The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-21
BALL0T-BOX FORGERIES.
A NUMBER OF WITNESSES EXAM
INED YESTERDAY.

The Mayor of Cincinnati Tells About
Woods Chase After the Appoint
ment - Foraker Wouldn't Recon-.
mend Wood Until He Got the Paper
Wood Recalled-The Whole Scheme
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2O-The first witness
to-day before the special House committec
investigating che Ohio ballot-box forgery
case was Mayor Mosby of Cincinnati. He
testified that he knew Wood, who came te
him with letters of recommendation from
reputable business men and firms, and con-
tinued to present such letters until the
number was considerable. These the mayor
read as he presented them. The chairman
suggested that these letters might be put in
without stating, but witness said he
would not like to 60 before the country as
the appointer of man who deliberately sat
down here last Saturday like buffoon and
fool to give evidence, SO he was allowed to
go on stating the letters One was fr ON
Powell Crosley, Butterworth's law partner.
and in it Crosley spoke of Wood as his
friend. Another was from John Zumstein,
now county treasurer.
LETTER FROM FORAKER.
Owing to these letters. and after
an interview with Wood, in which
Wood impressed him as being capable.
the mayor had determined TO ap-
point him smoke inspector Wood filed his
papers and asked if witness had received a
letter of recommendation from Foraker.
and, being answered in the negative, said
the letter would be forthcoming Aug. 8
witness got letter from c. L. Kurtz, the
governors secretary, asking to have
the place sofl smoke Inspector held open.
Aug. l3 he got a letter from the governor
asking him not to make an appointment
OF smoke inspector for few days. Witness
wrote the governor in reply, telling what
kind of man he wanted for smoke in
spector, and. Aug. 16 the governor replied
that he had promised to indorse Woods
application in a certain contingency-that
he had promised him the governor) certain
political information about prominent men.
TOLD HIM ABOUT TIRE BALLoT-Box.
Witness told how he met Foraker on the
train at Aenia, when he told witness about
the ballot-box. Witness thought he Fora
kerr mentioned not only Campbell, but But
terworth, as being in the same deal Wit
ness afterward wrote the governor to know
if he had not forgotten something, and got
a reply Sept. IL, by telegraph, saying that
he had not forgotten; that the party would
bring the papers that day. Another reply,
received later that day. said every
thing was all right, and the next
day Wood presented his letter
Of recommendation to Gov. Foraker,
Soon, however, witness began to hear
stories to Woods discredit, and his appoint
ment was held up.
Witness said he had first seen the forged
paper Sept H. when he met Foraker at the
Gibson house and tho latter showed it to
him. The governor said: Here are those
papers, and there is too much of them.n
DIDN'T INTEND TO USE THEM.
Either then or later, in answer TO a
question as to what he was going TO do with
the papers, the governor had SAID he
was going to- do nothing with them.
Witness did not suspect the papers of
being forgery, although he was much sur
prised to see Senator Sherman's name. He
had been in told in advance of the sigma
lures of Butterworth and Mckinley. Wit
ness took the ground that if the governor
used the paper it would prove a boomerang,
as Campbell, being exposed, would turn
around and publish all the other names.
Witness said that Wood told him that he
had gotten the papers from McLean's secre-
tary; that it was of no use as it had lapsed
with the close of last congress and another
contract was being made
Long after the election Wood still per-
sisted that he did not know whether the
paper was forgery or not.
WOULD PUBLISH A "CoRKER"
Witness told how on the night of the pub
lication Of the paper Halstead had said he
was going TO publish ''corkern next dav.
Some one had remarked that he had pub
lished pretty good one that morning, and
Halstead replied that that paper was a
forgery, and had gone on to tell how the
paper had been traced in Murray's Office.
Gov. Foraker had told witness not
to appoint Wood unless he was found to be
of good character and suitable attainments.
Foraker interrupted here to say that he had
asked witness, after being notified that
charges had been made against Wood, to
hear testimony in his behalf, but not ap-
point him unless cleared. Witness said he
had never shown any letters of recon-
mendation to Foraker.
WOOD RECALLED.
After several witnesses of less Importance
had been heard, Wood was recalled, as Mr..
Cogswell, a member of the committees.
desired to ask some questions.
Wood said he came to Cincinnati in 1871.
He had been engaged in many kinds Of
business there and had had partners
A brother of Gov. Foraker had
been the first person to sug-
RSSb Ludb WlUiA6oS COupl keb JUe place OF
smoke inspector-that he would be a good
man for the place. Witness again re-
peated his recollection of Gov. Fora
ker's reply to his application, say
ing he (witness) could help him.
Then witness got a letter from Kurtz
Witness had been almost intimately
commercially, With the gov
ernor for years before that. Recurring TO
his Columbus interview, witness said that
the governor wanted to know his qualifica-
tions for the place he sought; said he was
he could fill it, aud then explained
what he wanted.
Question-When did it first occur to you
to put in the name OF James e. Campbell on
the paper?
ALL ABOUT THE PAPER.
Witness said he would have to explain
how he got the idea that there was such a
paper. Coming out of the door, Foraker
said he understood these fellows were max
ing I'D a strong syndicate to push the ballot
box bill, and that John r. Mclean was at
the head of it. Foraker took Campbell's
bill out of his pocket and asked about the
progress Of the bill. He said he understood
Campbell, Butterworth, Mckinley (he
named over the names), were interested.
Mr.. Cogswell asked about the names
pinned on the contract.
Witness said he had two papers. He
(Cogswell) was looking vainly for pin holes
In Exhibit A."
Mr.. Turner asked why Wood had had the
names OF democrats put on.
CARED NOTHING ABOUT NAMES.