The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22


Brady do.
Bliss-Who?
Brady must decline to say.
Bliss again put the question.
Witness said he had objections to
naming persons who initiated the
movement, but he had no objection to
naming persons who had concerned
themselves as to subsequent orders.
The Nevada senators and representa-
tiveS and the Utah delegation had in
tereSted themselves in the route
among other senators.
Bliss remarked the papers did not
show the endorsements of any of the
persons named.
Witness was asked to explain his
reasons for cutting down the service
upon the Mineral Park and Phoebe
route and restoring it within short
time.
He said the service had been reduc-
ed because it had not been properly
executed. Afterwards it was repre-
scented to them that great injustice
had been done to. contractors.
Bliss inquired who had represented
that the reduction was an injustice to
contractors, themselves.
III BlAclSO VI bAlO
question was also presented with
great stress by Senator Plumb. of
Kansas, who said he was friend of
the contractors and knew that injus-
tice had been done them. Witness
was convinced the fault was with the
sub-contractors who delayed trips to
the Colorado river, and that if the
service was restored the contractor
GOOD cnrNrinn
Bliss called attention to the TACT
that the reason given ON the endorse
ment of the Jacket. for restoring the
service did nOt,mentiOn the cOntrac-
tors, but referred only to the import
ance of the route us connecting link
in TIE railway system. WAS that
reason true?" he asked the witness,
who responded in the Affirmative.
That was one of the reasons, but not
the greater reason.
Bliss, abruptly-What. had Senator
Plumb, Kansas senator, to do with
this Arizona route?
Brady - He could probably answer
that question more correctly than |
can.
Various questions of technical ma
ture were put to the witness regard
ing different routes, such as his real
sons for eXpediting route to a GER
tam number of hours. Many of his
reasons he failed to recall, but looking
at the papers he would give such eX-
plantations of the circumstances as in
his mind justified the orders. Where
service had been discontinued and il
months extra pay allowed the
contractor, although mail had
never been carried, the witness
denied any knowledge of such fact.
He said even if the circumstances
were as stated by counsel, the con-
tractors would have been justified in
refusing to carry mail on account of
misstatement of distance. Speaking
of the affidavit upon the Adairsville
route, witness said he had not exam
ined it far enough to see that it re-
quired every man mentioned to travel
for forty hours in every twenty-fOur.
He was asked why he had not in
creased compensation of contractors
on the Vermillion and Sioux Falls
route, as in the case of the Tongue
river. He answered, he was not
aware that the distance in the first
case was wrOngfully advertised.
Bliss introduced distance circular
showing an error
Witness declared he had never seen
it before.
Did you ever see any papers in the
department that you did not want -
queried Bliss.
Yes; but there were so many and
upon such various subjects that can
not remember them" He added that
in this case it was the duty of the
corresponding clerk to have discov-
cred and called attention to the cir
cular.
Bliss showed that the order itself
made the error apparent, but witness
said that French made the error, and
that his endorsement had probably
been written.
Bliss inquired why the Prescott and
Santa Fe route had been expedited
under the Walsh contract,
Witness recollection was the ser,
vice had been expedited under Nc.
Donald, cut down when the latter
failed, and restored under Walsh
AS showing his reasons for making
the order, witness read from the pa.
pers the recommendations of prOmi
nent persons looking to increase OF
service.
Bliss-You suspended service il
May, 1881, didn't your
IL was not in the department al
that date"
Ibid you not suspend service il
March, 1881 ?"
'My impression is declared Walsh
to be failing contractor, but did no
; suspend service. | frequently haC
conversations with Walsh, sometime.
at Gen. Sheridan's house walsh.
lounging place., but never by ap
pointment. Sheridan was usually
there" Witness frequently vent il
and made himself at home, although
. Sheridan was absent. Never had am
money transactions with Walsh, who
was always expressing his willing
ness to loan money, but had asked
Walsh to loan him some stock. Wit
ness said that the letter produced b,
Bliss (the "Chatta" letter. was in hi
handwriting.
Ingersoll objected to the recep
! ton of this letter, because of its ir
relevancy.
The court decided to admit the pa
per, as it tended to show business re
; lations between Brady and Walsh. =.
Witness said Walsh did not len,
him the stock. He explained the tern
ginger" used in the letter did no
mean money, but just what he asket
for-Chattanooga stock. Witnes
: was told to buy it because it wa
going up, but it did not do so. Walsl
bought stock, but when witness
; wished to borrow he said that he hat
. sold it. The newspaper" referred t
were the Republican, used plura
form because he expected to make
/, as good as two newspapers. Was a
that time negotiating for the owner
ship of the Capitol. Came into thu
Critic later on. The other bushes
referred to was Canadian lumbe
! business of Waugh, Brown & Co.
Bliss wanted to know how WalSl
> and witness were to he benefited b
|, by the proposed loan.
He said he expected to run up tn
. price of Chattanooga stock, by whicl
! he would have gotten a handsom
: profit, as he had CARLOAD himself
! Witness swore no money had bee
: deposited to his credit at Hatch
! Foote'S by Walsh.