National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-08
Gibson and His Trade.

When :" the broad nature of the Presi-
dent sank sentiment" as a correspondent
felicitously expressed it, and heartily ap-
proved the appointment Of A. NJ. Gibson,
late of the New York Sun, as an assistant
in the Department of Justice to prepare
evidence" in the star-route investigation,
he may or may not have been fully
aware of the part Gibson played in 1878
as a "preparer Of evidence" II he kept
the run of the proceedings of the Potter
investigating committee he knew that
there was much testimony to show that
Gibson was in the lead of a gang most ex-
pert in the business, preparing evidence
to show to that committee that Hayes
was fraud and Tilden MARTYR
]. S. Dula swore before the subcom-
mittee at New Orleans that he arranged
with the Tilden side to swear falsely in
their interest for $500. He arranged this
with one Weber, a renegade Republican,
who told him that the money was COM
ing from a man sent from New York on
that business. Gibson turned out to
gagged on Tilden's business. He was
operating with Weber. When Dula told
this story on the witness stand it alarmed
Gibson, who appealed to one st. Mar
tin in reference to it. This man st. Mar
tin was very useful person. He was
employed in Louisiana as deputy SER
geant-at-arms of the United States House
of Representatives to subpoena witnesses
for the committee. The man Weber had
selected him and brought him to Gibson
& Co. and the committee. He could find
the witnesses that were wanted, and
could bring them to the Sun commit
tee to be prepared before reaching the
congressional committee. This officer of
the House of Representatives, S. II. st.
Martin, does not agree with Mr.. Gibson
as to what passed between them at the
time that Dula made the revelation above
described. Gibson swears he asked St.
Martin whether Dula's statement con-
tanned any truth, and that he replied that
it did not. But st. Martin declares under
oath that Gibson took him outside of the
room and paid him $500 to go upon the
stand Immediately and swear falsely in
contradiction of Dula's testimony. There
is much of this sort of testi-
mony. Of course Gibson denied having
bribed witnesses. He confesses, however,
to have been in such company as Mad
dox, Weber, ST. Martin, and the like, re-
ceiving from Maddox, in advance of the
examination of witnesses, the evidence
they were to give, written on slips of
paper. The Republican members of the
Potter rcommittee-Hon. J. D. Cox, of Ohio,
T. B. Reed, of Maine, and Frank Hiscock,
of New York-were fully convinced that
witnesses were bought and perjury
suborned ad EbiIum before the Potter
committee and, as Gibson superintended
the preparation of evidence, no room is
left for doubt as to who they regarded as
guilty of the work. They say in their
minority report:
When also we take into consideration the testi-
mony of Dula, Swayze, and St. Martin as to the
bribery and systematic Subornation Of perjury
which went on in New Orleans VIC cannot but
appreciate the futility of summoning other wit
nesSes to pass through the same corrupting chan
neiS.
The President and his advisers may
regard the employment of Mr.. Tilden's
agent of 1878 to conduct an investigation
into alleged wrong-doing in the public
service as decent and proper. The public
may, under the excitement ofthe time, be
Indifferent. Butthat malignant, partisan
Democrat, himself accused of subornation
of perjury, and admittedly the busy TO-
mentor of the revolutionary investiga-
ton of 1878, should be selected to get up
evidence to bolster upa case made in the
newspapers in advance Of knowledge as
to facts, will form chapter of infamy In
the history of the Government by which
the administration of James A. Garfield
will chiefly be remembered.