Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-17
BALLOT BOX INVESTIGATION.
Witnesses Before the Special House
Committee Today.

When the apecial House committee sp-
pointed to investigate the Ohio ballot box
forgery met this morning Mr.. Kurtz, late pri-
vate secretary to Gov. Foraker, was present
The crOss-examination of A. C. Sands was con-
tinued. In answer to Mr.. Kurtz witness de-
MED that he had met Representative Grosvenor
at Logan September 29 or that he
had had a conversation of any length with Mr.
Kurtz before he went into the governors Office
September 80. Witness had not stated that
Kurtz requested him to destroy his letter re-
specting the Commercial Gazette publication,
bdR wished to know what had become of il.
Did not remember telling him that Wood could
give him information about the ballot box
matter.
MR. KURTz THEN TOOK THE STAND
and said that last Saturday morning he had
telegraphed Chairman Mason to hold Mr.. Sands
until he could produce an important letter.
That evening he had concluded to come
on here. Mr.. Sands statement that
he called at the Gibson house
IN answer to his (kurtzs) letter did not agree
with witness belief, as six weeks had inter-
vened. The witness then read a statement he
had prepared in explanation of his reasons for
stating to Mr.. Sands that he was not RESPONSE
BILE for the publication. At that time he did
not recollect that he had told of Mr.. Sands
matter to MIR. Flynn, newspaper reporter, who
had in turn told Mr.. Halstead. The witness
then repeated and insisted on the correctness
OF his testimony, which apparently had been
contradicted by Mr.. Sands respecting their
conversation in the governors oftce.
HE FLATLY DENIED
that Sands had told him to caution the GOV
ernor against Wood. What he had said was that
Wood could tell all about the contract, but that
he was bad character and he (Kurtz) would
have to be careful about him.
Mr.. Sands stated at this point that he was
sincerely sorry to be compelled to differ with
his old friends, Gov. Foraker and Mr. Kurtz,
and 1t was not to be expected that recollections
would agree entirely as to a conversation in
terested and the other interested only as q
friend.
GEORGE WEBER OF cINc1NNAT1
testified that he had known Wood for fifteen or
eighteen years, and told how he had sought to
interest witness in his ballot box company in
the summer of 1883, saying that Repre-
sentative Campbell was to introduce
bnl to secure the use Of the box by the
governor and Representative Grosvenor was
to take care of the republican side of the House.
Wood showed him contract 1,OOO," and invited
him to go in on the ground floor, but witness
told him TO get out; that he wanted nothing to
DO. 90 with III II Witness did not read the paper
but Wood told him 1t was contract 1000.
Mr.. Grosvenor said that that contract was
never drawn up until the fall of 1889, and
wanted to know how the witness could identify
as that contract paper shown him year be-
fore 1t was made.
The witness said that he could not identify
it; he had stated that Wood had called It con-
tract 1000.
REPREsENTATIvE oRosvINoS TOOK THE STAND
and testified that he was at Columbus septem-
Der 20, but did not see Mr.. Sands. The ssTrust
me, Charlie" telegram, which had been re-
ferred to in this investigation, was an answer
from Representative Butterworth to witness'
appeal to help him at the Marietta meeting and
had nothing TO do with this case
Apparently the taking Of testimony closed
with this statement and the committee went
into secret session to determine the further
procedure.