New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-21
TIRED OF THE INVESTIGATION.


OF Ex-JUDGE JoNEs-HE SAYS HE MADE MIS-
TAKES.
Tho public interest in the proceedings of the Wal
lace Investigating Committee seems to be largely
! on the increase. during its yesterdays session
every seat In Postmaster James's room in the Post
Office Building was occupied, and many persons
stood for hours listening to the evidence. Senators
| Wallace Mcdonald and Blair took their seats
shortly after balfpast TO- and after a short CONVEX
sation between the two Democratic Senators the
| first witness was called. John l. Davenport, hav-
| ing in charge a truck-lOad Of documents, had en-
tered the room before the members of the commit
tee, and when they appeared he was enjoying an
early cigar
Christopher lies, examined by Senator Blair,
stated that he was born in Ireland forty years
ago and had lived IN this city thirty-eght years.
| He lived at No. 202 Wooster-st. In 1868 he had
| occasion to 90 to Judge Barnard's room. and there
saw a number of people taking out naturalization
! papers. Among them he noticed Alderman Ripper
and Patrick Golf. He was well acquainted with
| Golf and went up to him. Just at the time the Al
| derman asked Golf If he could papers The
| latter replied that he could, and was subsequently
| given a bundle containing sixty naturalization
| papers, for which he paid the Alderman $50 On
| the same day the witness saw a similar bundle
| handed to Mr.. Childs who paid $71 for 1t.
J Senator Blair-Did you see these amounts paid 2
| Christopher Iles-I did, sir. / also heard Judge
Barnard. some DAYS after, tell Golf 70 81 keep those
| fellows quiet" He alluded to a lot of men who
were waiting for the papers. There four
! teen or fifteen clerks engaged in making out the
| papers as fast as they could. They all belonged to
| Tammany Hall. What became of the papers
| don't know but know a great many OF them were
| used and voted upon.
| Cross-examincd by Senator Mcdonald he said
have never been examined before on this subject.
belong TO the Republican party. / was a ReIAbl-
/ can Mt the time made those observations. ! went
to the clerks room because heard so much about
people getting their naturalization papers who were
not entitled to citizenship; so i went down to see
about it. There Henry Rowe and Patrick
Murray who got such papers. | know Murray was
not entitled to citizenship, because he told me the
papers had been brought to him.
| Q.-But how did you know he not entitled to
| them 2 A.-Why. he told me at the time that lie
| hadn't been in the country two months. These
are the only two cases can mention, but that the
papers were being issued in large numbers was the
common talk of the CITY, just as common as the
talk about the The men writing out the ap-
plicatOns were from about Iammany Hall. | WAS
told so BY a man named Williamson. He is dead
now.
Senator McDonald-Oh, that is good Cannot
you give me the name OF a live man who knew of
this A.-Yes, there was James Cough: he told
me Tammany Hall employed him in writing out
these certificates.
Senator Balr-Can you give us the names Of any
others that making out these naturalization
papers, so that the committee may bring them for
ward as Witnessed
Senator McDouald-Now you might leave ont
that about our wanting witnesses.
Senator BlaIr-I don't suppose you do; but why
did you ask with snch evident eagerness for live
witness if you did not want to call him
Ilcs-I could give a good many names, but some of
the men must be dead. There were about fourteen
o fifteen employed in this work and among those
alive ! recoect the names of James Collins. John
Moran. Patrick McCafferv. John Ward and man
named Dougherty. jeremiah Coffee and man named
McCabe also pretty active IN pushing the nat
uralization papers around ! have seen Moran bring
papers over from the Supreme Court to the City
Hall. just as Glf used to do.
SPECIMEN MEN VINO COMMITTED THE FRAUDS.
Senator Blair at this point recalled Mr.. Daven-
port and asked him what he knew Of Jeremiah
Coffee. Mr.. Davenport said Coffee was known rs
Big jerry" He was bad character and often in
trouble. He threw Il a bridge at Nor
wch. Conn, year OF two ago, and afterward es-
capped from the custody of the police. He was now
IN California. In 1868 he was one of the shining
lights of Tanmanv Hall.
Being asked # he knew any more of those en-
ployed in the preparation of these fraudulent natu
ralizatlOn papers, and if he could furnish the com
mittee q list of names, Mr. Davenport said they
were all professional witnesses, and most of them
were living and cOud be found with little difficulty
Senator Bldir-COuld ven furnish the committee
with Inst OF those who could be called
Mr.. Ddveuport-I can prepare list, if the COM
nitfee wishes IT, of from twenty five To 100 of these
witnesses, who would give full and minute informa-
ton of the way these naturalization papers were
senator NcDonald-One word Do Won want r.
summon these witnesses. Senator Blair ? If So put
IL in that way.
Senator Blalr--I will put it in this way, vould
not like II TO lie understood that the rests en-
tirelv ON Nj. Davenport. and il we can 90 further
would like to know how IL can be done. Can you
enporti
Mr. Davenport-I cam and their testimony will
be largely coTroborated by the applications now on
the files of the cOnTts.
Senator McDonald-You have selected the wit
neSsrs TO he examined in regard to rebuttng test-
mony
Mr. Davenport-This committee has examined
witnesses almost entirely without informing me and
without nv presence. When ! was informed that
the opportunity presented itself for such witnesses
awaited myself of 1t anll selected them.
Senator McDonald-Answer my question. Have
not the witnesses produced by the minority been
selected by youf
Mr. Davenport-They certainly have been desir-
mated by me.
TAMMASY's PART ~ THE PROCEEDINGS.
Senator Blalr-llaye there been Tammany Hail
counsel present and apparently suggesting and pro-
ducing witnesses herei A.--Counsel and their
reprcsen tatves have been present and apparently
conducting tho investigation on behalf of the ma
Jointly.
Q.-And the investigation, so far as the majority
is concerned, has been under the conduct of Tam
many Hall rs much as that of the minority has been
under yours Al believe il has.
Senator McDomald-Will YOU undertake to testifv
that Iammany Hall has been represented in tins in
vestigation by counsel assisting the majority I'm
carrying on this investigation Al have an
swered that.
Senator McDonald-If Senator Blair has any
knowledge OF Iammany Hall counsel being here,
have not