The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-15
PERUVIAN INVESTIGATION.

WASHINGTON, March 15-This morning
Jacob r. Sheppard accompanied by his
wife, appeared at the rooms OF the com
mittee on foreign affairs, investigating Per-
uvian affairs and was sworn. The chair
man inquired in relation to the four miss
ing letters and asked if he wrote such let.
tsrs, describing them, indexed at State
department. cit is my recollection did, y
witness stated.
He had expected to prepare copies of
letters alluded to, but was unable to COM
plete them before leaving New York He
had copies of the missing letters in his
books of letters, and Of all letters sent and
received, and could prepare copies, but as
ssme of the letters were quite lengthy and
he would not really wish to look over and
compare copies he might have made, he
would require some further time. The
chairman made several enquiries in regard
to the letters, and. asked if his subpoena
did not require him to produce his books
and papers.
Shipherd replied Il was not aware it
did"
Witness produced the subpoena and read
from it. 1t only requires him to produce
copies OF letters to Blaine, Secretary
Evarts and consuls personally to superin-
tend the copying of correspondence called
for or whether the order should be issued
directing the letters and books to be for
warded to Washington. They should run
the risk Of transportation. He has no
doubt, however, they could be forwarded
On an order to his Secretary. He desired
to know the construction he should place
on the words in the subpoena "other Off
cials of the United States" Conceivably
there might be correspondence with mem
bers of Congress and other parties, and he
was not quite clear whether the subpoena
intended to cover that. He further wen
dered whether the intent was to call for
all correspondence which might have
passed between him and persons connected
with the government, or to permit cores
pondence touching Chilli and Peru, re-
referring to affairs in Peru, Bolivia or Chilli,
or any matters properly on business in
WHICH nS WAS 1utcICStSu1 III IAlCsc oGhtCS'
Also all letters received by him from either
the Secretary Of State or from any Minis
ter, Consul or other United States official
Shipherd stated as he understood the
subpoena it would take his secretary at
least two years to make copies of all the
correspondence called for.
Rice suggested the delay might be avoid
ed by Shipherd sending for his letter
books and producing them before the COM
mittee
shipherd replied the books con-
tanned a variety of private letters
and he did not wish to do SO, and
finally asked whether the committee
desired all such correspondence, or only
such as referred to the possible official ac-
ton of officials with whom he had CORES
ponded. Rice replied ''it was intended by
the committee that Shipherd should pro
duce all letters which he had received from
that somewhat class of persons known
as Z. S. officials, as well as from all parties
connected with the state department or
other departments of the government "
The committee then went into secret ses-
sion, (Shipherd and wife remaining in the
room) to determine whether the witness
should be permitted to return to New
York