New-York tribune., 1890-01-05
MR.. FOSTERS METHODS.
HOW HE RAN THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
LEAGUE.
FACTS BROUGHT OUT IN HIS TESTIMONY IN THE


SUIT OF TALLMADGE & MARTIN.
The hearing in the suit for Sl1,4s4 60 brought by
Tallmadgc & Martin against the Republican National
League was continued yesterday before Mr. Roegner
the referee in the case, at his Office in the stewart
Building. Only one witness, James p. Foster eN-
president Of the League, was on the stand ana MS
crossexaminati0n was not finished when the hearing
was adjourned until next Thursday morning Inc
proceedings were somewhat more lively than usual
and two or three interesting points were brought out
in the course Of the searching trossexaminatlon 70
which Mr.. Foster was subjected 10y the Leagues
attorneys. Messrs Gay and Blanchard
one of these points was in reference to that famous
fat circular which appeared in the last PTeSdenal
campaign, and which has been commonly atttlou'eu
TO the League Mr.. Fosters testimony, however, an"
the statement of the plaintiffs counsel Colonel Bacon
showed that though the circular bore Mr.. Fosters sig
natnre he was not the author of it, In fact Ire dld
NOT apparcnlv know much about it until after ap-
peared No other member of the League Executive
Committee was consulted about the document no'
even the secretary, Mr.. Humphrey, was aware ol It's
preparation or knew anything about it until 1t was
published. Who the real author was dld not tI7spHo
en- +he examination but the inference was that eN-
Senator Daggett had to do with 1t than any one
else.
This matter the League officials hold, fairly tylnes
Mr. Fosters actions while president OF the ors"h-
zotion He seemed to think, they say, that MS
,bor3tv was supreIne and that he did not need 10
consult other members of the committee rcg'rlhS
anything, however important. lie went on ISSUING
circulars and contracting obligations without the COZ"
sent or even knowledge of the Executive Comhi'lec'
and now this committee is asked to pay these 'lims
Cor alleged work and services. They decline TO 40
so unless it can be shown that these debts are justly
dne and that the League is really liable for them III
other words they do not believe that the unauthorized
individual action of member OF Ihe coHli1'oo -
binding upon that body. 49,. -,
In tho nreIimnary stages of the examination, MI
GAY said he proposed 10 prove that the pdli''''s nav
established little bureau of their own for pilh'l"s
ho,ovcr thcv chose in the name Of the League and
hat they then looked to that organization for pay
ment In reply to a question As to his authority lor
issuing circulars and cont acting bills, MI roster
referred 10 the minutes Of meeting of the League
Committee On December i, 1857, appointing SUD
committee Later on, at meeting OF talN SUD
committee a resolution adopted IN fVor oil lSsu'
ing pilnted matter, etc. but no one was orieied To
do So Mr. Foster and =. T. BIacEct'
yicepresident Of the League for NewNork. were ap-
pointed a finance committee for this state but the
witness admitted that he had never consulted MI
Bracket about the collection disbursement OF funds
II is{sserted by the plaintiffs that the bill for when
Suit II brought contracted after september ~
1888 AMr Foster was asked what authority he had
receiA 10 order printing done. have Mr.. DaSsett
no ~ lie replied that he had received it from the
rams Ion committee of the League. This committee
was kmed on July IL, looS. with General W. W. Dud-
lev hairman. President Wilbur \. Mott, OF the New
Jer& State League and President W. W. johnson,
of Maryland League, secretary Humphrey and Mr..
Foa were the other members of It, one meeting was
h4 6t the League Headquarters, but the minutes
showed that it entirely informal
WAS there any subsequent meeting heidi" Mr. Cav