The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-04-06
M'LEAN AND PAYNE
Not So Anxious to Testify Before the Invss.
tIgatIng Committee.

Not So Anxious to Testify Before the InVss,
ugating Committee.
CINCINNATI, April ga Columbus cor.
respondent Of the Commercial Gazette tele.
graphs; A little inquiry and investiga,
ton develops the fact that the anxiety oil
John R. Mclean to come before the
Cowgirl Committee Is not SO overwhelm.
ing as 1t might be. A fishing.line was
tied to the request, and II has been hauled
In for the time being, and the fly may not
be cast again. The same appears to be
true concerning Henry Payne's request,
who, vowlng that he would never, no,
never, takO notice OF Colonel Donavin's
charges, now pretends-or, perhaps more
accurately, lately pretended-that he
wants TO 20 before the committee and
deny them under oath.
The truth OF the matter is that both
Boedle Payne and Doodle Mclean were
badly fooled by the appearance OF things,
and made their requests TO be called as
witnesses under mistaken idea concern
ing the facts In the case. They thought
that the committee had ceased taking eyi.
dence, and that no sort OF attention would
be paid to their requests, and this would
afford them ample opportunity to aSsail
the finding and report Of the committee.
AS soon as II began'to dawn upon them
that they would not be excluded from
volunteering" their statements to the
committee, their zeal TO become witnesses
fell TO zero or little below.
They didn't want to find the door open
when they came. That would not suit
their purposes at all, and in this way their
offers got them into an unpleasant pre-.
diCament. They couldn't back out en-.
tlrely with any degree Of consistency, and
they were adverse to going forward, unlesS
they were well padded and protected. So
there has been lot OF sklrmishinS going
on. Payne and Mclean desire 10 be called
as witnesses for the prosecution, and have
their testimony recorded and considered
in that light exclusively. As testimony
for the prosecution, 1t would be much more
valuable than as testimony for the defenSe.
Mr.. Cowgirl doesn't claim to be q law.
yer, but as he was probably once 4 candt.
date for Justice Of the Peace, he knows
that II is not exactly the thing to call the
defendants as witnesses for the State aud
rely upon the testimony for conviction,
to the exclusion Of the testimony Of diain.
terested witnesses. MeSsrs. Tompkins and
Rawlins have both had considerable ex.
perience as State Attorneys, and are able
to supply any lack Of technical legal
knowledge that Mr.. Cowgirl may be def.
clent in.
These three gentlemen at once decided
that there was neither warrant nor neCess.
ity for calling either Payne or Mclean for
the prosecution, but that II II IL desirable
TO call them for the defense, there will be
no obstacle placed In the way OF calling
them az defendants toitnsSSsS. But they do
not want TO appear as witnesses for the de.
Tense, as that would spoil the beautiful
symmetry Of the stories Of child.like limo.
cense they expected to tell.
The subject is now being Beriouely dis
cussed between the gentlemen and their
friends, and Il Is likely that the outcome
will be that they will not appear as wit.
nesses at all, since can not appear In q
q role that will make their testimony con.
elusive in their own behalf. But II I am
not mlsinformed three or four additional
witnesses will be called in behalf Of the
prosecution whose testimony will 20 Ia
corroborate aud confirm number OF fRctI
already testified TO before the committee,
and probably one or two new points will
be brought TO light.