Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-15


lNblcIkh-NR COOK THINKS HE MIGHT HAVE REEN
CONVICTED ON THG.9 TRIsL-Hs ALSO THINKS
ihh nJ' tRNAkST WoGLD HAVE WON TIE CIVIL
SUIT TO RECOVER TIE MoNEY-wEo EFFECTED THE
eoMFRtAlsE, AND HOW THE MONEY WAS DIVIDED.
Mr.. Cook was examined by the Springer commit
Tee To-Day upon tie celebrated ottman case. He
Sald that he and MI Merrick were Mr. ottman's
counsel 10 defend him when tried upon the indict-
mentS obtained by the government charging OFT
man WIN stealing or receiving from those who had
SIo'"h the sum Of <.1.G09 from the United States
Treasury. He stated as i airrIidy well kGo.sn
tllt SlttD was found in t rest 3urdpf Ou.th street
Where il h3d boon placed to- Nj VIM q. Gilman.
rms tE5'her With The $3.50 found deposited n
QtheF Smaller sums made up ti., sum discovered
ny me scoF efE>neut lie said he waS not employ Il
~ securing Tie coi2T9Llisc. THIS, L. believed, Wa.
THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF u1,. CROWLEY.
VINO, he believed. was n member Of congress nj
that time The first knowledge he had of MI
crowley scoGnecttolt with. interest IN the case.
was that one DIV he Crowley came into his Office
wilma letter from MI Cttman. ard asked for IN
securing compromise re 4 friend Of Mir Ottman'S
~ totu hln, s'ii the witness "that thought he
h9t Very dliu MI task before him: that did
thlnk he could possibly effect a compromise. To
thio he replied that he knew 1t was a diffcult case
but he thought lie possessed influence enough 10
secure the desired compromise"
IN Ely decision that a compromise could not be
rnected, continued t3e witness. Il was governed
IA
an action criminal and impossible"
Mr. Cook then read an extract from the revised
statutes OF the District
THE TRIALS And THEIR RESULT
Mr.. Springer then asked the witness to explain
the condition in which the cases were when the
nolle pros. was entered.
In answer to this the witness said the FRS. trial
was lGiScarried, as was also the second. tic jury
stsiling respectively seven to five and one Tor aC
quittal 10 eleven for conviction. The case was then
lflt IN a good position for new trial. with every
thing In favor OF conviction. In the civil eases
lor the recovery Of the money, he said, the great
difficulty experienced by the government was the
inability to prove that the money recovered was the
Identical money stolen from the Treasury though
there was no doubt in the minds OF the witnesses
The preponderence or evidence was on the side OF
the government, and this would certainly have So
cured il decision in its favor ii the case had been
pressed The case was clear enough, and only
needed pressing 1t TO a conclusion.
NitneS said that besides the 81 600 which went to
Ottman. and the S12.GCo or more that went to the
government by the terms " the compromise other
sums We're
DIVIDED AMONG VARIOUS INVISIBLE PERSONS.
"Haye You any knowledge us to who these per-
sons wcrc?n asked Mr.. Springer.
'Therc were several ptIsols,' replied the witness
'who. it was understood, had received money on
the division. Mr.. Richard Crowley. II was under
stood, got large sum. Mir. George Bliss. it was
SAID got $1,000; not as fee, but as a present
pressed upon him. Others, il Vas said, came in Tor
their share Of the sloflS. These statements have
noi been proven, but | think he added, with a
somewhere
MR. COOK Is CERTAIN THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE
RECOVERED THE MONEY IN CIVIL. SUIT.
"Do you Think" asked Mr. Nliken. ..that the
civil suit would have been decided In favor of the
government"
"ieS,' replied the witness. "as have said, was
Mr. Ottmans counsel IN the criminal case but re-
fused to defend him II the ctvil case because felt
mcnt. The civil suit the witness said, .iiid not
hecesSafily imply any crninality. II Mr.. OtlllSn
had been an innocent holder Of the money IL could
have been reCoTered.'
MIR. COOK CONTRADICTS MR.. BLISS.
MI Springer further examining the witness, read
from MI Bliss report IL explanation OF his action
IN the compromise, and the witness cUntroyerted
with his opinion every argument.
NJ. Springer called attention TO Mr.. Bliss state
mont that The case could not be proven b. the gov
eminent.
This Mr. Cook said In his opinion was far from
true Win relation TO the statement that the
money had passed into the hands Of innocent par
lies, 80 that the government could not recover IT,
Mr. Cook said that this could not be 50: that there
could b." no question 10 the law the subject.
lac government could recover the money wherever
IL Was found There could be no SsilnIilent oG the
money made by VI. Ottman which would place it
oit Oh tie reach Ct the government.
MI ryan here asked for an explanation of the
position OF the committee in prosecuting the exam
inatiOn. "Aln | right. Nj. h .irnan in the as
show that Mr. George Bliss or any other person had
no right to take action III compromise Oh the part
OF the governments
''flaJ is The object" replied Mr. Springer SIT IS
TO She" that in the First place any CCmp.oniSe was
In direct Violation OF the law; and iii the second
place, without being Illegal, the cOmpIo:alsc was
FAR from Ju,tclous, involving Il great ioss TO the
government"
SPEAKING OF oTTMAS's RIGHT TO MAKE AN assign
MENT
of the money agailist which the government had an
attachment, III. Cook said that he had refused TO
receive such an assignment for his fees. sooner
tnin do this he had gone without his fees. He had
refused TO re C.tc THIS assignment upon legal and
moral grounds. a." he said '.was the attorney In
that case who never received cent"
hr. Cook said there were but two COURSES for the
government 10 pursue. one WAS to prosecute the
case TO conclusion. the Cthrr TO abandon it ab,Q-
lutciy. And If abandoned 10y a nOjle proSenui the
government had 10 right TO retain any OF the
money ihv0iTed.
MR.. BLISS POSITION EXPLAINED.
Mr.. Mi.liken said that since coming into the room
he had understood Bliss position to b. that he be-
lieved Ottman was guilty, but he could not prove
IL, and he Thought IL best 10 take What he could
get or make the toSt terms ne could.
III. springer read a telegram OF July 9ti ISS3
from the Attorney General TO Col. Bliss, which
showed that the former did not understand the
Nj. Van Alstyne remarked that Bliss evidently
understood it.
Col. Cook said he got the fact that ottman got
only S1.tsW from various parties. Witness was in
formed rom Ottman that the latter could not pay
him fee, as he got only $4,000. Col. Cook said he
His information as to what Ottman rot came IRON
Major sweet and Col Moore.
WHICH STEALING?
Mr.. Miken.-Cou,d any person not connected
with the stealing know how the money was d.
vided?
Col COok.-To which stealing do you refer-the
first or the last? General laughterl
Mr.. M1ken replied that he didn't expect 10 be
put on the stand.
Witness believed that Richard Crowley effected
the compromise, and the relations between Crow
ley and Bliss were very Intimate.
Shortly before Crowley called On witness OFT
man visited witness and said he had employed
Crowley as his attorney. Crowley stated to wit
ness that he was In position and had influence
that would enable him toeffect the compromise.
Crowley said he was attorney for Ottman and Ott-
man also informed witness OF that fact.
The substantial statement OF Crowley, as wit
ness understood him, Was that he would not effect
compromise as lawyer, but through his influ-
ence That was witness conception Of what Crow
ley said.
CROwLEY's INFLUENCE.
Several questions were asked to ascertain whether
Crowley indicated with whom he had influence
The reply was that he did not say positively, but
the whole conversation, as witness understood 1t.
referred to influence with somebody In the govern
ment He admitted that Crowley might have had