Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-09
MCPHERSON DENIES IN TOTO


 MCPHERSON DENIES IN TOTO
 The Charges of Political Trading and
 Railroad Subsidizing Made By The
 True American.
 NEW YORK July 8.-Senator McPherson, ot New Jersey, makes the following reply to the charges recently preferred against him by the Trenton True American:
 BELLE MEAD, N. J., July s.-The charge made by the Trenton True American is briefly that William J. sewell, at present Senator in Congress, and myself met to- gether in room 26 in the Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, December 5, 1878, and then and here concocted a scheme to secure and advance the political fortunes of both Sewell and myself and also to assist the Pennsylva mia railroad company. These charges are supported upon the sole alleged statement of Peter H. Watson, man who is total stranger to myself and whom I have never seen, who it is said occupied adjoining room and who overheard the con- versation between the parties. The answer to it all is, the man who makes this state ment was either crazy, an egregrious liar or grossly mistaken, the presumption being that he was the latter, at least mistaken as to the identity of one of the parties accused, as I shall presently show, and possi- ply as to both, And now, as to the story itself. I am informed that the rooms thus occupied on that eventful day or night are separated by heavy thick walls and double doors each three inches thick lex cept the ear-witness was enclosed in an in tervening water closet, in which event he was separated by one door onlyl through which campaign orator could scarcely be heard. Perhaps therefore, we may be permitted to again presume that he drew largely upon his imagination for the statements he has made (of which there is as yet no evidence) unless the conspirators wanted to be heard by somebody. The very extravaganza of the assertions, coupled with the circumstances surrounding the whole affair, proves their absurdity. As of conspiring in the interests of subsidy or railroad legislation for the Penn sylvania railroad, refer the public to my votes in the State legislature and in Con gress during eleven consecutive years of ser vice to find even one vote given for sub sidy for any purpose railroad or otherwise, or any legislative favor granted railroad Nothing is better known in New Jersey than that my first election to the Senate was opposed by the Pennsylvania and other railroads of the State because of my then record and my proclaimed opposi- ton to the Texas Pacific subsidy then pend ing in Congress. In view of these facts my talk with Sewell one year later as reported seems ridiculous.
 MT. McPherson goes on to say that in October, 1879, he was asked the meaning of Q report concerning a deal be- tween himself and Sewell. He was surprised and on asking for the source of the report he was referred to Senator Randolph; to whom he wrote upbraiding him for con cealing the story, denying emphatically that any such conversation understanding with Sewell as that reported had ever been had. The story was ''false as he'll General Sewell would deny it under oath and he (MePherson) was not at the Continental Hotel during December, 1878. Senator Randolph called on McPherson few days later and pooh -hooed the whole matter absurd. He admitted having spQksn of the story as po- litical incident, but had dropped it from his mind The next time MoPherson heard of the story it was brought up threat % eningly against 1aa6 him Hn aa by anaa5 Henry O. his accuser and was told it was the oceppant of the room next to room No. 26 in the hotel on the date mentioned. The hotel register showed the name of that to be R. H. Watson, of Ohio. MT. MePheFson addressed to him demand faP an explanation, but Pherson then investigated the matter only day when he had been at the Continental during the winter of 1s7s-9 he had been assigned to room 26, but as a mat ter of fact he did not entaT the room at all because ha Gpt to the hotel later than he was expected to and immediately left with A. H. Fuller and others who had been waiting for him to attend a business mot railroad) meeting. He went to New York that night, not returning to the hotel. By his late arrival at the hotel he was obliged to disappoint some political friends with whom he had arranged meeting at the hotel. He did not meet Sewen at ali and has never met him for the purpose stated in the story. He became convinced that the story was the result of plot against him by some one who knew that le was assigned to room 26, and supposed that he occupied it, He obtained from those whom he met in Philadelphia statements as to what occurred James Montgomery, a business man of Chi eago, wrote under the date of October 30, 1880, corroborating the above statements of McPherson's movements on December 5, 1878, and saying that he did not go up strirs in the hotel at all. Montgomery was with McPherson from the time of his ar rival till the departure for New aaac Work ,,.ar A, H Fuller, basa- to the same effect under date of May 20, 1880, McPherson next heard of the story during the presidential canvass last year. Then Henry s. Little, who was running for State Senator, came to him and threatened to expose the Seweu scandal unless Le and Sewell helped him 0ittlel in the election The result was a meeting between 7SewelI, Little and McPherson. The latter intimated that Little was severely rebuked, that he with drew from the ticket. If the public wishes to know what occurred at the meeting Sena- tor Sewell can tell; MePherson is sure that Little never will. As for himself he will at present only say there ngyar was exhibited such total depraVity in politics as that sfown by Little. ,s =i'sti
 In conclusion the alleged Watson memo