Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-24
DON In A DILEMMA.
What Dave littler Knows About
the Silver Pool.
NEVER HEARD OF ITS EXISTENCE.

And o"esn't Believe 1t Ever Existed
But He Bought little of ~ w.,
TOT cameron Before the senate Voted
ON the silver Bili-rbe senate Settle.
Down tn Another Probably Intermina-
pie Test of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Wanted for ESQ. 900 Veterans.
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 2l-The snac;al
house committee charged with invast;oa,-
ing the alleged silver pool continued its
investigation yesterday David I. Litter.
Oh Springfield, Ills. whom Senator Vest
nan named as purchaser of silver. was
examined. Littler said he had purchased
SILVER for himself and for Senator Came
ron, while the silver legislation was pend
ing. lie had bought between $40, coo and
tSnsVO worth of silver on his own account.
he said he had bought silver for Cameron
about $4,000 WORTH. This was shortly
AFTER Llttler made his own investment
and before the silver bill had passed the
senate. He had never bought any silver
tor any other senator, representative or
other government Official
Was Not Doing Any Lobbying.
ne had met Senator Cameron and had
talk with him about matters in general
and during the conversation the subject of
silver came up, and he told the senator
that he had purchased silver, and thought
was good investment He had also
talked with Senator Vest, and with other
persons about the silver question, but de-
nled that he had talked with these gentle
men with view to encouraging them to
purchase silver, or to influence legislation
with regard to it. he silver he purchased
Tor Cameron was in the form of ex-
change on Calcutta, the same as his own
individual purchase. The witness denied
attending any conference on the silver
question while in Washington
Those "RascaIs, of the Press
Llttler said he was very much provoked
by some published reports to the effect
that he was in Washington City to infiu-
ence silver legislation, and denounced
them as unqualified lies. Referring to the
published statement that he had promised
to come to Washington and show the
rascals up" he said he might have made
the statement, but if be did he referred
not to congressman, but to the newspaper
men who were sending these reports
throughout the country. He denied hav-
ing any connection with, or knowing OF
any silver pool, and he did not believe
that one existed. His silver investment
paid him between s., 900 and s., 900 Sena-
tor Cameron's gain, he thought, was be-
tween $1,000 and s., 800
The Subject Broached by Don"
Replying to question, he said that his
acquaintance with Mr. Owenby, who gave
the information on which Correspondent,
Stevens based his article in The ST. Louis
Globe Democrat, was limited, and he did
not know Owenby's reputation. In reply
to a question as TO whether he had asked
Senator Cameron to let him purchase sill
yer for him, or if Senator Cameron had
come to him in connection with the mat
ter, Llttier said that, as he recoilected it,
the senator had come to him and said:
"Dave, want you to buy me some silver"
In conclusion. the witness said that he had
talked to Senator Vest about the silver
question in the same manner he had talked
to Others about it, but while he might
have expressed the opinion that silver
would advance, he had never tried to in
duce any of them to purchase silver
Payson Ignored Heidelberg.
Representative Payson said that while
the legislation was pending he was ap-
preached by J. w. Heidelberg, of Chicago,
who asked him if he thought free coin
a,e bill would pass. The question was
ignored, as were a later letter and tele-
puetlH- the SdIile question Alter
ward he met HedeD berg again, who asked
him why he had not replied TO his ques-
tions. Payson told him that 1 refused to
give my opinion on pending legislation TO
spectators. Heidelberg then exhibited
certain certificates ami wanted me TO in
vest They were issued by some loan and
trust company in New York city. ] re-
fused TO invest. Later / heard that he
had formed some kind of pool