The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-04
SHARP PRACTICE.
Donald Did Not Keep His Word
With OHsnby.
Why the Chicago Broker Failed to Get
In on The Silver Deal.
Witness Not Allowed TO Give the Names
of Seven COngreSsmen Who, He Said,
We're in the Pool.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-JameS a, OwenDy
resumed his testimony before the Silver
Pool Investigating Committee to-day. He
required to his conversations with Donald,
the Hanover Bank cashier. Donald, Owen
by said, had told him that certain Senators
and Representatives were interested in sill
yer transactions. He offered to give the
names, but Messre. Payne and Rowell made
decided objections and insisted on what was
said at these conversations being given, but
with the names omitted. Oates thought the
names should be given, and Owenby said he
could not properly give the conversations
without the names.
About seven Congressmen, he thought,
were mentioned. Donald stated that these
Congressman were interested in the pur-
chase Of silver through certain parties or in
stitutions. The Fourth National and Chase
National banks were doing dealings for
these Congressman, Donald said. Donald
also stated that Zimmerman and Forshay,
August Belmont and Carson and Simmonds
were Interested. Orders for silver were
given them and it was bought in London't to
cover up the tracks. Donald also told wit
ness that he got information from private
agent here whom he kept in his employ, but
did not know his name. Donald said that
when he had any doubts about matters he
came over and saw the Representative, and
also the Senator, with whom he had close re-
lations. Donald had two Congressional
friends, but witness understood him to refer
more particularly TO the Representative.
Donald claimed TO be interested in these
silver transactions. The total amount of sill
yer agreed TO be bought by the persohs inter-
ested with Donald, witness said, was 81, ,O00,-
600 worth He could not remember the ex-
act date of these conversations. There was
no one present at these 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, but did
not say how much was sold.
Before making these latter answers Owen
by had examined two slips Of paper he car
ried.
Payne asked what these slips were and
witness said they were memoranda that he
had made half an hour ago from some let
ters and kilograms from Donald, which he
had with him. Before handing to the COM
mittee these letters and kilograms he in
sisted OH their return during the day, as
soon as copies couli be made. He also sub
mitted letter from Parsons of Wells. Fargo
81 Co.
The letter from Parsons 10 Owenby was in
regard to the stock Of the Batopi.aS Mining
Company in Mexico. Parsons wanted Owen
by to induce man named Fowler to buy
some OF the company'S bonds. Owenby had
this read to show that his standing with Par
sons was uiierent from what Parsons stated
to the committee. Owenby said his contract
arrangements with Donald were verbal
Witness was to give all the information he
could possibly get His personal expenses
10 Nrnc 70 nh, IL
share alike with those who went into the
purchase of silver. Donald was 10 carry the
silver for him and agreed to carry 25O,0O0
ounces. For his personal expenses in WASH
ingtun he drew on Donald. Donald never
paid witness anything on the silver deal.
Witness said Donald told him that he
DonalO had information of 5000, 600
ounces of silver being purchased by five
banks and brokerage houses he had named.
he believed Donald named some of the
persons for whom purchases were made
and witness mentioned the name of Repre-
sentative ketchum of New York as one of
them. He insisted on this statement, and
again wanted TO give the other names so as
to make his story clear, but Payne replied
that il would be little short of an outrage
to permit the names of any respectable men
to be given unless witness had other than
hearsay testimony.
Donald Owenby said, told him the par
ties to the silver pool got into a wrangle;
that he donald had got out of it, aud
therefore could not make anything out OF it
| for witness. Donald took that method of
| repudiating his agreement with witness.
! The silver purchasers sold out at 81 II, and
witness figured that he ought to get 10 cents
| an ounce on 245,000 ounces, or between S35,-
| GOO and $4,000
Owenby said ne also received information
from David L. Littler, Bill Hall, the Assist
| ant Cashier of the Hanover Bank, and j. L.
| Cunningham, OF persons being interested in
the silver speculation. Witness mentioned
! the names of the persons interested. and
Littler aSsented and also mentioned the
names OF the Congressman. Owenby said
| he had no direct personal knowledge of any
| Congressional silver speculation.
| The statement i'll correspondent Stevens
| publication that the largest pool was one of
the Senators and New York capitalists, and
| that it was interested to the extent of
! 100000 ounces, was based by witness prin-
| cipally on the statements made by Litter,
| who said the men were freQuenter of Cham
| berlain's. He had stated to Stevens that
| impecunious Congressman were permitted 10
| borrow money on their individual notes
without security for the purpose of carrying
! silver. Donald gave him the information.
| He also told Stevens that Cullom, Teller,
| Cannon and Others were not in the pool.
| His statement about Cullom was from per-
| sonal knowledge. Witness went to Senator
| Cullom and stated that he was interested in
the purchase of silver, and in polite way he
| stated that number of Congressman were
interested. Senator Cullom stopped him at
| once and told him to go no further; that he
| (Cullom) had never speculated, and never
would allow any one to carry silver for him.
The statements made in the publication by
| Mr.. Stevens were gone over carefully, item
| by item, and witness in each case said he
had made substantially that statement.
Adjourned.
|