The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-20
sH1pHERD BRowBEArs THE ooMMrrrEH

/
sHIPHERD BRowBEATs THE COMMITTEE.
Since Cakes Ames brandished his memo
rantlum book, there has been no more dis
graceful spectacle than the anxiety exhib-
ited on Wednesday by a majority of the
House Investigating committee to limit
Shipherd's revelations. After twice. treat
ing the committees subpoena with con
tempt, Shipherd threw Mr.. Kasson and
other pretended Investigators into panic
by demanding how wide scope they wish
ed him to give his disclosures, intinating
that letters written by members of Con-
grsss could be produced if necessary,
Forthwith the committee went into secret
session, the result OF which was an order
again postponing the examination until
Saturday, and practically leaving Shipherd
to decide for himself whether letters from
Congressman would be pertinent to the
subject of Inquiry
From the outset of this investigation
Shipherd has displayed a cool assurance
which cannot easily be explained except
upon the theory that he knew himself TO
have some hold on members of the COM
Inittee, or on their friends in the House.
He seems to have acted on the conviction
that the inquiry was meant to be farce,
and that any of his suggestions tending to
delay or circumscribe it would be eagerly
adopted Thus far his confidence has been
completely justified. He was ordered to
appear before the committee ON Saturday,
March IL, and produce certain papers
named in the subppna-one category of
documents, to wit, letters written by him.
self, to be represented BY copies, and
the other to consist of the origi-
nal letters received by him from
Il It'd, h. h.
time between the date of receiving this
subpoena and March IL, in which to make
transcripts of his efice copies of the let
tiers sent to him by MIR. Blaine and others,
and had this time proved inadequate. he
would have fully obeyed the committees
Injunction by exhibiting the Office copies
themselves. His excuse that he felt I'M
willing to confide such valuable papers to
the mails is shallow and brazen pretext,
for nothing hindered him from bringing
them in a bag, which need never have left
his hand. 1t was no concern of the COM
mittee in what way the witness obeyed
their orders, SO long as the orders were
punctually complied with. Yet Shipherd
had merely to put forward on Saturday
this ridiculous apology for disregarding
their subpoena. when a majority of the
at once voted to give him the adj
time desired. They could not
have shown more respectful and eager
Difference To his wishes If they had had al
lotments of the script of the Peruvian
Company in their ceat pockets.
Shipherd asked for an adjournment un-
til Wednesday, but when the day came
his documents were still withheld upon the |
same frivolous pretext The proper course |
TO be taken under such circumstances was
forthwith to impriSon the witness for con-
tempt until he had caused the papers in |
question to be forwarded to Washington.
But before MIR. Rice and Mr.. Belmont, who |
manifestly have nething to fear from this /
inquiry, could reflect with asperity on the |
conduct of the witness, Ship /
herd proceeded to turn the tables on the |
committee by subjecting them TO some |
and sinister interrogatories. He |
would like them to explain, be said, the |
language of the subpoena, which, although |
apparently framed to cover only the State /
Department and members of the diplomaticl
md consular service, contained the clause, /
and all letters from other United Stsses
.bfcials-v How, asked this singularly cool
md collected witness, do you propose to I
,onstrne the phrase United States
oficials9" For coneeivably, he added, /
here may have been correspondence with
Members of Congress Mr.. Williams, the I
Chairman OF the committee, felt himself
Incompetent to deal on the spur of the
moment with this unpleasant question,
md turned It over nervously to Mr. Rice,
Who, he said, had formulated the subpoena.
1r. Rice replied, in q straight forward
way that did him credit, that the commit
ee had meant Shipherd to produce all the
ctters received from the broad class known
IS United States officials, and unquestion-
Fl limo Of Il
This construction of the subpoena was
y no means agreeable to Mr.. Kasson, who
It once moved to eject from the room the
representatives of the press and confer
ecretly with Shipherd touching the nice
'oint mooted After this edifying confer
nee had lasted more than an hour the
ommittee issued the following order, defn-
ng the subpoena's meaning, and carefully
efraining from demand for any letters
vritten by Congressman. although dscis.
on on this head was the sole object OF the 3
eeret deliberations. The witness shall !
roduce, runs the order, copies of all cor
dependence addressed to any United !,
tates Minister or officer OF the State
department. touching the subject matter Of
he inquiry; all letters addressed to wit
ess by such officers and relating thereto, +
nd all correspondence passing between
be aforesaid which throws light on the
abjeet matter of the inquiry; all other cor
and copies Of correspondence
j his possession sehich tend TO sh0sc angI
,Eatso1 Of such officers to the business frans-
ctsoas referred 70 IN The resosaaions. Thel
lost cursory comparison of this order
it'll the original subpoena win show how
rossly the majority of the committee have
layed into Shepherds hands, by relegat~
Ia TO HIM the power OF determining what