The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-03-22
THE PERUVIAN COMPANY.
Shipherd Again Before the Con-
gressional Committee.
ANOTHER HEARING TO BE HAD
TO-DAY.

WASHINGTON, March Zl.-Sh1pherd, accom-
panied by his wife was in attendance this
foreign affairs. The examination was resum-
ed The chairman announced the order
agreed upon by the committee in conducting
the EXAMINATIONS that the chairman would
first question the witness and afterwards each
member of the committee in order would ask
such questions as they might desire; that in
case of objection to any evidence the COM
mittee would consult in secret, but no such
evidence would be taken, except in open Ges-
sion.
in regard to his non-appearance, and asserted
his good faith in the matter. He then sent to
the chairman the certificate of his physician
and desired to be put under oath as to the
facts.
The chairman assured him that they had
now no suspicion Of any trihing or any dis
courtesy on his part.
Shipherd was then requested by the chair to
produce copies of the missing letters Of May
81, %, 81 and June 4.
After looking through several envelopes
Shirherd announced that there must be some
fatality about it. He could not find the letter
of the 21st of May.
The others were found, and after some delay
# was decided to take up the other letters and
allow Shipherd to obtain copy at some future
time.
Shipherd stated that the letter Of Nav 21st,
was addressed to the President, and as he had
been informed by letter from his secretary
j. Stanley Brown was referred to the State
department. The letter of May 18th was then
read. 1t was as follows:
MAY 25th, 1881.
Sir-On the 2lst instant l transmitted to the
President duplicate of the present enclosures
which presume have been or will be referred to
the Department of State. enclose these for Minis.
ter Hurlbut, to be handed him in your discretion
and at the proper time. The copies to the Presi
dent were accompanied with letter Of explanation
shall be glad to be summoned to Washington in
due course before General Hurlbut's and General
Very respectfully, j. R. SH1pHERD.
To Hen. james G. Blaine, Secretary of State.
Shipherd was then asked in regard to the
enclosures alluded to in the letter and stated
that he had not made copies of the enclosures
as the originals were in the State department
He believed the majority, if not all of them,
were in print. The principal enclosure spoken
of was the prospectus of the Peruvian Com
pany. Other enclosures were then / entitled
by Shipherd as they appeared in the printed
volume of correspondence.
The letter of May 31st was then read. 1t
was also addressed to the President and allud-
ed to enclosures which were also found in the
printed correspondence and were identified by
Shipherd.
The letter of June 4th was addressed to the
President and simply called attention to the
enclosure which was the 14-pago letter to Min
lister Hurlbut (already published).
Shipherd was asked by the chairman, Did
you have an interview with Minister Hurlbut
before he left for Peru?''
Answer did.
Shepherds letter to Hurlbut, in which he
asked an interview, was then read, and Ship
herd stated that the morning of May % he re-
ceived a telegram from Hurlbut, the tenor OF
which was:
will be at the Fifth Avenue Hotel Sunday and
Monday. State when an interview with you can be
had. S. A. HURLBUT.
Shepherds letter to Hurlbut arranging for
an interview Monday morning, May Both, was
read.
Shipherd then stated that he met Hurlhut
about 8, as arranged, and after some inter
change of courtesy Hnrlbut began the CONVEX
sation with the abrupt remark, "But Mr.. Ship
herd, your figures are rmousi"
ST replied" said Shipherd, General, I'm
not responsible for the figures or facts Hurl-
but then stated to me that he had been sent to
me to tell me that the President regarded my
case as strong in law and equity as it could pos
sibly be, but that it was unfortunate that Peru
should be in such deplorable condition. He
added that the prime condition on which the
President would consent to act would be that
the claim should be put in such shape that it
would not impose hardship upon Peru but
should be remedial and should enable Peru to
pay her indemnity and get out OF her trouble
with Chill. If that could be done the govern
further said this claim must not be passed up
on Peru in any Shylock spirit. replied that
we expected the United States to assist only if
the affair could command the approval OF every
fair minded man. I asked him If the secretary
of state had given him the papers had alluded
your scheme; am,only telling You what have
been instructed to do In speaking, he never
used the term Secretary of State but always
used the somewhat vague term, the govern
meut, the executive of the United States. He
desired as full an account in writing of my
them with great pleasure. He said, Peru
ought to have help at the earliest moment and
hope you will press your plans as rapidly as
possible"
,Shipherd then made general statement to
the effect that he (Shipherd) never imagined
never intended to do so. He did, however,
feel that it was necessary to prevent Hurlbut
from taking any position which might be vio-
lently opposed to their company. Shipherd
was asked, "Do you think Hurlburt could be
purchased" aud replied, "Most emphatically.
The Chairman-And you proceeded to pur-
chase him?
Answer-No sir, simply to prevent him from
setting himself viciously and determinedly
against us. l recognized the fact that it would
be necessary to assure him it would in the fu-
ture result sdvantageouSly to himself or
Chairman-Then if he acted in good faith
it was your purpose to carry out your part OF
such an arrangement.
Answer-To that extent, yes.
Shipherd was then questioned in regard to
his intercourse With Secretary Blaine and re-
residence in this city on the evening OF July
18th. 1t lasted until late hour and was re-
sumed the next morning"
The chairman asked, Twill you please state
who we're present at the interview"
Shipherd-I am met at this point by an M
because there was present Sena-
tor of the United States.
The chairman replied, "We do not propose
at this time to investigate as to any Senator,
but we are not disposed to refrain from inquir-
ing into the interview because OF the presence
of Senator
Shipherd stated that the interview was ex-
clusively between himself and the Secretary,
the Senator not being present in any sense as
participator in the interview.
On being asked how the interview was
brought about Shipherd replied that it was
owing to the kind offices of the Senator allud-
ed to.
Mr. Belmont asked, "Were you summoned
to Washington by this Senator"
Shipherd again suggested that he was met by
an embarrassment-not that he had personally
any objection, but that he was informed he
should be very careful in an investigation of
tuiS CudrdCt0E III mdhluS AuoutiUu VI AolAoo Va
Senators or members.
The chairman then suggested that he might
give the features of his interview with Blaine,
the other question.
Shipherd then stated that at the interview,
which covered several hours, upon the evening
of July 18th and probably from 10 to - o'clock
on the morning of the 26th, he (Shipherd) be-
gan by giving to the secretary full statement
of the claims of the Peruvian company, and
their merits. The secretary listened with what
seemed to Shipherd great deal more than
merely courteous attention, now and then In
questions showing that he was fol-
lowing every point with care and precision He
suggested some difficulties from legal point
of view, that we Americans had purchased the
claim and expected the United States gov ern-
mont to enforce it against Peru. After full
discussion the secretary asked Shipherd to suy-
gest what was wanted from our government
To this Shipherd in effect replied, "At present
we can ask almost nothing. We cannot 60 in
to court down there until Peru denies the
claim, and until this is done we have no right
to ask our government to interfere. We can
only ask a provisional reply. Peru is now
shipping our guano and is aboutto make an ar
to payher idemnity with our guano.
All we desire is that an official notification be
sent to both Chilli and Peru that there is an
American title asserted to that guano, and that
whoever takes it will do so with the notice OF
that assertion. The secretary replied 'That is
not asking much"
After this matter had been fully described
n1nw latw fA fIA q