New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-30
WASHINGTON NEWS.
A REMARKABLE INVESTIGATION.

HOW FINLEY AND DONNELLY ARE VINDlCAIED-
THE "CoLoNEL's" EXTRAORDINARY TESTIMONY.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRGBUNF.l
WARRINGTON, April 29.-The special committee
appointed by the House to find out who wrote the
anonymous letter Offering Mr., Springer $4,000 tC
vote against Donnelly, in session for six hours
to-day
Mr.. Carlisle, of Kentucky, one Of tho ablest and
most sensible men in the House, presdes over this
oueerest Of all the queer investigations set on loot
by the Democrats since they captured the Capitol
1t is quite evident that Mr. Carlisle does not enjoy
his new dignity. He was absent from the commit
tee room during most of the day. and it is no secret
that ho looks upon this investigation to vindicate'
Donnelly and Finley as most absurd farce.
During the session to-day DOnney sat at one end
of the long table assiduOusy engaged in taking
notes of the testimony, aud IN prompting his chief
counsel, General Bradley j. johnson, who con-
Quoted the examination Of witnesses.
Tho main feature of the days proceedings was
the examination of Colonel" Finley, who ap-
reared rs a witness for DOnnelly. AS witness Mr..
Finley is very cOpiOus and fluent. In the course OF
his examination to-day, Mr.. Finley demonstrated
the fact that he is a man of broad and cOmprchen-
sivc mind. but with painful uncertainty as to de-
tails. AS an example Of tho former, lie testified
that when he spoke, in his letter to Mr. Springer
of our friends in New-York." he meant the Demo
cratic party Ill general, aud not any more indlvld-
ual or coiere Of individuals
IL may possibly be remembered that in the same
connection Mr.. Finley, in that letter, assured Mr..
Snrlnrer that Il have told them-our friends in
Ncw-York-tbat the report would be adopted and
Mr.. Donnelly would b. seated 1T once" No OF
binary man could have " told the whole Democratic
party in New-YOrli" this without somebody else
finding it out. Then again Mr. Finley swore that
by the words =" 1 still hold tho closest and most
confidential relations to those who perhaps por
sonalIy most to be affected by your decision In this
matter" no meant Donnclly's constituents col
lcctiyely.
But in small matters Mr.. Finley is less satisfac-
tory as witness For example, he swurc that his
bull-do2ng letter to Mr.. Springer, which boro tho
date March g, was written latter dinner on Sun
day March T. and was mailed some time after or
i o'clock the same day. When Mr.. Fmlcy's attcn-
ton was called to the fact that tho letter bore te
carriers stamp, March 7. O'Clock ,. No." ho was
at a loss, and simply said, " / cannot understand
it." Again. Mr. Finlcy says that he wrote and
dated tbs letter in his lodgings and that lie lodges
at No. 1.O1S scvcntccnth-st. The letter its,lf,
however is dated al No. 1Ol7 Scycnternih-st. and
that is the number OF house on tho opposite side of
the way.
forgot the day Of the month but also where hC lives.
when he sat down TO reveal to Mr.. Springer the inn
portant fact tlat ho still held tI9 most Close and
collectively and to inform tho same gentleman
that he Qfmlcy) had told the whole Democratic
party in New-York " that Donnely would bc scat ed
Mt once. These examples will serve to
show the kind Of witness Mr.. Finley
is. 1t Appeals from Lis testimony. too,
that he has been one of DOnnelly's counsel ever
since The beginning Of last December. lie kept TINS
90 uuict that no member Of the Elections Commit
tee ever knew IT, and tho records Of the committee
show that DOnnelly himself must have overlooked
the fact. when he in response to Official request
early IN the session. furnished the clerk of that
mittcc with the names of his counsel. lie did not
give Mr.. FmlCys name
Of course, Mr.. Finley did not fail to testify that
lie WAS In no sense representative OF Mr. lildGn.
1t is not probable that the Elections Committee
will 20 on with any contested case before 1t until
thus Investigation * concluded. When that will be.
no one can predict. Witnesses will DO summoned
from Minnesota and probably from Ncw-IOrk and
the work of vindlCaling" outsiders being now
under way, can tell when or where it will
eud.