The Indianapolis journal., 1886-03-19
WITNESS ROGERS.
He Continues His Testimony and Beseechea
the Committee to Read His Poem.

WASHINGTON, March 18.--When the tele-
phonic investigating committee resurlsd its
labors at noon to-day, Dr. Rogers was further
examined. Recurring to the conversation held
with Young in his room about the government
suit, the witness said Young had told him that
the other parties--the National Improved Com
pany-had collected $4,000 worth of testimony
in Europe, and they were desrous of q combi-
nation in the suit SO as to put that testimony
against some little influence that they (the Pan
electric people, might have That was about
two weeks before the institution of the govern
ment suit. 1t was stated that the suit would bs
brought in the name of that company, but the
witness did not know the reason. The witness
had been party to the National Secret Tele-
phone Company. organized two years before the
Pan-electric by Messrs B. Hine, Hume, Dean
and Gen. Thomas Ewing, of Ohio. TIE capital
was So, QUO. 900. based on his sons Inventions
The company had leased to the Pittsburg and
New Orleans companies. Van Benthuysen had
been the organizer of the New Orleans company
the National Improved Telephone Company
The witness had sold out his stock in the Secret
Telephone Company.
Objection was made to the line of inquiry as not
being germane to the subject under investigation,
and Mr.. Oates wished the committee to decide
at this point whether it would be proper to 60
OuCSlu0 Oh tue SuDJecbmatter OF Tue reSOlutiO&A
directing the investigation, and maintained that
the committee should not 60 into questions nos
pertinent to the inquiry.
Mr.. Ranney said it would seem that all Of these
companies were more or less closely connected
and the committee should not attempt to shield
anybody.
Mr.. Oates replied that no man was more ready
than himself to go to the bottom of this matter,
but he objected to an inquiry about outside
parties. either whtewashing or blackening.
p RqnnQv INIT ftaa wac ha
verge of discovery, bat no one could tell in the
dark who man was.
Mr.. Oates rejoined that he did not propose to
embark on that kind of craft; he wished to stick
to the only matters properly before the COM
mttee
Mr. Ranney said that, for some reason or
other, the suit had been shifted from the Pam
electric company to the Van Benthuysen people.
There question in his mind in that respect.
After some further discussion the objection
was sustained by the chairman,
The witness said that there had been no trans
fers of Pan electric stock before the patent
issued, but later certificates had been sold, and
he got half the proceeds and Money the other
half The witness knew Money was chairman
Of the postoffce committee of the House. Money
was not candidate for Postmaster general at
that time, and the witness had done nothing to
help him to that Office. The witness had never
sold any stock to a member of Congress. He APP
piled for a consular place, and had written to At
torney general Garland about it. Money had
also seen the Attorney general in furtherance OF
the application. Returning to the subject Of
the government suit. the witness said that he
did not know, until the last meeting of the
board that Van Benthuysen, of New Orleans,
had made an application to Attorney general
Garland to have the suit brought, in addition TO
the application made by the witness.
Mr.. Oates inquired as to the present feeling be-
tween the Attorney general and the witness.
He replied "Ihave no malice against Mr. Gar
land. but think that when he had chance to
be generous he acted meanly."
Mr.. Oates asked if the witness had ever writ
ten any satirical poetry directed against the
Cleveland administration, and especially against
Attorney general Garland.
just got it this morning from Baltimore
replied the witness, cheerfully, as he drew ont q
pamphlet. Here it is-want to see it2
The cover of the pamphlet bore the following
incrption
THE GREAT MUGwUMP.
cANTo l.
Pan-electric Sale of Governm ent Property
To Be Followed by Parthenon.C Congressional White
wash and the Taste of the Dogcatcher by j.
w. ROGERS of Parthenon Heights.
Published by Puck g. Bottom Parthenon
Heights Bladensburg. Nd, 1880
A smile ran around as Mr.. Oates put the next
question and received tae answer: WAS it in-
tended TO be satirical"
''You might read it.n
Several members threw up their hands in elo-
quent protest.
1b 10 tuc U6St 0NIuouc6s huQeu MT. JauuHVt
apparently enjoying Mr. Oatess discomiture
The spectators laughed, but Mr.. Oates persisted
in his question, and the witness replied that his
animus in writing the poem might have good
many complexions II think il will do Garland
good If you read it," he added beseechingly.
But the committee declined TO read the pamph-
let
The witness then said that when Mr. Garland
had come back from s.Hominy Hall" and made
that statement which seemed to reflect upon the
u,,% a3o la+fa IS <ko ha hat
land might have come out square,y, and have
stated that what the witness said in the letter
was true His silence in that regard had inn
paired Mr. Garland greatly in his lthe witnesssl
estimation.
Mr.. Milard then inquired who had called the
meetings in the Senate judiciary room.
The witness said that he did not know, prob
ably it had been more for Mr.. Garland's cons
venience than for any other reason.
Mr. Ranney then took up the pamphlet put ia
ness as to his personal knowledge Of the stAtes