Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-25
the sHIPHERD lMvEsTIeATlon.
NJ. Blaine Testi6es Before the Conn
mittee.
ne Nakes q General DeRial Of ShipAerd'a
Stssew~nfs Gnd Gires . FSu lar
planation.
WASHINGTON, April q.

WASHINGTON, April a.
Ex-Secretary Blaine appeared before the
foreign affairs committee, this morning. in
the Shipherd investigation, and there was
large crowd in attendance.
He was sworn and chairman Williams put
the inquiries.
Do YOU know Jacob r. Shipherd? Have
you read his testimony?
The witness replied do. l have read
his testimony and endeavored to understand
it.
Blaine then asked the resolution authoriz-
ing the investigation to be read, which was
done.
Blaine then stated in substance he never
saw or knew of the letter in the state depart
ment, until Shipherd was introduced to him
(Blaine) by Senator Blair. Until then he
never had seen the man nor heard of him
until the 25th of July.
Blaine explained the method of disposing
of papers in the state department which would
account for his previous statement, and ad-
ded, such trashy matters as Shepherds letters
would never be called to the attention of the
head of great department, as they were
scarcely fit for the waste basket.
Kasson asked-Do you know how they
came to be missing from the files?
Answer done know anything about it,
l knew as little of it as a child unborn IThev
were not addressed to me, but simply routine
matters referred in the ordinary course of
business. One would suppose had passed
the summer with him. As matter of fact
in regard to the interview that it is alleged
had with Shipherd, on being introduced to
him by Senator Blair, the 25th of July, so
far from that interview lasting until late at
night, it lasted only about fifteen minutes
Then excused myself on the ground of i'm
pOrtant business, and the interview was post
poned until the next morning, and did not
see Shepherd after that or hear of him until
the 18th of October. Blaine continued :
After Shipherd had his full say as to what
policy the government ought to pursue toward
him, it occurred to me the best course for the
committee to pursue would be to inquire from
the department what that policy was.
Blaine then produced what he stated was
the entire correspondence between himself
and Hurlburt during his administration at
Lima.
Shipherd came to me and stated he was
representative of very important claim.
called the Cochet claim. l never before had
heard of it, and asked him how he spelled
the name. He told me Blair was one of his
counsel, and also added the names of ex-
Senator COnkling, Hon. Scott Lord Senator
Cragin and others. l thought it a very
strong array of counsel.
He named about dozen prominent fnan-
ciers and bankers, including Seligman, Nor
ton, Bliss Co., and others. mention these
facts because have been criticised for not
kicking Shipherd out of the department the
first morning he called, but when a man
comes, introduced by United States Sena-
tor, with three ex-Senators and ex.Secretary
of the treasury as counsel, and an array of
Bankers such as he mentioned, it could hard
ly be the custom of the Department to kick
him out on sight
This explains why l did not do what l viz
tually did do later, and for not doing OF
which earlier, l have been severely crti-
cised.
Blaine then related parts of his converse
tion with Shipherd, in which he (Shipherd)
read what he claimed to be opinions of ex-
Secretary Evarts, to the effect that Cochet
could claim one-third of the guano
Blaine said with much emphasis, II would
be willing to take most solemn oath that
President Garfield died without ever having
heard the name of Cochet mentioned.
Blaine then proceeded to read the entire
correspondence between the Department of
State and Minister Hurlbut, touching the
claim,
In the latter part of July, Hurlbut was in
structed to take no step towards committing
the government thereto till YOU have re,
ceived further definite instruction.
Sept. 22d, Hurlbut replied, acknowledge
the receipt of your dispatch. As to the
Cochett claim this legation has nothing but
vague statements toward the creating of a
commercial enterprise, and can take no ju-
dlcial action, and has been favored with two
letters to which | reply by this mail asking
information.
Nov. 18th, Blaine replied to the effect: If
Americans purchased the Landreau claim
they purchased nothing more and there was
no just ground upon which our government
could intervene, and instructing Hurlbut not
to extend to them its good offices.
Other dispatches were read of the same
tenor. and Blaine proceeded further as to the
relations with Shipherd
In regard to Shepherds story about $780,
600 having been offered Hurlbut, and Ship
herds statement that he told him Witness
about 1t. and took the opinion of all his coun-
sci about it. Blaine made positive denial of
this for himself, and produced letters from
the following persons, all of whom denied
that they ever heard this letter or offered
bride to Hurlbut until they saw Shepherds
letter to the New York papers, namely, Sem
ator Blair, Gov. Boutwell,, Judge Robertson,
ex-senator Cragin and Scott Lord, while
Evarts declared neither he nor his firm, nor
any member of it at any time, gave Shipherd
an open opinion on any subject. whatever.
Blaine did not believe Shipherd and Hurl-
but ever held conference in New York, as
alleged by the former.
Said Blaine Forgery is his employ ment
and perjury his pastime. don't regard him
as responsible. If he is it is a matter for the
grand jury.
Blaine then devoted his attention to Bel
mont, member of the committee, and CON-
planned that in the course of Shepherds ex-
animation Belmont had misquoted his
(Blaine's), and put an entirely different
meaning to them than was intended by the
witness.
Belmont declined to enter into an argu-
ment upon the subject, merely referring to
the quotation marks in the report as printed
IN the official records were not his, but that
he thought there had been no radical inter-
probation Of his committee
The committee adjourned till Wednesday,
when the examination of Blaine will be re-
newed.