Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-04
BEYOND THE ROCKIES
OVenby Before the the Sill
yer Pool Committee.
His Testimony ALI Of a Hearsay
Character.
Some Lake Huron Fishermea's
Thrilling Experience.
Sam Jones Gained BY an Irate Mayor Gen.
Palmer Doomed-A Big Blaze in
Brooklyn.
associated Press Dispatches.


WAsnNGroN, Feb. 8. james A.
Owenby resumed his testimony before
the silver.pool Investigation committee
today. He recurred to his conversation
with Donald, the Hanover bank cashier,
Donald told him, Owenby said, that be-
sides himself, certain senators and rep
resentatives were interested in silver
transactions. He offered to give the
names. but Messrs. Payne and .Rowell
made decided objections and insisted on
what was said at these conversations
being given, but'swith the names omit
ted. Oates thought the names should
be given, and Owenby said he could not
properly give the conversations without
the names. About seven congressman,
he thought, were mentioned. Donal d
also stated that con- essmer were inter
ested in silver through certain parties
or institutions. The Fourth National
and Chase National banks were doing
dealings for these congressman. Donald
also stated that Zimmerman & FOrshay,
August Belmont and Carson &
Simonds were interested. Orders for
silver were given them and
it was bought in London to cover up
their tracks. Donald also told witness
that he got his information from pri-
vate agent here, whom he kept in his
employ. He did not know his name.
Donald said that when he had any
doubts about matters, he came over and
saw senator, and also representative,
with whom he had close relations.
Donald had two congressional friends
but witness understood him to refer
more particularly to the representatives.
Donald claimed to be interested in thesd
silver transactions. The total amount
of silver agreed to be bought by the per-
sons interested with Donald, witness
said. was $1,000;O00 worth. He could
not remember the exact date Of these
conversations. There was no one pres
ent at the conversations To the best
of witness recollection, the silver was
bought at 81 and up to 103. At one
time Donald spoke Of the sale Of silver.
D1s IS not s!ste ~ 3 hGx I d sgush 81 - Sole
Owenby had examined two slips Of paper
he carried. Payne asked what those
slips were, and witness said they were
memoranda that he had made from
some letters and kilograms from Donald
which he had with him. Before hand
ing to the committee these letters and
kilograms, he insisted on their return
during the day, as soon as copies could
be made. He ALSO submitted letter
from Parsons, of Wells, Fargo & Co.
The letter from Parsons to Owenby
was in regard to the stock of the BatopO-
Lis Mining company, in Mexico. Par
SONS wanted Owenby to induce q man
named Fowler to buy some of the COM
pany's bonds. Owenby had read this to
show that his standing with Parsons
was different from what Parsons stated.
Owenby said his contracts with Dom
aid were verbal. Witness was to give
all the information he could possibly
get. His personal expenses were to be
paid, and he was to share and share
alike with those who went into the pur-
chase OF silver. Donald was to carry
the silver for him, and agreed to carry
250, ,000 ounces. For his personal ex-
penses in Washington he drew on Dom
aid. Donald never paid witness any
thing on the silver deal.
Witness said Donald told him he
(Donald) had information of six million
ounces of silver being purchased by the
five banks and brokerage houses he had
named. He believed Donald named
some Of the persons tor whom purchases
were made, and witness mentioned the
name OF Representative Ketchum, of
New York, az one OF them. He insisted
on this statement, and again wanted to
give the names 30 as to make his story
clear, but Payne replied that it would
be little short of an outrage to allow the
names of any respectable men to be
given unless witness had other than
hearsay testimony.
Donald, Owenby said, told him that
the parties. to the silver pool got into
. wrangle; that hel( Donald) had got out
OF it, and therefore could not make any
thing out of it for witness. Donald took
that method Of srepudiating his arrange
ment with witness. The silver purchas-
ers sold out at II. II, and witness figured
that he ought to get 10 cents an ounce
on 245, 900 ounces, or between $S5, 900
and $40, ,000,
Owenby said he had also received in
formation from David T. Littler, Bill
Hall. assistant cashier of the Hanover
bank. and j. l.. Cunningham, Of per-
sons being interested in silver specula-
ton. Witness mentioned the names Of
! persons interested, and Littler assented
and also, mentioned the names of con-
! gressmen.
Owenby said be had no direct personal
| knowledge Of any congressional silver
| speculation. The statement in Core
spondent Stevens publication that the
largest pool was one OF senators and
New York capitalists, and that it was
| interested to the extent Of I 1000, 900
ounces, was based by witness on state-
| ments made by Littler, who said the men
! were frequenters of Chamberlain's. He
had stated to Stevens that impecunioul
congressman were permitted to borrow
| money on their individual notes without
security, for the purpose Of carrying sill
| vcr.
Donald gave him the information. He
| also told Stevens that Cullom, Teller
| Cannon and others were not in the pool
His etatement about Cullom was from
| personal knowledge. Witness went t(
Senator Culiom, stated that he was in.
terested IN silver purchase, and in Z
! polite Wey stated that 4 number Of con-
t0roc1nnen Wqro intG5oGted Z.
91lloH etqPpsS elnn a opcs !' aHd ,,,'9's' solS