Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-08
THE sYlPHFRD INVESTIGATION.
Shipherd's Testimony Before the Com
mittee COntinufd.
WASHINGTON. April Z.


Shipherd was promptly in attendance at
the rooms of the foreign affairs committee at
. O'Clock, accompanied. as usual. BY his rife
Rice asked him,-Was it not the intention
of your clients to offer the presidency OF the
Peruvian Company to Gen. Grant:
Shipherd replied that it had been. but fear
ing. from Grants letter to Senator Jones,
that there might not be perfect harmony be-
tween Gen. Grant and President Garfield, II
was deemed advisable to adhere to their
original intention
Ex-senator Coukling was one Of your
counsel?
A-Not at that time but afterwards.
O-And your relations with Grant after
wards became more harmonious:
A-Afterwards we had conferences with
Q-The prospectus you sent to the Presl-
dent did you send to any members OF Con-
gress:
Any impression is that the copies sent
to members of Congress were chiefly sent to
Senators.
Being further pressed on this point, and at
first declining to give names, he finally men,
toned Hewitt. of New York. Hewitt sent
him a very courteous verbal response by
Young man who took the papers to him, and
to the best of his recollection that was the
any members of the House of Representa-
tives.
Quoting part of the witness testimony on
Wednesday, Rice asked him whether he had
any other reasons than those he then stated
for believing in advance what he affirmed he
did believe of Gen. Hurlbut.
Witness-I have Gen. Hurlbut's letter and
some CORES pondence that is closely affiliated
with them. The witness thereupon produced
several letters from Hurlbut, which were
read.
Two of these, dated Belvidere, Ills. urge
Shipherd to obtain from the department Of
fetal Instructions for his (Hurlbut's) guild
ance, as without these he cannot act.
Others, dated Lima, urge that the legal ev
dence in the support of the Peruvian Com
panys claims be forwarded to him, as other
wise he can take no steps.
In the last letter, dated Lima, Nov. %,
1881, Hurlbut notifies Shipherd that he will
hold no further correspondence with him. He
says, ''You have failed wholly to furnish me
with any proof, although requested. and re-
peateGy written that the instructions were
sent or to be sent, which have never re-
ceved. The tone of YOUR letters is disagree
able and do not wish further communica-
ton
Five of the witnesses own letters to IIurl-
but were then produced by him and read
One of October 10Th, mentions the docu-
ments that are enclosed, speaks of letters
that were delivered through ''Hon. Geo. S.
Boutwell,, the Companv's attOrny, at Wash
ingtOn," and says, Il have just returned
from Washington, whittier | went to show
the secretary your letter of Sept 18th, and
take his advice upon it. He agrees with me
in the confident belief that you have, some
how, wildly Inexperienced fundamentally
the material facts and issues, and will join
me in the endeavor to set you right. l will
endeavor to contribute something towards
the result for transmission by the next steam
err. In the meantime beg to remind your
self what you seem to have so far totally for
gotten. that your first and most important
duty, ex virtue offici is not to help Peru, but
to look out for American interests, The ex-
traordinary attitude you have thought to take
in the Judgment of my associates warrants
unqualified frankness, and rely upon your
good sense not to mistake frankness for rude
ness"
The next letter is dated November eth, and
says: was in Washington several DAYS last
week, and improved the opportunity to get
the views of friends there, including the Sec
rotary of state. All approved the precise po-
sition taken. An American protectorate was
directly discussed, and received with general
favor. If Calderon should directly apply for
it l think Congress would approve the appl-
cation, but only on the ground that large pri-
vate American interests there needed pro-
lection. 1t could not be popularized on
another footing, and Calderon should base his
application directly and chiefly on this ground
if he makes one.
In reply to questions, Shipherd said that
Scott Lord and ex-senator Eaton were only
two of at least half dozen equally intelligent
Hon. bne sod IN ftn,r ,>I,
pendent judgement of the correspondence,
which conceded with his own.
Shipherd continued: And during the sum-
mer we found an opportunity to commune
cate directly with Calderon, President of
Peru. twas by correspondence addressed
to Arizola, who stood very near to Calderon
| enclosed the correspondence to General
Hurlbut with a request to have it delivered
presuming on his courtesy The letter was
written by gentlemen who was here as an
official representative of Peru. As matter
of fact he was address sing his own chief in
the interest of Peru exclusively and sug-
costing how Peru might avail herself of this
promise of an opportunity to get out from
under the power of Chill. That was the
nature of the correspondence entrusted to
the Minister, and placed before him in a
separate communication substantially the
whole letter SO that he might see what the
business was. Hurbut replied saying. | have
received a sealed letter and documents, and
the letter has been delivered.
shall produce before the committee a
letter from Arzola to his correspondent de-
ploring the fact that the documents were not
delivered with the letter. because the letter
without the documents was unintelligible
That was the first fact which attracted my
attention, but it seemed to me infinitely sig
nifcant. l stated the facts to Mr.. Lord, who
was familiar with the correspondence that
had been sent and gave him Hurlbut's let
ter to read. without comment. He read it.
handed it back to me, and with voice tremb-
ling with emotion said, ''Hurlbut is a double
damned, deeply dyed william, that is my
opinion in the premises.
He went on to say, There is no conceiva-
BILE reason why Gen. Hurlbut should have
separated these documents from this letter
unless he intends to get in between you and
Calderon and to prevent you dealing with
him. Ex-senator Eaton was consulted and
the facts laid before him, and he gave sub
stantially the same opinion, and in very
strong terms. At least four other gentlemen,
equally intelligent and capable of forming in
dependent opinions, expressed the same opin-
ion, (that Hurlbut was certainly inserting
himself between me and Calderon with the
intention of dpfpatipy tha