New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-14
THE GREAT INVESTIGATION
PEN PICTURES OF THE CHEF ACTORS.

CoNKIING SHARP AND OTHERS LOOK AND A|''
The present era will doubtless be khoWh
In history as the age OF legislative INVESTIGATING VU"
,n,ttees sometimes irreverently denOmnated sfneins
commit ees" Newly Ork has been blessed Win "t"
grade OF talent in this rs every othor line OF hu
Inept moments thought will serve to recah 'Ho "
sembly Crime Committee Of 1879 and the 0on",o go
mittee OF that yeaI the Insurance committee, ~ 80.
lpitteo on Corners" the Roosevelt Colh'''t 49,
ooo,nitecs over which Senator Gibbs preSiNeu' INC
Tn.In Con,,ni,tee and the Gas Committee. The last
f,hhs Committee md the ComTittee clasheo sohe
at and In measure killed another as iar as pun
lie interest was concerned. Now, however 'heIo 10 '
ono thing on the boards, and the senate halioau o
mittee that is investigating Jacob SHARP MS iuooe
and his income his outgoings and the sea
OF large and Unexplained cash ou'so' 10 ie
drawing attraction -,, l.,
The main and necessary clements o. a succcsSiui ~
yestjcating committee as follows one shhp ","
sarcastic lawyer, baky and sarcastic W'uesS"''
reporters and eral less venerable
tits doubtful whether the latter should really DC III
cluled among the necessary clements Dnt u VIII ue eeon
nm reflection that they III the Place occupied ~ 'ne
"walkins gentleman IN the legitimate drama ana 'o
IL has always been the custom to have them' Ih'n '
stern aud judicial front which they preserNeh"' Wv
audience and keeps them from sWtuhe Oil '"o ~
wearing their hats or otherwise interfering Win tne
smnity OF the proceedings. The great success
.sbarn Committee in these days, when gehera 'ho'
eal matters are supposed to he in dog rntHoe s"e
is astonishing. 1t due to the great 'den's VI '
who I'LL the leading parts-as mentioned "ooN' .ood
the presence OF anxious fringe OF Auerno,"
grabbers and political go-betweehs WHO arc ' :,
rhe lash OF investigation will fall over 'he p'o ~
the secretive AMI torseliul SHARP "
efing bank accounts. .o,, ~,
The committee is at present inNes'lg"Vhe ~ I"V w.,
"A I'm the Post Office Building, Room NO 10 70 '0
Nav York habitation OF the United States circuit Nou
Tho architect VINO designed 1t must have WORKED uuuei
deaf rs
more wretched apartment in which 10 near aus inns
,oss than All aoueuuct explosion would DC ulno"' ="
imagine The cenAe tones Of the Oalky witness >"u
into thin air or other undiscovered ioea'! w!
never reach the ears the listening throhe IL is oS
18th tho greatest difficulty that the learned couhsel
md others within few feet OF the tame can heI h
,hen thu words have away sound, ne though 'he
u,tress WAS using Mammoth Cave for aspeaKihglpe'
The iud yes seattle actual ann visible pehcu-ls
within the railing three long tables are arranged Ae
me aide OF the middle table sit the SENATOR'S so'eN
u,ober each one bolt W right and evidently giving Ills
whole mind to the task OF staring the auuehce oN "
oo,ntenance OppOsite them are the counse" Al ohe
end Of the same table are the stenograpoers "hose
busy pencils follow the examination an" oi0Se
examination through all their tWlstihss anu
turniprs The other two tables are taken up ny
the reporters. The rest Of the space Wltnu 'ne
railing is flied with witnesses and those VINO nave
pull with the gate keepers. Without the ascehune
,lope of benches is occupied by amateur rcOrners e
hryo politicians who come to study the at VI Joo' "
the truly scientific spirit, and the floating mass u ose
who have nothing 10 do and only want 10 We ainusou
As far as hearing anything is concerned the uhiof'u
mates beyond the railing might as well he ID kahsc"a
ka. The high iron walls aud iron ceihs PAh'eu "i
a chilly tint of pale drab and proinsely oIH"nion'e
with cast iron couices and cas-iron heures Id o"e
lei give the apartment the appearance Ola roomy anu
well vhitew sshed prison cell! Two or three OIL paintings
ot6enar,ed urs,s look down from the wall upon inc
green baize arena which lawyer and witness keep
I'M their tusade OF questions and answers HhiIe '"'
Int far from least are the sereeanta arms and his as
ssans who keep watch and ward at the ga'es ana open
snd shRt the windows at the word OF command
Tho vnc.s sits AZ the end Of the middle table ny the
stenoeraphe-s When Mr. Conkling conducts the eX-
animation there is continual display OF Nero"I en-!
rockets The Ex-senator leans uecNgently Dach ia MS
chair His thin hair and pointed beard. OoN OF uo
most absolute wilderness. give him avcneabie appear
ance which oonsort oddly with his quick motions Ills
sharr tons and lightning cOuntor-retort rob
the witness OF his secompacenty II they laiI 10 e1uac'
the TRUTH the whole Truth and nothing p"t the Uu'n
When Mr. Sewaid is probing about in inc railroad past
there is less electrical display but the current OF tcs
mony flows steadily the table. He runpes up his
long gray hair that tnged with yellow tugs oil LIS
long mustacbc and whlskcrs toys with his Eyeglasses
and seems compelled keep his body as active as his
mind Sometimes he leans weatiy back IN his On Nf
and then up he MS eyes to Their wdes
in the endeavOr pierce the witness through anu drive
ont from his mental reservation the facts that have
"sGuattcd" there like OkohOma boomers MI
seward is slight man physically and this never bee'me
more noticeable when he wre'tles with the eIeal
books that contain the accounts OF the brOau"dy anu
Seventh Avenue Railroad
Behind the counsel for the committee, Sis George
Bliss who guiding the railroad companies through the
leptbs and shoals OF legislative investigation HIS
fine face and hair keep the average o thar sort
of thins for that sie OF the table He smiles beng-
nautly on the witness who is struggling with the ugly
ouestons hurled az him. helps him out with an occa-
sional suggestion. straightens things up when hiH
learned friend and the witness are Aounderin9 IN
common misunderstanding and becomes more than
USUALLY interested whenever his own nalnt is men
Oned Lawyer Chittenden, who Is aso for the com
panos first and all the time. preserves an unbroken
silence at his end table and ds whole atten
ton TO listening
Jacob sharp and his milk form tho principal oh
ect OF attack, and against them the heaviest gus are
trained His ply sicians have prescribed five quarts oil
milk day. and In order that he may drink nothing else
the milk bottle is his constant companion When hls
dnots t6e milk bottle carenlIy on The floor plants his
hands firmly the head OF hir cane and Lowering DIS
bad head wS h eeey The student Of
would ready:sse that he Is steadast to degree
no record OF his ever having given ill., rEht or Wrong
and Mr. Conkling has so far failed to make nun break
as a witness is President Richmond VI the broadway
stnbsy mT aud dark brown hs His
decision marked in line and his clear vide open
age optic There Ia enough OF the bull dog and grey
hound In composition TO make him the man for any
kind OF an emergency and his testimony has been sue
cnct and decisive, witho II flaw or superfuos word
president Foshay. OF the Broadway and seventh Ayeuut
road has flowing whiskers OF an iron gray tnge and
what the novels call patIician cast OF counenance
He Is one OF those digned gentlemen who always figure
in the witness chair before committees and railroad
committees IN the guise OF stockhoider and director
would be hnicult TO conceive OF him living In al
other way by the clipping OF coupons aud the adding
up OF dividends ,
Lawson \. Fuller IS always the outskirts OF thG
investigation cracking Jokes LONE ago sept to the HON,
for ced and fnfru looking out for the reporters com
fort and kissing book with resembling smack when
ever called upon TO testify Lawyer NewG0mee whost
emily tlack locks render him II city Hall edition o.
Edgar Alien Poe ia loaded with the OF Tho
Consciences and secrets OF q dozen Aldermen. lie i
always on hand and always going TO produce " Billy