Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-29
SOME INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS IN TIE
INVESTIGATION YESTERDAY.
General Boynton Tells About Dingsy and Payne;
Regret in Probing Into CaMsrOns Hand IN the
Purchase Of Silver-Scms Explanations
that Do Not Explain Al All.

l |. IIOuRH ne WOulu HOl ulmstll nave
2 used just that language.
t Gen. Boynton said that gentleman
OF as good reputation any man in this
7 city, who was here by summons of
that committee, said TO him that being
in the room he had heard, he wished
particularly TO say he had not ''over-
heard" conversation between Mr..
, Dingley and Mr.. Payne. 1t was to the
effect that Mr.. Dingley and Mr. Payne
were talking in regard to the testimony
that had come out affecting Senator
Cameron, and each was apparently ex-
planning to the other that he had no
knowledge or expectation that such tes-
timony was TO come out, expressing sur
prise at the testimony, and practically
apologizing TO each other that IL had
lcome out in the investigation. He,
therefore, said Mr.. Dunnell was justified
in sending out the dispatch. General
Boynton declined to give the name OF
his informant.
Mr.. Dingley suggested that it was en-
tirely possible that he might have said
he regretted exceedingly that any Con-
gresham should have done any act
which made 1t necessary that such facts
should be brought out, but that was
very different from the statement that
the committee would have kept the
testimony out or had purpoSely delayed
it. That was totally untrue rs matter
OF fact, both he and Mr.. Payne wanted
To continue the hearing on Monday, but
Mr.. Oats wanted an adjournment.
General BoyntOn then said that the
day before the investigation began Mr..
Stevens, who was in the same office with
him, received message that 1t was the
desire OF the committee that he
(Steyens) should either be late next
day or prolong his testimony. The pur-
pose OF the committee was TO adjourn
| Immediately after his testimony until
the next Wednesday, as it was under
stood that Mr.. Vest would not appear
and give his testimony in reference to
Cameron until after the following Tues
day. Witness had heard the same thing
two or three days before. Taking all
these things together he thought the
conclusion reached very reasonable.
In response to suggestion as to
where the committee could get at infor-
nation General Boynton suggested that
good deal OF information might be got
out of Mr.. Tanner and Representative
Abner Taylor. The committee might
also get some information from tele-
grams sent by Littlcr, Tanner and
others.
Mr.. w. Il. Stevens, the Globe Demo
Gratis correspondent was recalled and
detailed the conversation previously re-
ferred TO, which was between Mr.
Dockery and himself, and in which a
delay in the testimony was suggested.
He stated that the suggestion for de-
lay in the testimony did not come from
the committee or any of its members,
and q Mr.. Dockery did not assert
Mr.. Stevens said that the gentlemen TO
whom General Boynton had referred
with respect to the Dingley-Payne con-
yersation was himself. 1t was partial
conversation. Then turning TO Mr..
Dingley, he said: "Hou began talking
| i'm whisper, became more earnest,
raised your voice and were talking loud
before you got through. heard Mr..
Dingley say something to this effect,
1T was an entire surprise to me (mean-
ing the Vest testimony, i did not
know he was going to testify 10 any
such thing as that. You turning TO
MIR. Pavne) said, Il had no idea what he
was going to say 1t struck me as II
YOU were each taken by surprise and
were trying to explain it to each other.
There seemed to be expressions that
the circumstances under the testimony
was brought ont and were peculiar, and
that YOU regretted the time at which II
was brought ont.
There was n general interruption by
the members of the committee at this
point. Mr.. Dingley and Mr.. Payne
said that while they may have said
something of the sort testified to by Mr..
Stevens, they had no purpose except to
get all the information as promptly as
possible, and they thought the publica-
tons were not justified.
Representative Dockery said that the
statement of Mr.. Stevens, with regard
10 the desire to delay Senator Vests tes-
timony, was substantially accurate,
though he did not think he said MIR.
Vest did not want to testify. lie (Mr.
Dockery) probably expressed his own
desire not to testify until Wednesday,
He did not mean to convey the impress
sion that the committee desired that.
"Yes," said Mr. Dockery, 81 wanted
to fllibuster against time"
In response to questions Mr.. Dockery
said, in explanation OF his course;
Certainly did not want to bring out |
the testimony concerning Senator Cam
eron until Wednesday. have no con
cealment about that now. During the |
time 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. ] was informed by Senator that
another gentleman had approached
him II do not use approach
in an offensive way and sug-
cested to the Senator that IL
would be lust .a well TO let the resolu-
tion for an investigation drop. To that
suggestion the senator approached re-
nlied that he could not afford To do that,
and that he wanted the resolution push |
cd The Senator then asked the gen
tleman why he wanted it dropped. This
man replied that he did not care about
r. tbimself. but that he understood that
some of the "boys' had bought silver
and the impression the Senator got was
that they were nervous and wanted the
thing stopped. 49,
..bovsr were. the gentleman named
two Representatives. The conyersa-
tion was given to me, ana |
thereupon. | pushed thel resolution;
Now. / will state very frankly why
wished the testimony delayed. l oe-
lieved that influences were being
hrourht TO bear on the Senator IN ques-
tion (meaning the Senator who was said
IN he connected with silver SpecuatOnl
to make him vote for the Force olli' ana
so | wanted the investigation delayed IN
hone of getting one more vote. IL was
inst 4 straw, which proved very SUB
stantial: and want it distinctly under
stood that ! had no assurances what-
aver and merely went on the common ru-
NOR that his vote on the Force bill was
doubtful. No, sir, did not think that
the exposure at that time woulu en-
hance his prospects.
Mr.. Dockery said he would prefer not
10 give publicity TO the names OF the
t,yo REPRESENTATIVES who were mention
ed hut would do so privately. Senator
Vest was the man who gave him the IN
formation about the conversation
Mr. Moore, correspondent OF the ST.
Tonis Republic. was the next witness.
ne said he had no knowledge personally
concerning silver speculation. He had
heard that Representatives Clpnle, OF