National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-04-12
PUMPING SHIPHERD.
THE oUANo WITNESS GETTING MAD.

lie Has Rights and Is Prepared to Defend Them
lie Refuses TO Answer Certain Questions
His Attempt to Influence Of
fetal Action Described.
RI Mr.. shiphcrd was early in attendance Tuesday
morning, and as soon as a quorum Of the members
Of the Foreign Affairs Committee had arrived Rep
rCscntatve Blouut resumed the Cross-cxamination
Of the witness by asking whether the two gentle
men to whom lie (shiphcrd) had on Monday al
luded had told him facts within their own knowl.
edge about the alleged intimacy between Ilurlbut
and Suarez or whether they simply repeated
rumors. Witness rerlied the two gentlemen whose
statements he Cshiphcrd) had quoted to the Sec
retary Of State were gentlemen Of high standing,
with whom he had become acquainted in New
York. lone Of these gentlemen" said witness
"spoke to me of his knowledge, having seen Hurl-
but and suarez around town together, and the
other spoke to me about the matter as prominent
club man and as having heard the matter dis
cusscd ut his club"
Mr. Blount-Are these gentlemen now in New
York?
Answer I think they have returned to Peru
Witness was asked who was the author Of the
scaled letter sent by him to Mr.. Arizora, under
cover to Minister Hurlbut, and to he delivered by
him, and positively refused to answer.
@. Was 1t not in the interest of your company?
The letter mean.-A As understand, 1t was in
the interest Of Peru.
a. Did you not transact business through Mr..
Ari2ora ms your agent?-A. Mr.. Arizora never was
agent for our company.
q, Did you not transact business through HIM
A. Only so hras he was anxious and willing to
corporate with us-(alter slight pausc)-to the
extent that he did cooperate.
Amer this very direct and lucid response Mr..
Blount continued to quote from the printed cor
respondcnce, and endeavored to extract from the
witness II categorical answer to each question,
reading from the letter sent TO Mr. Arizora
through Minister Hurlbut but obtained nothing
but evnsiVe replies.
Representative Blount-Now, Mr.. Shiphcrd,
have called your attention to this letter. paragraph
by paragraph, You were instrumental In placing
this letter IN the hands of Mr.. Arizorn by sending
II through Mr.. Hurlbut Did you think that was ~
proper thing for you 10 do?
Witness had no views to offer upon that ques.
tiOn, and declined to express any opinion on the
propriety of Mr. Hurlbuts delivering such a
letter.
lie was asked, "wns not that letter written by
the Venezuelan Minister" but declined to an.
swer.
MIR. Shepherds statement carly in the investiga.
ton that he appeared before the committee i'm
dual capacity, as witness and as defendant, was
| fully realized yesterday Witness was at once put
| upon the def nsivc and the ptlpnbe drift of the
| mornings examination was TO bring out and de-
fine exactly how fur the witness had gone in d-
rect attempt to influence the official action OF an
official the United States Witness was asked If
| senator Blair as counsel, was conferred with in
relation ~ the letter 10 lIurlbut in which he (Shp
herd rendered him SljOOOO of stock and replied.
that Senator BlnIr did not SEQ the letter to IIurlbut
Offering him S25O,OO1 Of 81 Ick Witness however
told him about 1t some time after II was sent 1t
was discussed by all the counsel. Some of them
even found fault with 1t on its face, but the
remark was frequently madc, Shiphcrd, that
letter Will bear double construction, and 1t may
get you into trouble"
Mr. Blount intlmated that he had no further
questions ask and Mr. Belmont took up the cross
examination. His questions followed each other
In rapid succession and very soon developed the
probability that the committee had extracted from
the witness about all the infOrmniiOu lp n
TO give them.
Mr. Belmont-The association or the individuals
whom you represented or still represent seemed
to give direction or expected to exert an inhu-
ence upon the policy of this Government ut the
time when the President was disabled. Were you
advised by MI Boutwell, that the Secretary of State
was authorized to act in this matter wi,houtrc-
quiring any advice or authority from the Presi-
dent?
Witness declined to enter into the discussion
q. Who were those C'ients?-A. decline to state.
O. Was 1t the Peruvian Company?-A. decline
q Was the Peruvian Company in existence at
| that tlme?-A. II was not.
O. What are the names of your clients?-A. 1
decline to state.
q: Do you decline to state by advice of counsel?
Mr.. Bemont-Had you not better consider, Mr..
| Shtpheid, whether the advice you are following
Is in your interest or that of others?-A Ihave con-
| sidcred.
Mr.. Belmont-Did you not have correspondence
with Senator Blair touching the Peruvian Com
pany?
q. Win you produce t?--A. have been advised
that the purpOrt Of this examination does not com
pei the disclosure of purely personal matters and
| consider my correspondence with Senator Blair
| purely of that character.
| q. viii you state whether those clients suffered
an injury from the Peruvian government which
| entitled them to seek redress from the Peruvian
| government, or had they purchdsed claim which
they deemed equitable, and for the enforcement of
which they sought to obtain the good offices Of this
| GOvernment2-A. The understanding of mS clients
was that they had purchased.
Mr.. Belmont-I don't care fora long explanation.
| VIII you answer my question categOHCaly? Did
they receive an INJURY from the Peruvian govern
ment?
Answer-I can't answer that question yes or no.
| Mr.. Belmont-You decline to answer
Witness-l do, unless can answer in my own
| way,
Representative Kasson suggested that the wit
ness should reply yes or no, and then add any eX-
| pnnatiOn of the answer he might desire to offer,
WhereupOn witness said:
MY clients did not understand that they had
received an injury from the Peruvian govern
| mcnt"
MIR, Bclmont-That is all want.
Witness-l appeal to the committee If may not
| be allowed 70 finish my answer.
At this point the committee decided to confer in
| private, and the room was cleared. Ten minutes
! atterward the doors were reopened and the ex-
| animation was resumed.
Mr.. Belmont repeated tho question: Had your
| clients received any injury from the Peruvian
| government
Witness proceeded to answer in his own way in
| substance as follows: "My clients had purchased
the title TO property, some Of which they expected
| To find in It's deposit, and some of It they under.
| stood had been removed under authority of the
| Peruvian government They proposed first to as
sert their title, and until justice had been denied
| them they could not assert that they had received
| direct injury from the Peruvian government;
| but, not knowing.what course the Peruvian gov
| ernment might take the committee will see that |
could not answer Ihe question either yes or no
| and do so correctly"
MIR. Belmont-Well, at hattime justice had been
| denied them, had II?
| Witness-I cannot add anything to what have
| already said.
Mr.. Bclmont-I simply ask you, had '4..stice been
| denied them ut that time ? -
| Witness showed an hugry flush upon his face,
| but made ne s,Iswer.
| Mr.. Belmont-Then You decline to answer?
| Witness (dngrilyl-I have as many rights here as
| the examiner, and come here prepared to de-
| 'end them,
! Mr.. Belmont-You are here MS a witness. and no
rights TO which you are entitled will be denied you
| by this committee. You arc asked as other wit
nesses will be asked to answer questions touching
| u matter of grave Importance, The committee
| have made no accusation against you,
Mr.. Shipheri-l would wish that the committee
| could excuse me for the day.
At II 35 the investigation was postponed until
half.past ten Wednesday, The committee then
went into secret session.
Anna Dickinson in Pants.
When Anna Dickinson as Hamlet stOops to pluck
posy from the grave of 0pheliG and her back
suspender buttons snap on It will be worth the
price of admission TO see her grab the waistband
Of her trousers with one hand and ram the fingers
of her other hand into ber mouth in search of pins
while she inwardly calculates (souo poceC "Why