Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-26
THE SILVER POOL.
The Investigating Committees Work
Cameron Plays in Great Luck.

Democrat, said that he wished to with
draw one or two names which he had,
at the request OF the committee, given
from recollection. They were those OF
Mr.. Newlands and Mr.. Parsons. Since
testifying he had receiS cd from Ownbey
A letter dated at the Hotel Richelieu,
Chicago, saying that he was in error as
to Parsons. Mr.. Stevens offered to read
the letter, but at the request of the
committee merely handed II to the
clerk.
Mr.. Dingley said Ownbey seemed TO
be willing to answer letters from others,
but not from the committee, and that
they had been trying for some days to
get him. Mr.. Stevens said, in answer
to further questions, that in 4 conver-
satiOn with Ownbey something was said
about firm which had charge of the
Colorado" pool, and at the request OF
| the Chairman Mr.. Stevens privately in
dicates this firm.
Mr.. Stevens said he had received the
letter from Ownbey two or three days
ago, and, in answer to number OF
questions as to why he had not shown
IL TO some member Of the committee be-
| lOlt. SliQ ludb nt ldQ SAOnl ~ W wi.
| Dockery, who had suggested that he
hold ii while.
Mr.. Parsons, who is the New York
agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., then testi-
fed that part Of their business was the
sale but not the purchase Of silver bull
lion OH commission. lie had sold bull
lion for many years, from day to day, TO
business houses. lie never, directly or
indirectly, bought or sold silver for any
one connected with the GOvernment,eX
cept the Government itself, and knew |
absolutely nothing about any silver |
speculation by Government officers.
Mr. Parsons said lie knew Ownbey |
slightly. Ownbey when In New York |
frequently came in the Office OF Wells,
Fargo 4 Co., and witness made his
acquaintance n that way. In response
to large number of questions he gave
the substance OF conversations with
0wnbey. His testimony was to the
effect that Ownbcy stated that he had
an interest in silver given him in con-
sideratiOn of information furnished.
Witness paid but little attention TO it,
but remembered that Ownbey said a
t1SIltl III IL -NtM VI n n1iih was iiS
sociatc in the enterprise. Afterwards
Ownbey spoke in denunciatory terms OF
this cashier and said he had repudiatcd
his (Ownbey's) interest. After num-
Der Cf questions the witness finally said
he could not remember the name OF the
cashier because il was that OF man he
did not know, but that the bank men
toned was the Hanover National.
Mr.. Leech the Director OF the Mint,
submitted a StateWSMt 0t the SSShSHS 30
nestle supply of silver on December !
and January last. On the former date
tie visible supply Mr.. Leech placed at
II ,G92, 800 ounces, the largest holdings
being the Mercantile Safe Deposit Co.,
&. .O92. 1860 ounces. New York banks esti-
mated > 1000. 900, and Western refnerieS
.. .OOO. 900. He also submitted list OF
concerns that since the last silver act
was passed had offered l0,0 600 ounces or
more of silver to the government. The
regular sellers are given as the ConSoli-
dated Kansas City Smelling and Refining
Company, of New York; Clark, Dodge
IL Co.. Handy Il Harman, Zimmerman
4 Forshay, The Fourth National Bank,
The Boston and Colorado Smelling Com
pany. of Denver: j. Il w. Seigman X
Co., New York; NesSlagc, Colgate n
Co., The American Exchange National
Bank, of New York; The Bank OF Cali
fornia, The Nevada Bank, the Anglo
California Bank, The Sclby Smelling
and Lead Company, and w. Loaiza
Co., all of San Francisco; Wells, Fargo
Il Co., OF New York; |. Il :. WormSer,
Heidebach, Ickelheimer ~ Co., and l..
A. Cole, of New York,
Mr.. Leech gave an outline to the
committee of the manner in which the
silver speculation was carried on, and
said the deposit Of the bullion and the
issue Of certificates began largely As a
matter of convenience to the Western
rcfiners, who did not want to throw
their product on the market at lnoppor-
tune times Like most OF the previous
witnesses he had no knowledge of spec
ulation by persons connected with the
Government.
Chairman Dingley, for the benefit OF
the newspapers, from which the com
mittee recognized the people must OBJ
tain their information of the inveStiga-
tion, then made n statement. lie said
his attention had been called to publica-
tilns charging that in some way or 9th
er the committee had managed to pre-
vent the evidence which Senator Vest
gave respecting Senator Cameron from
coming before the country until after
Senator Cameron's reelection, and that
the committee knew what Mr.. Vest
would testify to. Mr.. Dingley said that
the fact was that the committee sent
word TO Senator Vest on Saturday to
apDear. but the Senator had replied that
he could not leave the Senate. AT the
instance of Mr.. Oates, who stated that
he had an engagement in New York,
an adjournment had then been taken
until Wednesday. The committee had
no idea that Senator Vest was going to
make any statement respecting Senator
Cameron. and had no information on
the scbject until Senator Vest had
testified. The committee supposed Sen
ator Vest wanted simply to disclaim
any knowledge of silver speculation
himself, and Mr.. Dingley was, he said,
as much surprised as any one else at the
testimony. Had the committee any In
timation Of the testimony, it would have
insisted on Senator Vests appearing on
Saturday. Mr.. Dingley said he MADE
the statement because it was the pur-
BOSE of the committee to obtain all le-
gitimate and proper information IS
promptly as possible, and because he
knew the newspapers desired to be ac-
curatc.
Interesting Revelations Promised.