The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-13
WOOD FIXES THE BLAME.
FORAKER AND MADDEN AT THE
BACK OF TIE LETTER.

They Wanted a "Bluffer" and Wood
Was the Man to Fix it Up for
Them-He Never Saw Any Paper
Except What They Impressed on
His Mind.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-In the Ohio
ballot-box bill investigation to-day, Charles
G. Prior of Cincinnati stated that he was
the person who, at Gov. Foraker's request,
had given 5000 to Wood Oct. s, 1889. He
that gentleman had told him that he had
seen the paper the forged documenN. This
was some days before the retraction.
Gov. Foraker resumed the stand for the
purpose of making an explanation OF various
matters which had been spoken of in the
course of the investigation, as to his delay
in not mentioning Mr.. Hadden's name in
his public explanation, preceding his ap-
peerancs on the witness stand. Gov.
Foraker said that Mr.. Hadden had given
him the paper in a confidential way with
out having any expectation that it would
be necessary to use his name. Mr.. Hadden
had said tnat he might use his name if COM
PEELED to.
FULL CONFIDENCE IN HADDEN.
He never had, and did not now have any
doubt about Mr.. Hadden's uprightness. He
had avoided use of the names of Messrs.
Mckinley, Butterworth, and Sherman
until he came before the committee, be-
cause he did not want TO be responsible for
even a suspicion in the minds of the people
that their names might after all be con-
nected with some paper that was genuine,
of which this was a c)unterfeit In answer
to Mr.. Hadden, the governor said that the
former had never used the name
Of Senator Sherman. As TO his
efforts to get the ballot-box paper
Gov. Foraker said that he thought any can
didate having such a fight as he had on
hand would certainly want that paper
When he finally got the paper he was con-
frOnted with the necessity OF determining
what he would do with it. One reason why
he did not consult with the gentlemen
whose names were connected with it was
that he had determined to take no response
bility upon himself.
PERSUADED By HALsTEAD.
Had he not met Editor Halstead on the
train, he should have made no use of it
| until after the election, if at all. He was
afraid if he used Gov. Campbelrs name
alone he would bring out the names of his
associates, and in that way throw the party
into confusion and disorder, and bring on
defeat. When the witness talked with
| Editor Halstead, the latter seemed to have
different view, and supported that view
with great force and cOncluslveness to the
witness mind. Now" said Gov. Foraker
with respect to Wood, ''he never atany time,
place or manner used any expression that
| those names would not stand, nor used any
words calculated to put me on guard in any
way, shape or form" The witness never
said he would use this (the paper on Mr..
| Butterworth. The governor did not believe
one man in thousand would have doubted
the genuineness of the paper under the Cir
cumstances.
FORAKER DENoUNCEs WOOD.
Gov. Foraker denounced Wood as a noto-
| rious forger and perjurer and declared that
| he had counted seventy-nine unqualified
and unmitgated falsehoods in his
printed testimony. Continuing, he said
that the affair had been to him very bitter
experience, mortifying and humiliating to
the last degree, but that from the beginning
to the last there had never been a moment
when all the world might not have had all
the information he had He would think
to the day of his death that behind
paper, but he did not want
any man to imagine he asserted, that, any
one whose name was on that forged paper
was on the paper he believed to have ex-
isted He would hunt for that paper until
his DEATH He did not believe Wood could
have conceived the heading and collateral
security on the paper out of his own imagi-
nation and must have received aid from
some other person.
WOOD LAYS THE BLAME ON HADDEN.
Wood then again took the stand and testi-
fed that Mr. Hadden had told him of the
ballot-box syndicate in Washington The
witness went to 7. z. Campbell and told
him of these statements, and wrote James
E. Campbell, telling him that he (Wood)
wanted to see him about an important mat
ter. The witness at this point became ex-
cited, and speaking rapidly, he said: II
don't want this case to close with both par
ties thinking | have put up job on them,
the whole thing originated with that
man pointing 70 Hadden). 1t was business
with me- If there was $1,000 down here
wanted part of it. | never saw any paper
but what you gentlemen Foraker and Had
DEM impressed on my mind. When you
gentlemen talked to me about ballot-box
con ract and business in it thought you
knew what you were talking about.
FORAKER WANTED BLUFFER.
"Hadden told me the governor wanted a
buffer, and you got buffer TO bluff Ben
Butterworth. 1t was you people made the
| impression on my mind of what was wanted
and it was that which caused me to bring it
| out. / had no idea mems regulations could
be destroyed by such an apparatus as this. y
[Laughter.l Wood went on TO declare that
he understood that the paper was never 10
leave Gov. Foraker's hands, but was to be
used as a bluff.
Mr.. Turner-Now, after all you know
nothing of any ballot-box contract in which
Mr.. Campbell, Mr.. Butterworth or any of
the gentle nen had anything to da.
Wood-I don't of my own personal
knowledge, only through differences l got
from MIR. Hadden and Gov. Foraker that
these persons were in it.
SUPPLYING A LONG FELT WANT.
Mr.. Turner very calmly)-You are an
inventor, believe2
Wood-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Turner-You were trying to invent
something to fill long-felt want, or some
thing that would be useful.
Wood-O, no, sir; l was just getting up
something Hadden suggested. They wanted
buffer Hadden did not care about
whether it was exactly like the paper or not.
Mr. Turner-Did he use the word
"Blufferp
Wood-Yes, sir; he did. He said he
wanted to get back the Tapp letter. 1t was
common talk that it was out.
The witness declared that Gov. Foraker
had telegraphed him that he must have the
paper the next day, aud that he had pushed
1t to please Gov. Foraker.
FORAKER AND THE TAPP LETTER.