Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-29
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE SILVER POOL.
wsdnssdav's Tsstimony Before the
Investigating Committee.

AA6 9Aov 60 SSS8s
wsdnssdav's Testimony Before the
Investigating Committee.
WAsHINGroS, Jan. 2S.-ien. II. V.
Boynton testified before the silver pool in
\ vesti CATION CO mmittee today that he sent
message to Dunnell of the New York
Times, on which the dispatch was based,
stating than Diugley aud Payne ssid they
Vs. uld not have gone into the Investigation
if they had supposed such q revelation
regarding Senatos Cameron would be made.
The witness said he accepted the full
| responsibility for it, though he would not
himself have used Just that language
Gen. Boy nton said that the gentleman had
as good q reputation as any man in this
city. He was here by summons by the
committee. who said to him that being in
the room be had heard, he wished psftic
ularly to say that he had not overheard"
the conversation between DiuRley and
Payne. to the effect that Dipgley and Payne
we're talking in regard to the testimony that
had come out affecting Senator Cameron.
Each was apparently explaining TO the
ether that he had no knowledge or expecta-
tion that such testimony was TO come,
expressing surprise at the testimony, and
practically apologizing to each other that it
had come out in the investigation. He
therefore said that Dunnell was justified in
sending out the dispatch. Gen. Boyn.on
declined TO give the name Of his informant
Dirgley suggested it entirely possible,
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 brough out. That is
! very different from the statement, that
committee would have kept the testimony
out or bad purposely delayed it. That is
totally untrue. As a matter Of fact, both
he aad Payne wanted to continue the hear
| ing Monday, but Oates wanted an adjourn
ment.
Gen. Boynton then said The day before
the investigation began, Stevens, who was
in the same Office with bin, received a
message that it was the desire of the com
mittee that he (Stevens) should either be
late the next day or proiong the testimony
The purpose of the committee was to ad
journ Immediately after the conclusion of
his te slimony until next Wednesday, as it
was understood Vest would not appear and
give his testimony in reference to Cameron
until after the following Tuesday.
Wllucss HeaTu tHe shiDe luiUK TWO OF
three days before. Taking all these things
together. he thought the conclusion reached
very reasonable. In response tc sug.
ges,on Ms to where the committee could
get at information, Gen. Boypton sugge sted
that good deal of information might be
got out of Tanner and Representative Alb
| ner Taylor. The committee might also
get some information from kilograms sen.
/ NV ittfar srapnar 10Th
| W. q. Stevens, the Globe-Democrst
correspondent. was recalled and detailed
the conversation previously referred to
which was between Dockery and himself,
in which delay in testimony was suggested
He stated that the suggestion for delay in
testimony did not come from the committee
or any OF its members, and that Dockery
did not so assert. Stevens said that the
gentleman to whom Gen. Boynton had re
ferred with respect to the Dingley-Pay
conversation, was himself. 1t was a par
iisl conversation Then, turning to Ding
ley, be said: ''You began talking in
whisper, and became more earnest, and
raise d your voice. You were talking loudly
before you got through II heard Dingley say
| sometbing to this effect: at was an entire
surprise to me meaning Vest testimony
did not know he was going to testify to
any such thing as that" You turning to
Payne said, ~ had no idea of what he was
going TO cay" 1t struck me as if you were
each taken by surprise and tr, ing to explaiu
! 1t to each other. There seemed to be ex
| pressions that the circumstances under
which the testimony was brought out were
peculiar and you regretted the time at which
| 1t was brought out" There was a general
| interruption by members of the committee
at this point.
Dingley and PSyne said that while they
may have said something of the sort testi-
fed to by Stevens, they had no purpose
except to get at all the information a.
promptly rs possible, and they thought the
publications were not justified.
Representative Dockery said that the
statement of Stevens with regard to the de-
sire to delay Senator Vests testimony was
substantially correct, though he did not
think he said that Vest did rot want to ties
tify. He (Dockery) probably expressed
his own desire not to testify until Wednes
day. He did not mean to convey the i'm
preston that the committee desired that.
In response to the questions Dockery
said: Certainly, did not want to bring
out the testimony until Wednesday. Dnr-
ing the tine the resolution WAS pending
before the committee formed the belief
that there were parties who might desire to
use that testimony in respect TO another
bill. l was Informed by senator that
another gentleman had approached him, and
l suggettsd to the senator tina, it would be
just IS well to let the resolution for an
investigation drop
The senator approached replied that he !
could not afford to do that; he wanted the |
resolution pushed. The senator then |
asked the gentleman where he wanted il |
dropped. This man replied that he dill |
not care,sbout it himself, but he understood !
that some of The boys had bought silver, !
and the impression that the senator got was /
that they were nervous and wanted the |
thing stopped. When asked to say ~ho the /
boy. were. the gentleman named tso
representatives. Conversation was given |
me, ihereupon ! pushed the resolution |
Now | will etate very frankly why wished ,
that the testimony was delayed. believed !
that Influence is being brought on III. !
senator in question (meanirg the senator
who is said to be connected with the silver
speculktion) to make him vote for the !
force bill. ! wanted the investigation |
delayed in hopes of getting one more vote
! want it distinctly understood tina. / had |
no assurance Whatever, merely went on
common rumor that his vote in the force !
bill was doubtful. did not think the |
exposure at that time would enhance his |
prospects,
Correspondent Moore. of the ST. Louis /
Republic, testified that be did not know of !
any silver pool or any members Of Congress
specializing in silver. He had heard it /,
stated tina. Representative Perkins Of Kan.
sss. was connected with the alleged pool /
Perkins he said, was the person who asked |
senator Vest TO Try and get Dockery to
drop The investigation. The witness ssis |
he understood that representatives Ciuny of |
California and Ketchum of New York had |
speculaied in silver, and were both ready
ani willing to testify TO the fact.
The committee adjourned till tomorrow.