Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-02
BlAIR'S BELIEF.
His Statement Of His Connection with
ShiphPrd.

WA~HISGTOS May l,-SenatOr Blair APP
pearcd before the Foreign Affairs Commit
tee, to-day, and began by reading general
statement in relation to the subject under
investigation, in effect as follows:
Il know nothing of the membership Of
the Peruvian Company except President
Shipherd. do not know of any member
Of either House being in any way whatever
connected with il except myself, and my
connection with it was purely as counsel,
with no pecUniary interest whatever in the
company, and with no eNceptatiOn what
ever of peCuniary reward" The statement
then rehearsed. at some length, the Situa-
tion of affairs in Peru and Chill, and the
writer's sympathy for Peru and desire
TO prevent her dismemberment, which led
him to take an interest in the purposes
and objects of the Peruvian Company.
Sometime in August Shipherd wrote,
offering witness as retainer stock
in the company. The witness replied
that he preferred retainer in money if he
took any. shortly after he Shipherd) sent
the witness some scrip, which he subSe-
quently returned for reasons already set
forth.
, The witness continued; $50 far as know
the affair of Shipherd had no influence
whatever upon the policy Of our Govern
mCnt, and never had the effect TO alter or
change it in any conceivable degree
The witness then alluded to the inter.
views with Secretary Blaine, which took
place the 18th and 26th of July, and added:
IL have no desire TO 20 over in detail what
occurred at those interviews, unless it be
the wish of the Committee that | shall do
so. | desire to state that | never heard
Shipherd make any mention, in the pres
enCe Of Blaine, or on any other occasion in
my presence, OF his having made an offer to
Minister Hurlbut of S25n,OuO stock in the
Peruvian Company: neither did ever have
any correspondence with Minister Hurlbut
on the subject of the Peruvian Company.
Witness received letter ,f~";-- "TlIh"t
but never answcIri It. in the letter Hurl-
but mentioned having received many COM
muniCations from Shipherd, and said he
could not make him, Shipherd, understand
that he. Hurlbut, could not act in the mat
ter except on instructions from the state
department.
Witness first saw the long letter ot Ship
herd to Walter Blaine when he saw it IN the
printed report of ShipherdS examination
before the committee. lie had, however
been requested by Secretary Blaine to in
form Shiphcrd that he, Blaine, did not wish
him. Shipherd. to hold any correspondence
with any Subordinates OF the State depart
ment and this desire he had verbally con-
veyed to Shiphcrd.
Witness knew nothing OF the Credit In
dnstrial or their contract with CaldcrOn. In
relation to his, Blair's. letter to Shipherd,
in which he says: You should act as
though American ships OF wa. were on the
wav." Witness believed our government
onght to consider the kidnapping OF Calde-
ron a breach of good faith towards this
country, and while he did not at that time
entertain the slightest apprehension Of any
war, he thought it likely an American ship
of war would be sent to South American
waters as English ships had already been.
Representative Belmont stated he wished
to have Bairs statement in print before
proceeding with any further examination,
~ d the committee went into secret session.
b aine's examination will he resumed We'd
nesday or Thursday.