St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-03
KEIFER--
Elder, Witness for Keifer Shown to be &
Disreputable Character.
The Evidence of Gen. Boynton and Other
Proves that Keifer Told
Whopper.

WASHINGTON, March Line helIer-Boyn-
ton committee resumed its session to day.
Gen. Boynton introduced to the committee
W. Ramsey, attorney for the Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette, who, he said, would with
permission of the committee act as his coun-
sci during the remainder of the investiga-
ton. He said the Commercial Gazette
desired that he be represented by their attor-
ney, and owing to his deafness it might be
q relief to the committee that he should be
represented by counsel.
j. w. Elder was the first witness. He tes-
titled that about the 1st of March, 1883, he,
in company with Charles Garfield, met Boyn-
ton in the hall at the capitol, and spoke to
him concerning a small bill, saying that he,
witness, would like to get the speaker TO
recognize some one on the bill. Gen. Boyn-
ton told him he had a bill himself, the Nc
Garrahan bill, which he could not secure
recognition for, and he could not expect to
secure recognition for smaller bill, and
added, the speaker would leave the chair
without friends or money. The witness on
being asked, what, if anything, Gen. Boyn-
ton had said about seeing Speaker Keifer
about the McGarrahan bill, said, he did not
remember that he had said anything.
Upon cross-eXamination by Ramsey, wit
Gen. Boynton's intervention in behalf of his
bill.
Ramsey then asked witness if ne was wit
ness in a certain divorce case in the courts
of the district.
Coleman objected, and Ramsey stated, that
he desired to show the character of the wit
ness to be such that his testimony could not
be credited He said he wanted to show by
affi nT-it Of ba tuitn himself that he
was frequenter of disreputable houses.
Coleman opposed the admission of the
statement in the records, and his protest was
allowed to be recorded.
The witness said he had been employed on
certain occasions to secure testimony fol
persons before investigating committees, etc.
He said he had gone to Ohio to see Charles
Garfield, and spoken to him about coming tC
this city to testify in behalf of Keifer. His
expenses on this occasion had been paid by
Coleman as Keifer's counsel He had re-
ceived no further consideration for his ser
vices. His principal interest in seeing Gar
field was to consult him with relation to
private matter, and the Keifer matter was
secondary.
Ramsey desired to submit in evidence 8
portion of the Kellogg Spofford case in which
ments, but it was ruled out.
Witness said he had no reason to believe
| that Boynton was aiding in the passage OF
bills. Boynton had said nothing to convey
the impression that he had made a corrupt
proposition to the speaker.
W. B. Green, clerk of the Subcommittee
of the house committee on accounts, testified
as to the conversation in which the latter stated
he had spoken to Keifer about the McGarra
han bills. The prosecution here closed theil
case.
THE DEFENSE.
Mr.. Dunnell, a member of the Forty-sev
enth congress, was the first witness for the
defense. He said that McGarrahan, during
the last few days of the session, asked hin
to make motion to take up his bill Thi.
he finally agreed to do, and Keifer promised
| to recognize him for that purpose. Kefer
however, did not recognize him, and after
wards explained that he thought it useless t.
call the bill up, as it could scarcely pass al
that late date. Witness had never spoken t.
General Boynton, in fact, was unacquainte(
with him.
General Boynton was placed upon the
stand. He said he had been a correspond
other employment whatever during tina
period. He said his first knowledge of the
McGarrahan claim was derived from hi:
reading the report upon the claim, and ht
had, at that time written a letter to his pape
supporting the claim. This was long time
before he met McGarrahan. McGarrahaI
came to him during the last session of con
gress and said: II wish since you are
friend of the speakers you would ask him t
recognize some one to introduce my bill
He, witness, said, if Keifer came into hi
Office he would repeat to him his request
The speaker was in the habit o
coming to his Office frequently, bu
after McGarrahan's request witness did no
see him for two or three days, so he wrot
the note previously spoken of in the testi
mony, and sent it into the speaker at tn
house. In relation to his visit to Keifer h
| said he went to the speakers room to speal
to him about matter which had been pend
ing between him (witness) and Keifer sine
the December previous. He then referred t
his note relating to the McGarrahan claim
saying he had taken the liberty to write hin
on the subject, but that he had no interest il
the matter, except he had promised McGarra
han to do so. Keifer replied, ''Oh, that i
all right, have already promised to recog
nize some one in that matter. Witness salt
that the matter he called on Keifer to speal
about related to the appointment
of another in the place of Mr.. Reid, as gov
eminent agent, in Walla Walla. His furthe
conversation related entirely to this matter
and the McGarrahan claim was not again re-
ferred to. When he left, he took his departure
in the usual way. He did not leave the room
on a dead run. Oaughter.)
He said he had always been on good term:
with General Keifer, until the trouble aros
concerning the opening of the press gallery
He said the McGarrahan claim had no con
nection with the rupture between himself AM
Keifer. General Boynton testified further
that on the night of the day on which Genera
Keifer says he approached him corruptly
General Keifer was in his, (Boynton's) Office
and had long and friendly talk concerning
the tariff bill. He would call five other wit
nesses to corroborate this statement.
The witness continued: In my Office tina
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