Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-24

he would have token it.
Bangs-Are YOU at liberty to state the con-
versation YOU had with the President about
the L. S. Senatorial contest here?
Q.-What was said?
Ale simply asked me whether l knew
ANYTHING about whether Conkling and Platt
were to be candidates.
Odd he express strong desire that
that they should be re elected.
Ale did not. He has expess no wish
or desire upon this senatorial question. l
had no authority from the President to offer
the L. S. Marshal to Strahan. l acted in the
matter simply at the request of Mr.. Knox.
I believe Strahan's name would be confirmed
if Knox recommended him.
Odd the President ask .'who was Stra-
ham," when you mentioned his name:
Ayes sir he thought 1 meant Mr.. John
H. Starin of New York. l had no further
conversation with him. He said ''good bye
a moment later cutting our conversation
short or l would have told him that Strahan
was State senator.
Q--Do you remember saying anything to
Strahan about his name being preferred to
others for the office of marshal?
Al don't remember. Strahan said to
me that in case l accept the nomination will
it be expected of me to support some other
parties than Conkling and Plat. I answered
presume so. did not suppose when met
him at Union League Club rooms that night
that he was friendly to Conkling and Plat.
l know he voted against the latter in the eau
Gus last winter.
Q.-Do you remember asking Strahan if
Gardiner was "a Conkling man?
Al never asked hira any such a question
Mr. Knox is very warm friend of Gen. Ar
thur. thought from knox's manner that he
desired to please Arthur, and further that
the President did not desire that any act of
his should be construed as meaning to make
war on Conkling. From the party standing
of Gardiner he would have some influence
over Strahan.
l don't know as GARDENERS name was men,
toned. With this fact in view, | am conf
dent Knox asked me to see Strahan and urge
this position upon him. | told Strahan his
name had been mentioned for a position. He
asked me if Conkling and Plat would be
the candidates, and if l had heard of it in
Washington. | told him that had not heard
of any such thing and thought they would
not be candidates. The request to let the
matter lay over till morning came from Stra-
han solely. 1t did not come from me. 1t
was Strahan who said that Gardiner should be
spoken to about matters. 1t was my sug-
gestion that matters be kept private and con-
fidential.
He continued: am not able to account
for the dispatch which appeared in the World
on this subject. About three or four lines of
the dispatch was correct, and that was, he
had been offered the place and declined it.
The fact was that he had been asked if he
would accept the place if it was rendered to
him.
BrOoks-Mr. Strahan in his testimony
says you said: Il am with the President in
this fight, and am authorized to ask you to
accept the Mashalship rendered. Did you
say this:
A.-Not exactly in those words.
Q.-Was you authorized to make a tender
of this office:
Ayes, sir.
After some further brief and unimport-
ant testimony, the counsel on both sides
announced that they had no further evidence
to offer.
+. A. Carpenter said that there were some
discrepancies in the testimony of Davenport
and Strahan which it would be well to have
expressed if possible, and Senator Strahan
took the witness stand and denied GER
tain of Davenport's statements, and detailed
the conversation as given by him in his first
examination.
Chairman Scott announced that the COM
mittee desired to hear the counsel sum the
evidence.
Bangs said that he did not care about sum-
ming up unless the other side wanted to-
Smith did not think that much light could
be thrown upon the case by summing up.
lie did not believe what he could say would
change the opinion of single member of
the committee. 1t was agreed not to sum up
the case.
The committee then went into executive
session and subsequently adjourned.