National Republican., 1881-10-25
AmdnrIt or nrnInmln VI. rInml,.

Amdnvii or B~n Inmin N. PInn,b.
b. Nj. Plumb, of the city and county of
New York, being duly sworn, deposes and says:
That on OF about the 9th day of October, 1881,
MT. Erastus Wiman came TO the office Of the com.
pany OF which am president, and stntod that he
was the president of the Great Northwestern Tele.
graph Company controlling every mile Of tele-
representing the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany; that there were certain documents
or papers in existence belonging to the
Mutual Union Telegraph Company, copies
OF which the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany aud himself were extremely dcsroiis of pos
sesSing, and certain other information they de-
sired to obtain. 1askcd him what were the docu.
ments and information they desired, and he told
me mat ono document was the contract for the
construction OF the lines Of the Mutual Union Tee-
graph Company, and any information rejecting
npon The management OF the Mutual Union Tee-
graph company or the private character or busi-
iss ,bst o 'e % olneeTS hereoi tnsn stated 70 nm
company, and also q clerk in the employ of John
g. Moore 4 Co.. contractors for the construction Of
the lines of the Mutual Union Telegraph Company,
who might help him get information, II he would
consent to do so. He asked II this clerk could
probably get nt the papers of the firm aud stated
possess himself Of the original OF said
contract and make and deliver copy
the clerk was found ont and discharged IN consc-
quence Of his acts, furnish him employment Mt n
CONDENSATION equal to that he was then receiving
also pay me $500 II the copy was obtained was
nstounded that Mr. Wiman should make such a
proposition TO me, but did not let my surprise he
now IN the employ Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company. aud formerly
OF llio Mutual Union Telegraph Company, had,
previous 10 Mr. Wiman's coming 10 my Office us
aforesaid, been TO me- and, after asking me many
questions touching the Mutual Union Telegraph
Company said there was certain Information
that he thought | possessed wanted by "a big
man." and that he would bring said man to my
was sought after, humorcd baker In this, and
when Mr.. Wimnn came, as above, said Baker ac-
| companicd him.
Mr. wimnn also stated to me that one OF the rca-
sons for their desiring to get possession of these
papers and facts was to endenvor TO create n stink
here here IN the newspapers IN New York - nnd this
Company, for the purpose of impniring their
credit nnd deterring The public from paying
tion here they could, by publishing the same In
Canada. as they should. make such feeling against
the Mutual Union Telegraph Company there
as that It's Canadian alliance (callcd the Canada
Mutual Telegraph Company would be unable TO
get any subscriptions In Canada for the said last
named company's uses lie stated that the Cana
dlans were Il peculiar people, and that when the
disnnCction he proposed 10 produce here in the
public prints and otherwise was accomplished
the Canadian people would not touch the matter
of subscribing to said Canada Mutual Tele-
graph Company's purposes. He also stated
that they had already got two or three OF
Mutual Union Telegraph Company TO Join them,
and that these men would refuse 10 pay any more
assessments upon what they had already sub
scribed for and claim back the moneys already
paid thereon. He also stated that he was pursuing
information as TO the previous private character,
matters, and business Of the officers Of said
Mutual Union Telegraph Company.
Mr.. Wiman then left my Office saying he should
call and see me the next day. and requested me
20 see what couldbe done. The following day Mr..
and LEFT upon my desk his card and ut subse-
g,ient hour again called and found me In.
s then showed bnS ms some
swer to his correspondence in relation to
the previous character and business Of the officers
Of said Mutual Union Telegraph Company. He
stated that they had caused the records Of the Dis
trict of Columbia TO be searched for any papers
concerning the Mutual Union Telegraph Com
pany or Its general officers, and found nothing Of
any importance. Upon leaving Mr.. wiman said
he would call again upon the following morn
ing. He so called, and requested me to offer
of John G. Moore & Co. $3.50 to purloin said
contract and make and deliyer copy thereof.
Mr.. Wiman said that he would be Wiling If nee.
essary, to pay more than that sum. He then
showed to me draft Of communication which
he:had written the night previous TO be signed he
stated, with some possible modification, by Mr..
Edwin Lord, which Communication was to be sent
TO Mr.. George W. Ballou, with whom he stated that
Mr.. Lord had some time previous subscribed for a
large amount of bonds Of said Mutual Union Tele-
graph Company. He also showed me an opinion
signed by - Brown, Of tho firm OF Beach &
bBpSSwhn baS h attorneys reSpeetins sn6ssrPons which which
Telegraph Company. He also, at this interview,
stated that the attorneys, whom he had Just seen
were preparing the papers against the Mutual Union
Telegraph Company in u suit which they were
getting Mr. Edwin Lord TO bring for a bill OF
discovery to bring into court the said contract for
the construction of the lines Of the Mutual Union
Telegraph Company, but which suit they would
not of course. fife III they conld possess themselves
OF a copy OF the contract referred to- He
of the first issue of the Mutual Union
Telegraph Company, and one OF the subsequent
issue, and ten shares of the stock Of said Mutual
Union Telegraph Company, which stock they
should transfer to Mr.. Edwin Lord, thereby max
ing him n stockholder, as well as a subscriber to
said compeny's bonds, and thereby making a
better showing In the coming suit against said
Mutual Union Telegraph Company, to be brought
IN the name, of said Edwin Lord. told
him thought he would shortly be able to
get from said clerk in the office OF John G. Moore
Co. q copy of the said contract for the considcra
tions before stated; that was informed that the
said clerk had possession OF the keys to the safe in
said Moore Co.'s office on Saturdays while the
cashier OF said company was ordinarily out OF the
city, that the clerk would have topurlon the same
from said iron safe In order to make the copy de-
sired. MT. Wiman acquiesccd In this. and told me
II was Of the greatest Importance to his company,
and 10 offer the clerk more money than the amount
before stated, II necessary, to get the document.
Mr.. Wiman stated to me at the above inter-
view that IN filing the suit Of said Lord against
relied almost entirely for their grounds upon the
y y ihe employ Of ne Western Union Telegraph
paI Gf Union reeFaph as hsmPe5Sx ne
would send me a copy Ola report Mr. Baker had
made to him of the condition Of certain lines OF
the Mutual Union Telegraph Company which
service; l told him that l understood that
Mr. Baker had made official reports of
his inspection q the Mutual Union Tsls:
said inspections, and had reported In the most
favorable terms upon them as to their poles. wire,
Insulation, and construction. Mr.. Wiman said:
"Oh, my II that Is the case, we ruined in our
suit. II the Mutual Union Telegraph Company
possess report of Baker favorable TO the con-
mediatey out Of court" and % added So words i' 70
the effect that they would make a laugh
ing;stock of themselves. / stated that the
G. Moore g. Co. could no doubt get him copies
Of said reports Of the inspection of the lines Of the
Mutual Union Telegraph Company made by said
Inspector Baker. He begged me 70 endeavor TO get
the same, laying stress upon the line between New
York and Boston, as he said that in the first oircu-
larissued by tho Mutual Union Telegraph Company
forpacing It's bonds Il assured the pbicthat itwas
building good and substantial lines Of telegraph,
at which time IL had already constructed said line
report of said inspector, Baker, TO the Mutual
Union Telegraph Company, of the said lines be-
tween tho cities of New York and Boston, which
read entirely to said Wiman the following AFTER
noon, and furnished a complete copy thereof
to Mr.. Wiman. The report commended
6na 5hs sSia Lines in he higheSt degree
astounded, as he said Baker had stated to him an
entirely different state of facts, and Mr. Wiman
said that he had some time previously sent out
twenty-five letters TO different parties IN the coun
try naming. among others, Mr. ], Tllinghast, of
Buffalo Thomas Roache, superintendent of the
Western Union Telegraph Company at Boston;
that he had received answers to part of them,
and that his faith In Bakers statements TO him
was very much shaken, from the fact that
every response he had received from said
communications was in the highest degree favor.
able as TO the thoronRhness of the construction Of
the lines Of the said Mutual Union Telegraph
samples of the wire TO be sent here which samples
OF wire had been pronounced by experts TO be Of
the very best aud that unfortunately all that they