The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-13
SAWYER TESTIFIES,
He Took Away the Seal for
Safe Keeping.
HAS RETURNED ALL THE
PROPERTY HE REMOVED.

AUGUSTA March 15.-P. A. Sawyer appeared
before the State seal committee this morning.
The following conversation took place between
Mr.. Sawyer and Mr.. Halves, the chairman of
the committees:
Mr. Hawes-Mr. Sawyer, are you ready to
answer all questions that the committee may
ask you?
Mi. Sawyer-I will answer all proper ques-
lions as indicated in my letter of last evening,
which probably you have on record.
Mr.. Hawes-Your letter will not go on rec
ord. You are simply to answer this question,
"Are you ready to testify or are you not?'
Mr.. Sawyer.-I want to consider that mo-
ment.
He then Withdrew to consult with his coun-
sci and Immediately returned
Mr.. Sawyer-I am now ready to testify and
answer any proper questions that may be asked.
l do this to dsabuse the public mind of any
idea that possess information which am not
willing to give. 1 wish to relieve myself from
all aspersions that have been cast upon nv
character, and furthermore l am under i'm
prisonment and wish to be released
Mr.. Sawyer then affirmed, declining to be
sworn, and proceeded to answer the questions
put to him by A. G. Bradstreet and Senator
Halves. He then testified that he held the Of
flee of Deputy Secretary of State under Gar
celon. His Office as Deputy expired on the
18th of January, 1880. He was elected by
what he considered the legal legislature of the
State. AS Secretary on the 10th of January
took and subscribed to the oath of Office and
was approved by Smiths Council He claimed
| that he is still Secretary of State. AS Deputy
| he did not have exclusive charge of the rec
ords, State SEAL &c. The returns of the Sep
| TENDER election came into the Office and were
taken to the engrossing room below the Sec
rotary of States Office. The returns were un-
der control of the Secretary of State.
He was in charge of the Office at times. On
the night when the Republicans went into the
Office he took away for safety the State seal
| sc. To his knowledge no election returns
had been taken or sent from the office subse.
| quent to December 8th, save a list of docu-
ments he took away when the Fusion legisla
ture adjourned to Water street. When he be-
came Secretary of State, he didn't think that
any records or other property were missing
| from the Secretary's office. The Saturday af-
| ter he became Secretary he removed the seal
and other State property to the office which he
| had established on Water street, to keep them
| in the possession of the proper authority. He
kept the seal directly in his possession. The
| returns were not all taken from the State
| House. The same returns were in the hands
| of Colonel Charles B. Morton and Senator
| Patten. Some returns were in the safe o.
| Captain R. W. Black Some others might
have had some part of the property. Dr. Mar
| tin had some in his possession, though he
thought DIR. Martin did not know what was in
| the packages.
| He might have consulted as to what would
be safe in the premises as to the disposition o.
| the property. Cove had ad yised him to take
| the property. The Republicans had threat
ened to break into the State House and take
the property. He thought the most valuable
| thing in the Office was the State seal. He die
what he conceived to be the duty of the State
officer in charge of the treasures of his office
| Chamberlain did not assume to have charge o
the records in the Secretary of States Office
| His opinion was that A. P. Gould advised tina
| good care be taken of the seal; that he (Saw
| yer) was the proper custodian of the seal. AT
| ter he established his office on Water street
| he advertised himself as Secretary of Stat
and would have used the seal had he occasion
| to do so.
To his recollection no returns were sent
away from the Secretary of States Office after
| the September election He had returned tC
this building everything he took from it. Th'
| body calling itself legislature passed Law
imposing heavy penalties upon so-called Offer.
| ders, and fearing that he should be regards
| as such, as warrant was out, he gave up tn
| property.
He had consultation with Mr. Davis VIII
asked him to give up the Secretary's office, an,
he declined. He had taken the seal in pieces
and carried one OF the dies in his pocket TO
| some time, so that if it fell into hands t,
which it did not belong they could not use it.
| The testimony closed here and the commit
tee decided to report the result Immediately t.
| the House.