The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-07
THE PERUVIAN COMPANY.
Shipherd Once More Before the
Committee.
HIS ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE
COMPANY.

The witness stated in reply to a question,
that the Peruvian Company owns the claim
Of Alexander Cochet and not that of Landreau;
that they became possessed OF the claim
through natural son OF Alexander Cochet,
who owned or claimed to own one-third of all
the guano deposits of Peru. The witness
compiled prospectus of the Peruvian Com
pany, preparing it from papers and pamphlets
which were furnished to him. The first docu-
ment furnished to him was written transa-
ton of an old Spanish pamphlet which was de-
posted at Lima, Peru.
Question-Never during the negotiations OF
the company has the original of that manu-
script been shown in this country, has IL!
AnSwer-No, sir.
The witness then added that the company
has in New York original manuscript in the
handwriting of Cochet which was complete
duplicate of the pamphlets allHded to.
Question-This Cochet made claims upon
Peru during his residence, al to these claims
YOUR company claimed to have succeeded.
What were his claims?
Answer-Cochet made investigations rela-
tive To the commercial value OF guano, which
led to trade with Europe in guano. He gave
several years to scientific Investigations and
to the development of the trade. The ques-
ton has arisen as to who first made the dis
covery The Peruvian Congress decided that
five thousand tons of guano should be award
ed to the original discoverer of the value OF
guano and gave il to Cochet on condition that
be should give the government the value OF
certain discoveries he had made, but he re-
fused the conditions and consequently never
asserted his right to the five thousand tons.
The only thing settled by the award was that
Cochet first discovered the commercial value
of guano The claim set up by the company
to one third of the guano deposits is purely by
virtue of his right as such discoverer. The
witness stated that he had been unable to
learn that any settlement was ever made with
Cochet by the Peruvian government.
The witness was then questioned in regard
to the validity of the claim of Galeteio Cochet,
the natural son, and stated that at first they
had supposed Cochet died interstate, but sub
sequently they (the Peruvian Company found
viii in Paris in the hands of the notary with
whom it had been deposited.
Question-Who found it?
Answer-Mr. Hevner, the same gentleman
who found the pamphlet in Peru.
The witness declined to state what was pald
to Galeteio for his claim.
The witness was asked to explain the dis.
crepancy in the prospectus wherein he referred
to the Peruvian company as already organized
in October, when as fact 1t was not organic
ed and stated that when that portion was
written it was the intention to organize at once
under the laws of the state OF New York, and
he too thought such an organization should be
effected before the publication of the prospec-
tus that in the meantime the Georgia charter
was discovered and the company aValleu
themselves of it.
The witness was asked if had any more post
scripts to present, and replied mo, sir" The
witness stated that lhe correspondence with
Hurlbut was begun by q letter written by him
(Shipherd) May Is.
interview with Hurlbut May 3d. as detailed by
him (Shipherd) at a former hearing, and said,
81 think / can give Hurlbuts exact language.
In speaking of our claims he slapped his hands
upon his knees with some emphasis and said,
MIR. Shepherd, need not come all the way
down here from Washington to assure you how
infinitely our government would prefer to set
tie all these matters through the opportunity
your company offers
The witness was closely pressed with ques-
tons, with view to extricating something
definite relating to the encouragement ii any
he had received from the executive He stat
ed that Hurlbut did not speak OF the President
or Secretary OF State, but in an ambassadorial
way he used the expression the government,
which led him (Shipherd) to believe that he
(Hurlbut) spoke by authority The only evil
dence the witness had that the President ever
saw any papers or knew anything about the
business of the Peruvian company, was a letter
he (Shipherd) received from J. Stanley Brown.
the Presidents Secretary, stating, your letter
received and referred to State Department.
Shipherd was asked in regard to his letter to
Hurlbut offering $4,000 interest in the claim
of his company. why he did not submit the
proposition to him orally at their interview in
New York, and replied because / feared l
could not cOlJTOl t16 QlI6CtIOu Ol Ills ulIuu Ol
the view he might be led to take. / wanted it
put in writing. / wanted to be responsible for
exactly what said and wanted to say exactly
what meant. did intend to convey to him
the idea that if upon knowledge of our plans
and purposes it should seem to him perfectly
proper to do SO that he or his friends should re-
ceive an interest of $250,000. meant to lnfiu-
ence him to the extent of preventing him from
opposing u.s..
approached Hurlbut had he believed him to
have been man OF probity and above taking
bribe and yet insisted that he (Shipherd)w was
not guilty of any wrong intentions in making
the offer.
In response to further questions, the witness
stated that Hurlbut never acknowledged the
receipt of the letter in which this offer was
made to him, and never again called to see
him Hurlbut was on his way to his home in
Illinois when he had the interview in New
York, and told the witness he would call upon
him again upon his return, but he did not do
SO.
Odd it not seem to you that these great
interests which Hurlbut so emphatically stated
to you were considered by the government "as
strong as law and equity could make them,"
were of sufficient moment to warrant him in
calling upon you again when he returned TO
New York?
Alt certainly did seem SO to me. sup
pose he (Hurlbut) did not call upon me be-
cause he was in the pay of the Credit Industri-
ale, and was paid not to call. That was my
supposition. We never got him to do any
thing for US, and for the reason have given.
Sc far as his being corruptly influenced in our
favor, it would be just as well to drop the
subject right here. He never was interested
in our favor to my knowledge.
Rice-Then we will pass to Blaine. Your
correspondence or negotiation with him were
opened by yourself were they not?
A. - Ny first interview with Secretary
Blaine was suggested by Senator Blair, my
counsel, and took place July 25th
Rice-Your interview with Hurlbut, in
which he t.ld you the government thought
your claim perfectly good one, and led you
to expect aid Of the government, took place
May Both, and your interview with the Secre-
tary occurred nearly two months afterwards.
Was there no correspondence between yourself
and the Executive in the meantime?
A.-No sir.
Rice-Then so far as the government was
concerned this important matter had slumber-
ed during all this timer
Ayes sir.
Rice-In that interview with the Secretary
was any suggestion made that he or his friends
should become interested pecuniarily in your
company or their claim?
A-No sir; for the reason that it never &C.
urred to nae to approach Blaine or any other
ficer, lwith the exception OF Hurlbut, and
then only to stop him from working a. ainst us.
Rice-Did you not know il you made such
proposition to the Secretary that you would at
once be- shown to the door?
Mr.. Shipherd (turning very red in the face)-
see no reason why any member of this COM
mittee should put such question to me. l
think the implication conveyed has gone too
far.
Rice-Never mind; the committee are the
Judges of that. Hyou expected to derive BEN
eft from securing Mr.. Hurlbut's aid or nom
Interference, did you not know that MI
Blaine was his superior and could be OF far
GREATER assistance to VOuV
Alt never occurred to me to make any
proposition to Mr. Blaine. did state to him
what I had written to Mr.. Hurlbut, at the
opening OF our interview. / recapitulated
everything that had done in my negotiations
with any officer of the State Department and
no exceptions were taken by the Secretary. He
simply nodded his head affirmatively, and told
me 10 go on.
Rice-You say you approached Mr.. Hurlbut
because you deemed him purchasable and that
you would not have approached any man you
thought TO be of probity and above being
bribed, and yet you say you did not hesitate to
mention before Secretary Blaine and Senator
Blair, that you had made such proposition to
Mr.. Hurlbut.
Shipherd (evasively)-As said before. re-
capitulated all that had occurred. Some re-
mark was made. jokingly, to the effect that
that would not catch him.
Mr. Rice-Did you state to Secretary Blaine
what MIR, Hurlbut had said to you in New