing. He knew that he
received dispatch from Marble of that tenor.
Inc original had no signature. Whether the
translation was accurate in every respect he
could not say. he had dispatch containing
the proposition in question. He sent dis
patcn IN reply declining the offer, and saying
that the amount was too high. He did not
communicate the dispatch from Marble or it's
contents to any person before sending his an Z
swer. The following translation of dispatch
70 Havemeyer, dated Tallahassee. Dec. 4, signed
Fox, was shown witness:
Board. Fetch may make necessary ernose
OF half hundred thousand dollars. Can Won
say will deposit in bank Immediately if agreed.
Mr. Pelton said he received dispatch con-
tanning such proposition, which he nnderstead
10 De REDUCTION of the original offer Of $780,
ooo. nc DID not recognize the handwriting
but understood Fox to be the name used hv
Wooley. oN ~
The following dispatch was then shown:
New York. Dec. 1.-C. W. Wooley, Talla-
hassee: Translation of telegram received.
VIII deposit d. lla1s agreed. You can not, how
ever, draw before vote of member received.
Reply promptly.
Witness said that he sent dispatch of that
character. He did not consult anyone in re-
gard to 1t, but acted on his own responsibility.
Inere was some telegraphic correspondence be-
tween him and Wooley as to the degree of con-
hdence which he placed in the latter. He as
sursd Wooley he connded in him.
A dispatch dated Tallahassee, Dec. 3. adj
dressed to Col. Pelton, was then exhibited.
with the following translation:
Froposition received either giving vote of
one Republican Of board or his concurrence in
court action preventing electors vote from be-
Ing cast, Tor halt hundred best United States
documents for $50, 900 in United States notes.
(Signed), Marble.
Witness said that he received a dispatch of
that character, but did not remember the exact
words. Had similar dispatch from Woolev
he sent dispatch to Wooley urging harmony
OF action and protesting against divided coun-
els; he remembered that dispatch was sent
OF the following character:
New York, Dec 4.-To Manton' Marble. Talla-
hasse: Telegram here. Proposition accepted
If done only once. Better consult with Wooley
and act In concert. You can trust him. Time
very Important and there should be no divided
councils.
This was sent upon his own responsibility.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The South Carolina dispatches were then
taken up. Mr.. Pelton said he remembered
sending despatch asserting to the proposition
to use $4,000. He might have asked that
part of the money should be payable only after
the vote was cast, but he did not remember
dong SO. He rememberedsreceivinga dispatch
from Weed. to the effect that the South Caro-
lima returning board demanded $75. 900. The
proposition was accepted by him, though he
did not remember the exact words of the
despatch which he sent The attention of wit
ness was called to other dispatches, and he was
asked If he had any explanation. He replied,
have not. l can hardly remember these
things. went to Baltimore. The night before
leaving New York I met Mr.. Cooper, and told
him about the correspondence, and that
might need his money. BeforeI met Weed I
would o ssen saas b 5hs ists
received two kilograms. one from Cooper
and the other from some one whose name I
don 1ec.Ilect, to the effect that the money
and told him Weed had telegraphed me as to
the amount necessary to buy the South Caro-
lima board. Cooper led me to believe the
money could not be raised. Mr.. Tilden was
exceedingly annoyed about the matter, and de.
nounced my action. In fact he was very Sc.
we're. I left for Baltimore without his knowl.
edge or consent, and he was much surprised
at my action.
Chairman-Did Mr.. Tllden have any idea
that you were perfecting an attempt or at.
tempting to perfect negotiations for buying
the returning board? A. He had not the
least idea of what was going on.
.. Did you tell or advise him of the CORE
spondence of Manton Marble or Wooley from
Florida? A. certainly did not.
q. Did you tell him anything about the
Weed correspondence? A. I did not. The
correspondence and arrangements we're carried
out solely by me.
BY MIR. Stenger-Did you mean to say YOU
had no conversation with Mr.. Tilden on thi,
matter until after your arrival from Baltimore
A. Yes, sir. That is the fact.
Q. Mr.. Yilden was much ANNOYED. was ht
not? A. He was, and don't know that hi
yet forgives it. He told me distinctly that b,
wanted no such work and would sooner die thar
allow himself to be put iuto the Presidential
chair under false pretenses. When l subse
quently showed the Governor the whole cor
respondence he was still more exercised ant
denounced the whole proceeding emphatically
By Mr.. Reed-As secretary Of the nationa
Democratic committee did you not arrange tn
| ciphers? A. I did not.
z. Did you fully explain matters before tn
| committee that investigated the Oregon cleo
tna 7 L.. 4