Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-30
THE SILVER POOL INvEsrIGATIoN.
Mr. Dockery Appears Before the Committee
and Reads a W ritten Statement.

MI. Dockery Appears Before the Committee
and Reads a w ritten Statement.
Representative Dockery Of Missouri appeared
before the silver pool investigation committee
today and said that inasmuch ss he had when
last on the stand given his testimony hastily
and without sufficient deliberation, he desired
briefly to restate the reason Why he did not
wish to testify until the day after tine senatorial
election in Pennsylyania- He read a written
statement which was substantially as follows:
The force bill was at that time pending in
the Senate. 1 was desirous that il would be
beaten. The attitude Of nearly every
Senator In respect TO that measure
was very generally understood. except
that Of Senator Cameroa- The election of his
successor was to take place on Tuesday and the
committee was 20 have met the previous Satar-
day.. Ii was not known that II Cameron
was reelected he would vote for the force bill
but his attitude Of uncertainty led me 70 in
dulge the hope that he would vote against AZ
Under the circumstances there Was nothing to
induce me 70 desire that another re-
publican should succeed him. l die not
wish 10 be the cause Of making public at that
juncture any private business transaction OF
the Senator OF which l had information that
might be entirely legitimate and proper. and
which could before an opportunity was offered
hun OF showing its entire propriety be used by
his political enemies 10 his detrInent.
had information that Cameron had made q
purchase OF silver at some time during In, last
session Of Congress. L had no knowledge that
he was connected with any party, nor had
any information that would warrant me in a
conclusion 10 the prop-iety impropriety
of the purchase made by him. 4 merely
had information 20 the simple
fact that he had purchased silver believe IL
TO be but justice TO the senator that such fact
should be not made public by me, when it
might be used by his political opponents to his
immediate injury without time or opportunity
for him TO Prevent the same by explaining tLe
facts and showing the propriety Of the trans-
action If 1t was, IN fact, improper.
There Was no agreement or understanding
between Senator Cameron and myself or any
other person that ny testimony should be de
layed m consideration Of or an inducement
for the Senator to vote against the force bill. 1
was not requested by any person 10 delay my
testimony nor was any suggestion to that effect
made to me by any person. acted upon my
own Judgment, induced thereto solely by the
facts and reasons have stated.
In response TO Chairman Dingley Mr.. Dock
cry said that be had no knowledge Of any in
tention on the part Of the committee 20 ad-
journ over from Saturday to "Wednesday,
except that he had heard MIR. Oates say to one
of the memeers that he wanted TO go over TO
New York. He MIR. Dockery) therefore thought
it likely the committee would adjourn over un-
til Wednesday, when Mr.. Oates would be back
Witness had never suggested such an ad-
journment TO any member OF the committee.
He admitted that he had taken the chance that
Senator Cameron silver purchase might have
had something improper or corrupt in IL. He
did not intend TO screen MIR. Cameron or sup
press anything. but TO delay his testimony unil
after the election.
The committee questioned Mr.. Dockery very
closely as to whether or not the ques-
ton Of Senator Cameron's reelection and
of the desirability Of an adjourn
ment over until Wednesday had been
a matter Of conversation between Mr.. Dockery
snd Mr.. Vest or any other person; but Mr..
Dockery stated that while he had no recollsc-
ton one way or the other about the matter that
it was possible be might have incidentally bad
some conversations on the subject