The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-02
THAT GUANO COMPANY,
MR. BLAlR's CANDID STATEMENT.
Ills Connection With ths compAuy-EI Secretary
Blaine I1oaerated from -Saiph.rd's.
TsstlmonI FiGtiy Contradiet.d-Ths
Senator's Sympathy for Psru.

WASHINGTON, May l.-Senator Blair, O
New Hampshire, appeared before the For
eiga Affairs committee to-day. lie begat
by reading general statement in relation
to the subject under investigation, in eirec
US follows: II know nothing OF the mem
bership OF the Peruvian company e1cep
president Shipherd. lido not know OF m,
member Of either House being in any wa,
whatever connected with It except myself
and my connection with It was purely u.
counsel, with no pecuniary interest what
ever in the company, and with no expec,a
ton whatever OF pecuniary reward"
A statement was then rchtarsed ut some
length on the situation OF affairs in Peru
and Chill, and the witness sympathy 10,
Peru aud desire to prevent her dismem.
berment, which led him to take an in.e-cs.
in the purposes and objects OF the Peruvian
company.
Sometime in August Mr.. Shipherd wrote,
offering witness, as retainer, stock in the
company. Witness replied that he prefer.
red the retainer in money, II he took anv.
Shortly after he (Shipherd) sent witness
some scrip which he subsequently return.
ed for reasons already set forth.
Witness continued: $50 fur us know
the affair OF Shipherl had no influence
whatever upon the policy Of the Govern
meut, and never had the effect to alter or
change it in any conceivable degree"
Witness then alluded to the interview
with Secretary Blaine, which took place on
the 25th and 2Gth Of july, and added az
have no desire to go over in detail what
occurred at those interviews, unless it be
the wish OF the committee that shall do
80. desire to state that l never heard
Shiphetd make any mention in the pres.
encc OF Blaine, or on any other occasion
in my presence, OF his having made m
offer to Minister Hurtbut OF $3.50, 900 worth
OF stock in the Peruvian company; neither
did ever have any correspondence with
Minister flurlbut on the subject OF the
Peruvian company. Wtnesshad received 4
letter from Minister ilurlbut, bu. never an
swered it. In the letter Minister lIurlbut
mentioned having received many conlmu.
nications from Shipherd, and said that he
could not make him (Shipherd) under.
stand that he (llurlbut) could no: nc. in
the matter, excep, on instructions IRON the
State Department.
The witness first saw the Ion: letter Of
Shipherd to Walker Blaine when he saw it
in the printed report oi Shepherds exam
ination before the committee. he had,
however, been requested by Secretary
Blaine to inform Shipherd that he (Blaine)
did not wish him tShipherd) to hold any
correspondence with any suboriina.es Of
the State department, and this desire he
had verbally conveyed to Shipherd.
Witness knew nothing oil the Credit Iu-
dustrlal or their contract with Calleron.
In relation to his (Blair's) letter to Ship
herd in which he says, "you should act as
though American ships OF war were on the
way" witness believed that our Govern
ment ought to consider the kidnapping OF
Calderon breach OF good faith towards
this country, and, while he did rot at that
time entertain the slightest apprehension
OF any war, he had thought it likely that
American ships OF war would be sent to
the South American waters. as the English
ships had already been sent.
Representative Blount stated that he
wished to have Mr.. Blair's statement in
print before proceeding with any further
examination, and the committee then went
into secret session.
Mr. B!aiF's examination will be resumed
on Wednesday pr Thursday next.