New-York tribune., 1890-01-17
THE BALLOT-BOX INQUIRY.
FIRST HEARING By THE SPECIAL HOUSE
COMMITTEE ON THE OHIO SCANDAL
MEssRs M,KINIEY AND FORAKER ON THE
sTAND-THE EX-GOVERNOR TELLiN"
now lie CAME TO LEARN OF THE


how lie CAME TO LEARN OF THE
FORGED LETTERS.
woshngton Ian 1G-Thc special House Com
,,ittae annontcd TO investigate the ONO forgery
began its work this morning. with all 'hc ne"uV''
present except Representative struble' WHO = s"n
ing from the grippe" Chairman Masoh laiu O0i'''
the committee communication slshcu oS 00n''o'
sherman. stockbrdge and McPhefsoh' ".u W. i0r.o
sentatiyes Butterworth Breckenridge, OF KENTUCKY
Mckinley and Justin Il. Whiting, reciting that as IL
Is desirabIe IA have fun and impartial nvesugauoh'
they request that Representative GIosVehof DC o"o
10 appear before the committee, 10 ao Ill eASii"i'S
witnesses and to render other assistance. ms re,
ouest was granted and Representative OrosVehOr saiu
that while il was admitted that the paper wmch
was 10 form the basis Of the investigation was loseu
all the persons concerned desired 10 appear
and testify to that fact well as TO any other lac
that they might know, bearing on the subject
Renresentative Mckinley was the first witness ms
chairman presented paper, dated july - 1000 "''
asked the witness Il lie had ever seen the paper, anu
whether the name William Mckinney Jr' sis"0'
thereto was signed by him. Mr. Mckinley answered.
mat Il. saw paper like it, for the first time Just be-
fare Congress met 1t was shown 10 him by kepre-
sentative But,erworth. The name was mol HIS sisn"
ture lie knew nothing about the matter except ""H.
lie had seen in the newspapers; and never hcai" ",
The Ballot box bill until ii was brought 10 Ash' Ii |
last campaign lie knew nothing OF the mol'e ma
impelled the forgery. He saw fac-Siihie VI nv
naper pnblished in The Cincinnati commercial
Gazette y signed by ]. F. Campbell aohe. ~ va "@9
afterward published in other and local hVp ~,
noncrs He had no interest, direct OF nuiee' =" wy
paper and never had any relation "l'i M. 49, .I
did not recall that he had ever hearu ol nun VI WV
ballot.box matter until he saw this puDhcauon'
In his speech at the Cincinnati Music Hail. scp'e'n
hsr os Governor Foraker produced copy oi tlo i'i
lotbox bill and that with the newspaper p"o'''"
was the first the witness heard Oh 'he s",'0o"
srnop Foraker at that time, made no reieIeH'e "
contract but subsequently, the contract ana supS'Up
,ion were published in The Ooihelo'"i ""~0'O
atn eicpotprc civilian Mckinley. ir." was not very
~ ~ own SIGNATURE but 1t may have tcen hurnedN
,,acod from n frank His first mllmH'oh 'A'V ms
name was signed to the paper was leeeVeu '"io"t"
ludce G. W. O'NciI, Of Lebanon bu' Ne u' NV ~
memher whether that was before or a'er t"c '0',"O
zion. When the whole paper was puoiishou' o. or.
,ho e,sction by Tho Commercial Gazette MS haiio
appeared attached 10 H. - ~. ...
Iaso, Harmon a lawyer Of Cincinnati VINO was
,o,.srnor Campbell's counsel, the next witness
and said that lie saw the forged paper un.ii '
morning some time last October, George >. Aiuii"'
told him that this paper was forgery anu nau "eN
gotten up in Murray's Office witness s'ar'eo W t.'
proof spending the next day IN getting ''iee
hv q ] Murray, +. l.. Millward ana FRANK ba'iS
CThese afidayis put in evidence me mex. uds
in con many with j. n Jordan witness called on Murat
yalstead of The Commercial Gazette ana uena'uoN
10 see the paper. Mr.. Halstead said that the paper
was locked UP in the safe deposit but sho"eu P'''
graphic copy. Witness told him the paper WAS
forgery Mr.. Halstead asked twenty four hours lof
Investigation, and truce was decarec-heHher sac 10
print anything, and Mr.. Iisstead withdrawing
cOlumbiad editorial about 10 be published
Next day witness saw the retracton, ana got
note from Mr. IIalstead stating that the latter was
convinced that the paper was forgery Inc persons
making the affidavit told that they were wahtea
only to secure retractiOn. Witness ala mol reheH
Der ever having Il. G.. Wood but was tod '""t
le would recognize Wood II he met him. lie had tried
hard 10 find Wood, without success. Mllwafd was
patent draughtsman Davis was young lad employer
10 help him. The Photographic copy 0i the paper e.
hibted by Mr.. Halstead had all OF the signatures
attached Mr. IIalstead had erosseXamined the VIII
ness 10 discover whether he knew of the other names
As tho other names besides Mr.. Campbells had not
been publicly mentioned, witness thought
.,. - va, tbe mart OF decency and
wisdom TO say nothing about uem !"
the rctraction Mr.. Halstead believed that 'he paper
was genuine but Acknowledged that some'mhs iAU
1apnened that afternoon to cause him to investigate
its authenticity.
Nr Halstead did not say where he got the paperS'
Witness had his suspicious but Mr.. Iia'tcad denied
their truth Wood had told Murray, when the a''er
upbraIded him for misusns his ohce ana MS young
men, that the whole matter was mstaSe' thd' Inc
naper WAS not intended for publication but To force
This last was a proposition by George L. Topp to
q contractor 10 sell gravel To the city and DIVIDE
nro6ts Mr. Campbell was understood to be about 70
spring this letter upon the Republicans "l'hcs'
thought Woods story "hshy.'
Representative GrOsvenOr asked witness il Topp lad
not afterwaId been found to be insane, and had hOI
died in the insane asylum. to which question 'Hc
witness replied in the affirmative
Amor smith jr surveyor Of Customs OF Cnch
natl took The stand, aud shown the forged paper
which he said he had first seen at a Republican hao
quarters on october 4, looJ. II had already DoeH
published with Mr. Campbell Signature wines as
serted when il was shown 10 hlmby &. J.. Kurt, Nla
lie believed it forgery, but con-euicd t. denver
II TO Mr. Hastead which hc and with tie statement
that he did not believe it 20 be genuine. pointing on"
peculiarly Of The ink IN support oi his statement
Mr. Ialstead smiled, and said they secmen 20 H'Ne
used indclibe mix but he appeared t. leleNe II %
be genuine After The eNPOauie, "t7s e";i.rm lh''
Mr. HaI,ead had seen the paper before "lthc,, 70
Tor suppo,n1 the ap-r 70 be ii4uluirnt "ti
basfd upOn IL appearance the ink, and the TchahADe
Similarity of the three Campbell signatures.
EX Governor Foraker took the stand ana was snow"
Exhibit Al the forged pdlei ahu O. pea - deH a.,
he lmcw about it, llc said he had no personal
nn'"nstion. June p. L. N addcr Assistant CITY
solicitor came to see him. and talked about the pohi
~nnld va, Se nominated by the Democrats, Ilsddeu
Thought that Campbell would be strong csh1ludt1
adding that he would nav we snPprt =" r}' UG
Inc bcan~-menohine ha!or bntur"Wru ,It II, ts
den said his reason for ~upiO-lHS s." wa tn1 III t0
financial results of taiupD'liS bhln uDN "I'' -,
puttcrworjh and Mckinley were both in'cF@, liru
den undertook 10 prOcnIc written evidence 90 hi7 7'ee
mont Witness Wa~ busy, aud dd not thhh on Uhr
mattcr until july :. when, not laNinG hcaIn iI'In
IIadden hc wrote tie latter asking iot thc eNidgn,c
IIadden did not answer. Iadden Wclll"Hoh "V'u
as marty Interested who could flnii>h tle pilf
WitncS. wondered hOw he could cpIhihuhl az WIN
wood believing il 10 he ms duty =" get poo3esslol
of INC paper tO make uSc Of lcltma.cN y 'ei]c-,. ]
aroc a. Inc C,oVrrnar, Office daICd Cincinnati NH'n' 1t
q asking whether the Governor would hcIl lhe ~nu
III g. Wood. Who va, an ayp.,.!m' lor ~. j., 20 no,
smoke Inspector. That night Witu'7' - fl-d Hni
s.,wYork telegI9paing wood To meet him at 60.
Tr,nl,I. ON Iuc,day. Another telfgidm came nom
yWnnI ,ugns, q asking vitBe,ss Endorsement oi MS
.nnIIcafiSn Witne,s returned 10 'olunbu, on ~,
~ IL and received a telegram from No"h s'NlhI
10 "a coming Vituo,- saw wood. and ahcd about
WooG's cnaHcatlone for the place oi smoe iDspc
Ntncss had generul hnDMi"are OF Nooo ~ IN il ~