The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-29
Committeeman Tried to Shelter
Senator Cameron.
BOTH PARTIES HAD A MOTIVE.
Democrats Wanted to Influence Him
Against the Elections Bill.
Port Orchard Dry Dock Bill May Be
Soon Reported to Senate Filibuster-
ing Ceases in the House--Wiil the
President Veto Free Coinage?

WASHINGTON Cry, Jan. 2S.-Geueral
Boynton testified in the silver pool inves-
tigation today. He testified that he had
sent a message to Dunnell, OF the New
York Times, OH which the latter's dispatch
was based, stating that Dingley and Payne,
members of the committee, had said they
would not have gone into the investiga-
ton if they had supposed such revela-
ton regarding Senator Cameron would be
made. The gentleman who informed him
tBoynton) had been in the room, and
heard the conversation between Dingley
and Payne. Each was explaining, appa-
rently, that he had no knowledge or ex-
pectation that such testimony was to come
out, expressing surprise at the testimony
and practically apologizing to each other
that it had come out in the investigation.
Dingley said it was entirely possible that
he might have said he regretted exceed
ingly that any congressman should have
done any act which made it necessary that
such facts should be brought out, but
that was very different from the statement
that the committee would like to have
kept testimony out or to have purposely
delayed it. This was totally untrue.
General Boynton said the day before the
the Globe Democrat, had received a message
that it was the desire of the committee
that he tStevens) should either be late the
next day or prolong his testimony; that
the purpose of the committee was to
adjourn Immediately after the conclusion
of his testimony until The next Wednes-
day, as it was understood that Vest would
not give testimony in reference to Cameron
until after the following Tuesday. Witness
had heard the same thing before, and
taking all this together, he thought the
conclusions reached very reasonable.
Boynton suggested that "a good deal of
information might be gotten out of Mr..
Tanner and Representative Taylor, and
also from kilograms sent by Littler, Tanner
and others
w. B. Stevens, the Globe Democrat cor
respondent, was recalled, and said he was
the person who gave General Boynton in
formation in respect 10 the Dingley-Payne
conversation. Turning to Dingley he said:
You began talking in whisper, became more
earnest, raised your voice and were talking
loudly before you got through. heard Dingley
say something TO this effect: sit was an entire
surprise to me (meaning Vests testimony l
did not know he was going to testify to any such
thing as that /"
what he was going to say
1t struck me as ii you were each taken By sur
prise and trying TO explain it to each other
There seemed To be expressions that the circum-
stances under which the testimony was brought
ont were peculiar, and that you regretted the
time at which it was brought ont.
Dingley and Payne interrupted, to say
that while they may have said something
of that sort, they had no purpose except to
get all the information as promptly as pos
sibie.
Dockery said that with regard to the
alleged desire to delay Vests testimony
he would make no conceinent now that
he did not want to bring out the testi-
mony concerning Senator Cameron until
Wednesday. During the time the resolu-
ton was pending before the committee he
tDockery) formed belief that there were
parties who might desire to use that testi-
nony in respect to another bill. He was
informed by senator that another gentle
man had suggested that it would be well to
let the resolution drop. The senator re-
piled that he could not afford To do that.
The gentleman responded that he did not
care about it himself, but he understood
that ''some of the boys" had bought silver,
and the impression the senator got was
that they were nervous and wanted things
stopped. When asked who ''the boys"
were, the gentleman named two repre-
sentativeS.
The conversation was given to me'a said
Dookery, land thereupon 7 pushed the resou-
ton Now will state frankly why wished the
testimony delayed. / believed influences were
being brought to bear on senator said to be
connected with silver speculation to make him
vote for the force bill. aud so ] wanted the in
yestigation delayed, in the hope of getting one
more vote. II was just a straw, which proved
very substantial. and want it distinctly under
stood that / had assurances whatever aud
merely went on rumor that his vote on the
force bill was doubtful No. sir; did not think
exposure at that time would enhance his pros
pects.'