New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-11
TESTIMONY IN A SICK-ROOM
THE PERUVIAN INQUIRY IN THIS CITY.

subcommittee Of the House Committee on Foreign Al
fairs yesterday gathered in the bedroom OF hoDo' "
Randall. at the NewYork Hotel to take us testimony
regarding the Chill Peru complications hr h~hua'
| ho,s hro,,or ~ exspeaker Randall lay on wide,
low bod in the middle Of the the palor OF ms aco
wing with the whteness Of the pillows. his 'rieu anu
embroidered shirt showed the left SIDE his MONOGRAM
| worked i'm blue silk. Around nm were groupcu 'no
committee Chairman Kasson sitting nj the SICK man .
| head and Representatives Dunnell Belmont ana WI
~ a., tho order riyen Perry Belmont did not have the
long penholder that played prominent part In the tac
tcs used by him examining eISecreary Biaihe pu'
he held pencil instead and the questions he nsked Mr.
Randall written out on paper BEHIND the COM
| mittee was circle OF reporters, While si''ihs
in the doorway that opened into adjoining ROOM tne
| graceful feIre OF Mrs Randall with her golden-Drown
hair and pretty nxiousookng face, made an agree
able background to the picture. On stand 10 ho Io
of the invalid were punches OF red and whte oseS'
! RaDdalrs examination consumed an hotr III" '
and then adjourned until to-day 10 allow n"n "
rest.
Mr. Randall testified that he was employed ms counsel
first for the Credit iudustre Company and subsequently
| for the Compagnie Financiere ct Commemorate du
Pacifque He personally knew Levi Morton, Miaister
10 France, the late General Hurlbut, and the late
| General Fitzpatrick
"Right here Mr. Randall" said Chairman Kasson, I
will AK you Had any Of those gentlemen business In
terests Chill Peru when they were appointed to
| their respective posts - ,,, a., ,,os.
|
ain Cl,-Peruyian matters, except in their diplomatic
capaclpy Ar ,,ortor had No hps,ness connection
MI Randall-He had 40 conn ctiOn whatever. eXcept.
ing that of his frm Morton, Bliss CO., with the Cret
lndusirie contracts which you nave seen published IN
the newspapers. But with your permission would IKE
to state distinctly my connection WIN ,1 om
pany and also the representative the bondhoders OF
Peru Those bonds have been SOLD and the proceeds pad
to Peru expended in internal improvements prlnci
paly the construction OF railroads These Donuhouers
are scattered throughout France, Holland and Belgium:
| hod mr. IN al
of the guano and nraes produced IN Peru IS sed III
Franco Those 1 represented had no knowledge OF or
any connection with any claim against Peru refer
particularly to the Cochet and the Landreau claims Nor
| have any sympathy with Smpherd or the PERUVIAN
| Company.
| MORTON BLISS & co. NOT APPROACHED FIRST.
ain September, 1880" the witness resumed, "when
was counsel for the Credit industrial, was requested
among other things-they having contract with the
Peruvian Government for the sale of all guano and nj
trates produced Peru subject to two small contracts
which on their expiration TO revert TO usl-o sc
cure frstcass substantial agency in New-York for the
disposal Of guano and nrates in the United States MY
mission was Joint from the bondholders committee
and two French companies Iney suggcsltu TO me
the of Morton Bliss Co.. because they had been
in nego iaton for SIX months with Morton, isose * oo
of London did nothing In the matter at that tme ar
necessity for an agency IN TINS COUNTRY Try
country and repeated the request OF my chents thA
| this was January or February lSSl Under lnese
second instructions applied TO Maitland Phelps Co.
and lad he matter before Mr. Phelps He showed a
disposition to take the matter in hand but SAID he must
-
| ceived a note from Mr. Phelps. The date Is May ~,
ISL stated that on consul alton his Irln dld not
wish to take the agency as 1t would lnYoIse tne under
taking OF u business by them ana moreover, they
did not think my conpensatIon suincle ,, mama.
ha, ia a similar Sort OF business TO that which
| witness was proposing. The witness found out
| afterward that the financial portion OF INC
| by Morton. Bliss & Co. He saw, IN company with ~
sarez George Bliss, OF the latter rm and after several
interviews was reached carry III June
! never Mr.. Morton at any Of there lnervlews
said the witness; understood lie was absent from the
Mr Randall stated that he represented in these nego-
tiaons both the Credit industre ana the fnanciere d
Commercials du Pacque toe latter P1ing Il Drahcn OF
the former July g. 1881 he visited Pans IN connec
| that his clients lad made arrangement with L.
l. a II. Gaueau Co., Paris house, with branches IN
nirates Peru 10 the several markets After dis-
cussng the matter the French COMPANIES agreed Rdi
made with Mr.. Bliss. There was delay III concluding
tha CONTRACT because Morton Bliss Co had repre-
sentative in Europe the French companies being 0ath
10 execute any paper that could MOI be simultaneously
Was arranged aud on August 20 1881 the papers
ali signed on Inc part OF Gauteau Co and Morton
| can firm directly with the Credit lndustrel
MR. MOTION NOT CONNECTED WITH THE con-
| TRACT
Mr. Kassou-state If at any time during these negoa-
tons up to signing OF the contract MI Morton had
| anv personal connection with tine matter.
Mr. Randall-shortly after Mr. Morton reached Paris
called on him and Informed him of the negotiations He
very politely, but very emphaticaly said: That Is
matter you have been conducting with Mr.. Ess. pre-
fer for many reasons that 1t should continue So l. In
fact don't want know any thing about the matter
Those are almost his identical words Subsequently |
asked Mr.. Morton to write Oat for me- III his nrm 3
ciuher some cable messages 10 Morton, Bliss q Co.,
winch wished send arding certain details OF the
conract-they related TO freight ana insurance lie did
So; often think only three or four times
Mr. Kasson-Were any of the terms Of the contract adj
Mr. RandaIl-No sir And ] understood from we'll
informed persons Paris that MI Morton really kne"
nothing about the matter - . .
About August II, 1881, Mr. Randall said. his clients
demanded hat duration OF the contract be fixed in
s PROVISIONS They argued that, II the United States
failed TO intervene to secure order In Peru, Norton Bliss
a Co might not care for them. and III that
there gh be diicuy III getting another firm In their
place to act as agent. Accordingly memorandum or
"aunek was added the original contract, stipuat-
ing if the United states fail 10 mediate to secure
peace between Peru and Chl tIe contract should be
Terminated after SIX years nom GATE. -,
Mr.. Bemont-rne memorandum Is the only part of the
contract which refers TO mediation
Mr.. Randal-1es sir
MI Randall-In further answer to Mr. Belmont will
say provision Of the contract was made at the
Sir Kasson-W hat period of time did the negotiations
| Mr. Raudall-They began in May, 1881, and ended
| sometime IN OciODer.
| Mr. Kasson--Were they begun before Mr.. Morton was
| appointed Minister to France
Mr. Randall-No, sir; afterwaid. l have learned
that he appointed in March.
Mr. kasSOn-Had MI Morton examined tne contract
| on the memorandum
| MI Randall-Never, to my knowledge.
| POSITION OF THE MINISTER TO FRANCE.
| MI Kasson-Did you ask Mr.. Morton 10 his
influence on the subject with the Government
| Mr. Randall saw Mr. Morton at the request OF DR..
Rosas the representative of Peru in Paris, to ask him
for his good Offices the recognition Of Dr. Rosas
by President Grevy. Mr.. Morton declined TO do so. At
suDsequent interview with President Grevy, MI Nor
ton TOOK that the United States
had recognized the Calderon Government why should
MOI France recognize ROsas the French Government
mi fe SLATE