Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1879-02-15
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS.
The Potter Committee.


mani, Springer, stenger, Hiscock and Reed
(Messrs. Mcmahon and Cox having de-
clined to serve). commenced taking testimony
IN New York City on the 5th. Smith III. Weed
was first examined. He testified that he was
an active friend of Mr.. Tilden's, both before
and after his nomination. A few days sub
% teegram 'hf from ni00'Sn New York. teofysn from
whom he could not state, requesting him to
go to soath Caroline, [Witness resides in the
York, to the Everett House, and there got his
cipher-from Col. Pelton, he thinks, but could
not be positive. At Columbia he met Wade
that South Carolina had been carried
ber Of the cipher kilograms sent by him from
Columbia to Henry Havemeyer in New York,
the most important of which was one stating
In substance that majority of Board had been
secured at cost of $4,000, money to be de-
posted and paid over upon vote of State be;
ing given to Tilden but n1das sarisdins not lot
Louisiana could be counted upoI as safe. In
explanation of this telegram, witness said
ness man, man had offered to secure % two or three three
OF the South Carolina Electors
fos for, the s.',;mars s%Gnt named Witness 3
solomon, Harry Sullivan and others who
claimed to represent the Returning Bbard
Witness there met Col. Pelton, who informed
posed Gov. Tilden. had received q = telegram ram
from Edward Cooper, ssying that the money
gram received from Gov. Tilden of q similar
purport This ended the negotiation. Solo
mon sent telegram to Columbia, the sub
be delivered and that the arrangement or
bargain was off. In THREE or four hours after
ward news came that the Canyassit,g Board
had given the vote to Hayes. Witness swore
positively that Col. Pelton was the only per-
son with whom he had any conversation re-
garding the South Carolina matter before
Gov. Tilden, who took him TO task about the
PG9eposa PRoess ot so sSouf9 6aroa shs 5g ta
nsSer nss Oh autho9ssd Sa as sIsh ' ne pfoeeed
fngs, and that while he lived he would nev6f
become President under such circumstances;
which the witness had no recollection of, and
there were words In s0tfie of the others he
Col. W. I. Pelton, formerly Secretary Of
the National Democratic Committee, was ex-
amined before the Committee on the 9Th In
reference to the cipher dispatches. He. tes-
titled that all kilograms sent by Smith NJ
Wesd we're by his instructions addressed to
him and he laid them befofe the National
Democratic Committee. Witness declared ee
the outset that he could not remember many
things concerning the dispatches and that
the key had been destroyed. He could not
whether or not he used the word
lRen%sra for -ensv,n his sisnatuSsi Sisnates
from weed to the effect that the South
barolina Returning Board demanded 5000:
he did not remember the exact words of TIE
ispatch which he sent. Before leaving New
York to meet Weed in Baltimore he had an
interview with Edward Cooper, Treasurer OF
the National Democratic Committee, and In
formed him as to the $4,000 proposition.
Went to Baltimore under the impress ION that
the money would be forthcoming, but after
his arrival there received two dispatch
es, one from Cooper and another from
some one whose name name he did not
could not be raised. Mr.. Tflden knew MOTH
ing about the proposition under considera.
ton until after it was all over, and then se-
verely denounced the whole thing, telling
witness that he would sooner die than to
alloy himself to be put into the Presidential
he had an idea that the Returning Boards
would result. If assented to. in a delay
Democratic party. He had made no ar
rangements for raising the money, but in
tended eventually to lay the matter before
Il decide. In the meanwhile he thought 1t
best to commit the members of the Return
ing Board to the propositions in question.
He acted v holly on his own responsibility,
without consultation with any one. He
held no authority TO act for the Dem
ocratic National Committee in the mat
ter. Witness did not arrange the cipher
key and was unable to say who did It. The
Tribune translations got near the point of
many particulars. The word Russia in the
cipher meant Mr.. Tiden. A dispatch from
Tallahassee addressed to Col. Pelton, Is
duced and read as translated; Have Just re-
q any hour required b By TiIssn,, DC; Ss;; e:
of the Governor, for s2No,oOo." Witness
acknowledged to having received dispatch
of that purport. He sent a dispatch in reply,
declining the offer, and saying that the
amount was too high. He did not communi'
cate the dispatch from Marble, or its con
tents, to any person before sending Ills an.
stated that the arrangement could be effect.
ed for $4,000, and Pelton replied
sSSs pe wop
ed, not to be drawn, however, before vote
was cast This latter communication was
his acceptance of the proposition was made
without consultation with any other person,
and entirely upon his own responsibility. In
answer to Mr.. Hiscock, witness said that he
had not resided ut Gramercy Park since Au-
gust last; was formerly Secretary to Gov.
Tilden. and was looked upon as his accredit-
ed agent. Cross examined by Mr.. Reed, wit
ness said that he expected to raise the money
from the National Democratic Committee
and had nc other source upon which he de-
pended. Mr.. Tilden never read q single teie-
gram relating to the purchase of the Return-
Ing Boards; he did inquire as to whether or
mess mes WAS was further @ }nterrogated at considera-
BILE length by the Republican members OF the
committee In reference to his personal res
Mr.. Tilden, which queries were resented by
witness as a personal affront.
Manton Marble testified before the Com
mittee on the 9Th. He said that he went to
Florida to look after the Electoral vote. Be-
fore leaving New York he received cipher
him good-bye. A number of trans
lated cipher kilograms, as printed in
which he declared substantially correct but
the most of them he characterized as "rub-
a-dub." Witness admitted that he re-
ceiyed certain propositions to purchase the
Florida Electoral vote, and telegraphed the
same to Pelton, but merely as a matter of
news, and that he at no time himself made
onsly s pes% entertained 9py'Ga any. The PROPOSE
ton to purchase one member OF the
through r c. farh e. Dyke editor Sf DemS sae
cratic local paper. who represented the MEM
Der in question through an intermediary.
could not consentto any such arrangement
and was sure Gov. Tilden would not.
witness further averred that he
beng no mede by to- St Sny @ out the
Electoral vote. Subsequent to his return
home, witness met Gov. Tilden, who de-
under no circumstances would he have coun-
tenanced such an arrangement.
The Chairman read the following COM
munication:
EPPA HUNToN, Chairman Congressional
Committee, Fifth Avenue Hotel: DEAR SIR
learn.in the public press that it is the de-
sire of your committee to terminate its ses-
sion in this city the current week. take this
liberty of requesting that before you leave
an opportunity be afforded me of appearing
before you to submit some testimony which
deem pertinent to the inquiry with which
you are charged. Yours very TesPee5fuliy,
1t was resolved that Gov. Tilden should ap-
pear before the committee at noon to NOR
row. and that Mayor Cooper, in accordance
with his request, should be heard at half
past 10.
Samuel J. Tilden appeared before the Com
mittee on the sth and testified substantially
as follows: The publication and translations
of the cipher kilograms in the New York pa
pers l have read. did not recognize a single
dispatch either in cipher or translation which
had ever s, en- before. never entered into
any arrangements to purchase the vote OF