Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-03-18
The State Seal.


The Committee on the State Seal had a
session "Wednesday morning for the purpose
of examining L. \. Sawyer, recently deputy
Secretary of State. Mr.. SAWYER appeared
before the committee. Mr.. HAYES. chair
man. ASKED him the question. Are YOU
ready TO testif, ~ Mr.. Sawyer replied
No. / believe I have considered the mat
tiers carc.all, and weighed the question. !
think snail adhere TO NV former position.
Nr iiawes-"Ghat Is, you refuse to testify"
Sawyer-"lt might be construed that way.
perhaps" llaWes-"Well, that j. the an
sMer. j. il >" SaVNer-"lcs. sir" IaweS-
''lou NAV consider Yourself in the custody
of the messenger of the House while We re-
port to the House for instructions" SAWYER
i viii consider 1t and STAY about here.
The committee voted 20 report these facts TO
the House at once and ASA for instructions.
At SD o'clock L. NJ. L. \. SAWYER was
brought before the bar OF the House. and
upon his stating tina; he did not consider the
committee before which he had been sum
moned as appointed rs body legally or
cons;itutionally organized. and was still un-
willing TO testify he was rrmandcd To the
custody Of the Messenger. The resolve
under which he was committed provides thar
he he CLOSELY kept and confined until the
further orders Of the House. OF until he shall
purge himself Of contempt"
Thursday evening. Mr.. Halves. received
communication from Sawyer. stating that he
still held 10 hi former position not to
recognize the Legislature a legal Legs
lature. For hi, arrest and confinement he
should immediately institute proceedings
against the proper party. Lest his silence
should he misconstrucd, he was ready TO APP
pear before the committee and answer under
protest any proper questions which might he
put to him. The committee sent word that
they would be in session day morning at
O'Clock
Frida, morning SAWYER appeared before
the Committee. The following conversation
took place between SAWYER and Mr. HAYES
Of the committee:
Hawe>-Mr. SAWYER. are YOU ready to
answer all questions that the committee may
ask ,ou2
SAWYER will answer all proper ques-
iions a. indicated in nv communication Of
last evening, which probably YOU have on
record
llavc,-lour letter Will not 20 on record:
YOU are simply TO answer this question; are
You ready 10 testify or are YOU not
>aWNer-"l want 70 consider that a mo
mcnj" lie then withdrew 10 consult with
hi counsel. and immediately returned and
SAID; = am NO" ready /" testify and an
NNef any proper questions 'ha' NAV he
asked d" 'hi> 70 "''apH>e 'A' paoiI'
NINA "i any l"e" 'lia' possess lh'oTinAl"h
".a'h az" ~. Nt4'- /" give WISH q"
Ic''eN' iht>eH nom aI' a>ler'i"nN 'Aa' nave
,e'h 'a>' upon my 'Ai anu iur more
! am uliaei imprisonment ana "ish I" b'sre
Hc'ta- SAWYER 'h'n a'hrIn'H' c''.lhlng t'
be sworn ana proceeded 4" answer tht quc>-
tons put 10 him hN y t. hf@d'irec' and
Senator lia"e>.
>kWYIE'S TE>TiNoNN-
H., testified that be held ib,. off;.r ofD,r
Ut, Secretary Of State under Garc,lan; his
o,frs a, D,r,u,y r>n,-.E am ,H. I-,h .,
Isuuar, 1NSi,. h, Va. elected D., ,b,, g..
considered ia, LEGAL I..,i.l,,i,r, az ,h, Sat,
Secr,,ar, on the lG,b u Jan and ,o,l anB
subscribed TO the oath 81 Office which NJ.
appro,ed b, smith. Council. h, claimed
Tia, he !, >til Secretary of State. nj, ,ic,,,,,,
he did no, lo>e exclusive char, Of III.
records. Statc seal. A.. IN. returns II ,b,.
S.n,rul.r election came INTO the ofhrs and
W,r,. t.kru 10 the eucro.>5ug room l..lov
III, Secrr;ar, 81 State. otic. tho r,,,,rp.
w,r, under control ~ H.. S..rrta-, 81 Stat.
h,..ua. IN rharuc Of ib, o,Tisc a. ,ir,... ,.,,
tie. ui.-b, ub,n tho R,nubiir,r. ucn. ,r,.
tb,. ono, b. took ava, f,r ,af.r, tho Sat.
+ >,,l Ar..,o IN. lunwl.dre no ,rp. Raj
. i,,n aiken or zen, from The. off;c, f.rng,p,
oD,- : .a,, ,b, I.. ~ d,,r,,,p..,,,. h.. ,g.rl
am, when ,'i,. Fusion ,..i.I,,.tr,. ,J;o,,rn
,i to Wa,rr >,r,,.. HI, al me-. ,tirL r..
au, record. ar other .,-sr..r., w., ,ni..i,,..
fr1p tho S,cr,,.r,'. afrr,-. 5griu, H..
S4,uria, after be Ler.n,, >or-,,,r, i, r,.-
moved the seal and other State proi5erf, 10
! IA. oiFre he had established ON N7.sr s.-,-..,
+ to ker, ,s,n il, ,,,>se..;o- b.. ,.s;r,rs b,,.
iuy proner authority. and ken, rb, seal
+ dircc;ly in HI, possession. the return. ucr..
no; all taken from the State House .o1r.e
return. were in III, hands orCol. Char.cs r.
Morta. and Senator Ps,trn. SOM, r,-tirr,
F were In the II. Of Cant K. W. BLACK some
other, might. have lad sor,r p.rf of,A.
+ prouerty; nr Martin had som, in. IN. NOS.
/ session. though he though, pr Martin ..lu-,
F know what va, in the uarka,c>. He ma,
/ have consulted IL. IN VIA, vol,ll bc .,f,. m
the nre-si.e. as Il, h.. li.,,o.i,;,,, ~ ,,yo,.y,,
I Gov, had advised him a. ~. TIA, .,rc-,.--,
F The Republicans had thrfa,su,d 10 brcsk
ht thought thc most valuable I..NG IL iLe