New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-06
SHEPHERD AND HURLBUT.
DEATH NOT PREVENTING PLAIN TALK

STATEMENT by MR.. BLAINE
| WASHINGTON, April 5.-The examination of
Jacob r. shpherd before the House Committee on For
eign Affairs was resumed this morning. Before Mr.
shipherd appeared the chairman laid before the com
mittee q letter from the late Minister Hurlbut dated
at Lima, March Is, in which Mr. Hurlbnt said
leave April g. and ought to arrive at New-forK
by April % will come at once to Washington Read
my late dispatches The United states is In bad way
| out here in the line of reputation"
When Mr.. shipherd appeared he stated that he had
| brought with him postscript TO the letter OF
! May 90, which his son had failed to
send with the other papers. 1t was. he said. sepa.
rate letter dated May d. but its contents show that IL
really postscript to the letter of May 20 1t was
| addressed to the President and read rs follows:
Since my letter OF We sterday closed the remark
able letter of General Grant 10 senator Jones mas ap
| peared in print here and has already determined
my clients to reconsider their intention
to offer General Grant the presidency Of
! this company. and / am instructed TO reopen
this parcel and add this nmaon OF course my clients
General Grants letter through business eyes only
struced 10 say that my clients will he glad (" consider
any nominations TO the presidency OF the Peruvian Com
pany which the President may be so Snod a. 10 sngSes
Among many capable men other conditions beng equal
We shall of course prefer some one enjoying the PFe
| dents entire confidence
In reply questions the witness said he saw General
Grants letter Senator Jones in NewYork newspapers
and that II struck his clients. business proposllon
that perhaps it wOuld not be prudent TO press the nom
nation OF Grant for the presidency OF the Peruvian Com
pany.
Mr. shipherd asked and obtained permission TO say a
few words 10 the committee lie then called attention
article in The Washington Republican OF this morn
| ing, beaded "shipherd promises sensation which
in part follows;
| Jacob r. Shpherd asked ly representative OF
The Republican effect the death Of Minister iiur-
but would have upon his disclosures said he: g nave
been charged with bribery or attempted bribery on
Hurlbut. l must wash that of, dead or alive VIII
it was blackmail from the start. There Others
shall have something to say about II am asked snail
not look very well either Ii depends upon what am
Respecting the article shipherd said "Iti absolutely
bogus. have not opened my mouth TO a newspaper
man on the subject of this Investigation. mean
have not said to newspaper man for publication
one word had conversation yesterday with
q gentleman to whom had right to speak IS freely as
I would any member of this committee. In answer to
questions and only in to his questions made
certain uggcsons These suggestions have been drawn
out and turned int that interview"
Mr. shiphcrd declined TO say who the person was with
whom he had the conversation but stated that he had
never said 81 will show by documentary evidence,
that instead of bribery blackmai from the start"
lie begged be excused from discussing the converse
tion but asked leave to read statement that would
cover the whole ground. He told 10 proceed. and
read from manuscripts frequently breaking out into ex
tempOTe remarks. The statement, written ana unWrlt-
ten, is in part rs follows:
Since last session We have news that one of the
most conspicuous names connected with th's inquiry no
longer stands living hut only for the history
OF inished HE In re- sponre 10 pIlO ana slceihc III
errogaiolies was When our lasi herlng closed ina-
way i'm history Of my negotiations Win inns man,
who has so suddenly passed out OF NE Fortunately
had already testified 10 the usance Of all That mad
passed between us personally, 0nd only docG,
mentary evidence remains undlseiosed and OF
almost the whole created either by |
General Hurlbut himself or by others than mgseii
representative capacity ana represent interests pom
social and monetary Of De g,f4s moment rerpn 5b
representative capacity am soemnly chargedby Gen |
rotary Of state with one OF the noSt infamous crimes
known or movable among men II am gMny az |
ZION o. ali the Interests represent.
THIS Is the stake. Now I not gully. But how
shall show the facts II my ac-
h G ,ton WERE Dushd ur m the very mouth Of
the grave A communication, lntcndod 10 have all the
Official certificate, was volunteered by General
Hurbut 10 this committee recently that 1t arrived
here almost at the moment Of his death 1t concerned
itself with an issue III nowise before TINS committee Net
vital to the interests which represent 1t was uns"1rn
and testimony II had not even been called
for it was ke the letter OF tIe secienrY OF oats Oh
December B. merely nton attempt 10 aSsaSslndtr
YET had gone into The RtcOrd, aud mad been reprinted
As if this were enough. the Immediate relative and
friends of the late Ambassador ZEN To nave re
will the Clerk TO read that It may 40 INTO me hec
ord, output'ing OF this kind that Ia Ike manner h9s
death confirmed. and reprinted probably III every
daily paper Ia the country.
The clerk then read dispatch from Chicago, dated |
April 3, in which f. H. Talbot, relative of Mr. Hur-
but. quotes the latter saying letter that he
complicated the least degree with any discreet able
project and thai be had taken al proper to keep
the proof where ought that Shpherd was Gu
nous mixture Of knave and TOOL with decided prepond
Of the former, and that Shphcd, from his re-
ported interviews. pOrtenous liar. Mr. Shipherd
then continued;
leave it, therefore, 10 the sound judgment Of
i, he 1at nttrests t,.t In, hoe, Committed ~
NE under Il cloud OF Infamous charges which | have
the documentary evidence To dlspr"ve-beciuse ana
Ouly because one OF my accuS Is mas passed
beyond The jurisdiction Of human tribunals.
cannot see my duty lying That way every al
wiser whose counsel have sought advises otherwise
With reference To- General hnrbut especially cannot
say plainly that am not here to assert nor to init
mate that IA matter of fact he was either good man
bad man, We rate mon. But 1t Is absolutely
necessary to the very essence Of my testimony that
should show what impression this man made upon me.
with him as did. see 10 cLOcc bat to proceed as
though the dead still living and the living
dead; though the names OF men were but algcbrac
symbols and dealing with the abstraction OF
pure mathematics And as nearly as may be shall pro
whether deemed General Huibut purchasabe-
Mr. Rec interruPtingI wish TO say, for myself, and
without consultation with the cominitce this You
have read what you have prepared You have stated
what YOU have prepared You profess Yourself ready 90
forward with YOu also indicate that you go
ing forward to state your Impressions. do not i'm
agine that your province To slate your Impressions
II your right and your duty to state all the facts with
In your knowledge AZ to the question OF decacy, you
absolyed from considering it, If the committee
pose to question you Tor the committee to decide
and not You, that point. imagine that the com
m1tee will 20 forward and ask YOU every fact
connected with the matter Your IMPRESSIONS far
am concerned shall neither ask for for II
is your right to come mere and make an psrte
statement aud then refuse 10 forward ana the
questions which the committee shall ask, based that
statement. Ar 10 impressions, do not understand that
II is competent for witness To give his Impressions.
The chairman ito the wiincss)Siuply state the facts.
That Is the object Of testimony.
The witnessI expected ony proceed in the line in
which Tie committee no; only allowed me, but encour
aged me. proceed when began this subject at the
former hearing
The cnarmdn--l think that every member OF the
mittee will understdDd tie prOpriey of the question