New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-13
COMPLETING THE CIRCUIT.
CITIZEN VAN BENTHUYsEN INDIGNANT

fBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIDUNEl
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The testimony or
President Denthrysen, In the PanEectric invesu
cation to-day Important Probably 1t was more
full and comprehensive than IL would have bech Il 'o
witness had lost hs early III the examination
and tired to blaokgusrd tho editors OF certain hc~sp"
pcrs. and to insult member OF the committee MI "a"
Ienthuysens extremely sensitive on the subject OF ne
Inu,nated copy o. the record OF the hearing oclo'c
Secretary Lamar, which copy was prodIoeu pS '"o
National Improved Company IN the recent 'rs al
Orleans The witness made tho best explanation 'n"'
he coald but he forgot omitted, one important mat
Ter MT only were four pages OF original matter
taEen ont OF the original record, because they
weakened the case OF his company. bal DUMMIES -,
the shane OF diagrams which appeared In another ~
OF the record, inserted IN place 90 r,o.n o,a
matter so as to preserve the "-'r'"'' '"NA' g.
A -, ,r -, 1wice In the same record. This
,no ,-.lness the witness made no attempt to OK
a!ess his declaration under oath that editors are
bare faced liars lie regarded an explanation
Ia this part OF his examination Mr. Van Benthuysen-
who enioys high reputation as q peent and copous
author of aiHdavs-lost his temper completely ana
roou placed himself at the mercy OF the lawyer
whose searching gu .sticns be tried IN vain 10 pati!
Some questions he declined declaring that no
did NOT mean to be besmirched by attorneys or other
comYauies" Pressed to explain what he meant he cast
AVA the last shred OF prudence and accused MI ran
nev of being both an attorney and stakeholder OF the
Boil COMPANY and declared that be would accept no
denial from Mr. Rsnney except uhuSt oaih
The witness bore up pretty well under the vigorous
examination OF Chairman Boyle, which resulted In inc
prCauction OF the lougsought written agreement be-
tween Pan-Elec'ric and National Improved compsn
les Both Casey Young and Senator Harris tested tha'
this had nothing 10 do with the government
suit and both OF them professedo oe greatly ason'sneu
BY Tie discovery OF the supplementary agreement OF
August o. which did contain supustions respecting
that suit The original agreement. which was
produced by Van Bcnthuysen, was dated IN
Washington. August 4. 1888. four days AFTER
the interview with Mr.. Garland. in which
he resoutoy refused bring the suit 1t is signed oy
1shau q. Harris behalf of Garland's company and
by ". Van Benthuyscn on bohaif Of his own company.
The significance OF this document will be seen by the
following quotation from the preamble and spulatons
Whereas The parties hereto. the said National I'm
proved Telephone Company and the said Pan-Elccirc
Telephone Company, propose commence proceedings
~ the Of the United states against tie American
Of Attorney General OF the United states to
Now therefore is hereby stipulated and agreed by
and parties hereto that IN the further con,
render such mutual all assistance NAV he con
venent and necessary to protect and secure ther COM
And it is further stipulated and agreed that
should they succeed Ia having a sur pr plop 1s
yers party shall no entered as counsel Of record
in said SUIT and possible assistance sha ne given
by the contracting parties to carry TITO SUCCESSFUL COLI
this further express agreement and understand,
ing there shall be settlement or compromise OF
Tho same by either party In interest witnou, iul Gs
agreement upon such terms ~ settlement or COM
promise may seem just and lair TO DOth.
This shows conclusivey first. that tie refusal OF MI
Garland interpreted in a Pickwickian sense, or AT
most as not ua; second, that the purpose Of
the parties strike" the Ben Company and bring
1t to terms 10y threatening to bring the power OF the
United States Government TO bear againstit
NJ. Van BentAuyse further tet lifted that when he
came TO Washington late IN july he did Dot know
that off cpfC act
He learned lie also testified That
he was introduced senator Harris August or 3.
and that they had conversation about the agreement
10 bring q Government suit bat it appears from the
document that Mr. Harris signed that selfsame
agreement than forty-cisht hours afterward
Nj. Van Benthuysen desired read a prepared
statement, but the Republican members of the
committee objected. His acquaintance with Mr..
YOUNG he said. dated from the dismissal Of
the Pittsburg suit. Young told him OF the
passage OF a law authorizing the institution Of Govern
rnen suits him that the Attorney General,
being interested in a telephone company would GER
tanly have anything to DO with the matter
The witness lost his temper and declared that the At
torney General had right TO Interfere with his rights
Young and himself agreed to furnish evidence and
model and u divide the sbut each TO fur
nish his lawyers for a suit against the Bell
Company. He received answer TO an APP
lcaton he made to the Attorney General.
stating that the matter had been
1erTcu 10 secretary OF 10 WHOM
have been referred originally Whcn he called upon At
torney General Garland sthat gentleman courteously
but firmly refused hear him. tue witness became
Indignant and threatened appeal to the President
called again with Mr. Brerson. attorney, to
promise from the Attorney General that he would
promptly application for suit against tie Bell
Company If referred to the Department throu gh dts
trictttOrney and again the Attorney General peremp-
tory refused touch the he had ndistinct
Impression that the Attorney General asked II he
hal any objection 10 the withdrawal of tho wtnesss
orig nsl application for suit and that Ae replied that he
had direction. The witness the paper from Com
missioner Montgomery. OF the Patent dice. but Mr..
Garland had ordered the withdrawal o. the app
cation had been stated He desired 10 withdraw the
application he learned that law had pa
authorizing suit as nc had supposed, because he
fearful that 1t would fall into the hands 81
tie same people IN the Patent ;Onico who had
been TOD with tho OF the
Bell patents, who might the paper toresal him.
fee who were acting in the Interest OF the Boil Com
psny. The witness did pot believe that Young knew
anything about the withdrawal Of the paper He had
sent pencil draft OF an agreement (substau tally the
ms the supplemental agreement produced Dy Mr..
Young 10 Young with request that he put in form.
copy was produced by the witness The supplemental
tie identified the instrument bearing his own
signature. lie said. however, that it had never been
carried ont and had for naught since parties
failed to get Government SUIT
The Chairman INQUIRED II IL were true that copiss OF
the Interior Department proceedings had been printed
Tor the New Orleans suit Win important omss'ons
that that wa. another lie ccuiaed BY the Bci Com.
psny. The Npher affidavit had been dropped. he said,
because II stated that BELLS instrument described IN
the specifications, would work. while Professor Bell
him 'elf had failed 10 get speech through IT, "The Bell
Company has circulated the report that rlck
tfo cOurt explained the witness. "ThOse WHO circu-
lsed Il are liars and they know that they ara liars"
He added that he did not state that the record
complete when he presented the papers to the New
Orleans court
The his point turned his attention 70 that
part OF Or ROgerss testimony rejecting h- integrity,
anc he declared that there word 81 truth IN
Rogcrs's statement that Senator Harris had denounced
the "ltNcss ~ sCOundrel.
MI Ranney began 10 catechise the witness with refer
10 he omission Of the Npher AFFIDAVIT from the In
terror Department record and the witness mad long
controversy with Mr. Ranney about the matter He de-