The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-04
HOW NOT TO INVESTIGATE.
The COMMITTEES lnquiring Into the
Silver Pool Furnishes
Brilliant Instance.
A Witness Who Swears that He
Has Information Promptly
Shut Of.
Not Allowed to Give the Names of Com
Eressmen In the Pool He Has
q List.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.--JameH A. C)Wenby
resumed his testimony before the silver
pool investigating committee to-day. He
REQUIRED to the conversation 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 their
names, but Messrs. Payne and Rowell made
decided objections and insisted on what
was said at these conversations being given,
but that no names should be given. Owen
by said he could not properly give the con-
vetsations without the names. About seven
congressman he thought were mentioned
Donald stated that these congressman were
interested in silver through certain parties
OF institutions. The Fourth National and
Chase National banks were dong the
dealings for these congressman. Donald
told witness that he got his information
from private agent whom he kept in his
employ. Also said that when he had any
doubts about matters he came over and saw
representative and also senator with
whom he had close relations. Ths total
amount of silver agreed to be bought by
persons interested with Donald was 81 .OOO,-
600 worth. To the best of witness recollec-
tion silver was bought at 81 and up to 1O3.
Owenby said his contract arrangements
with Donald were verbal. He was to give
all the information he could possibly get.
Ills personal expenses were to be paid and
he was to share and share alike with those
who went into the purchase of silver.
Donald was to carry silver for him and
agreed to carry 250,000 ounces For his
personal expenses in Washington he drew
on Donald. Donald never paid witness
anything on the silver deal. Donald told
him he (Donaldl had information of 6,OOO,-
600 ounces of silver being purchased by the
five banks and brokerage houses he had
named. He believed Donald gave the name
of Representative Ketchum, of New York,
as one of them. He insisted on this state
ment and again wanted to give names so as
to make his story clear, but Payne replied it
would be little short Of an outrage to per-
NIT the name Of any respectable man to be
gives nnlsss witness had other than
ss;a nea1say to1s testimony. pi Pc Donald, owenby
the silver pool got into wrangle; that he
(Donald) had got out of it, and therefore
could not make anything out of it for wit
ness. Donald took that method of repudi-
ating the arrangement with witness. The
silver purchasers sold out at $1.17, and wit
ness figured that he ought to get Is cents an
ounce on 45, 900 ounces, or between $35, 600
and $4,000
Owenby said he also received informa-
tion from David T. Littler, Bill Hall, as
sistant cashier of the Hanover bank, and
]. L.. Cunningham, of Parsons being in
terested in silver speculation. Witness
mentioned the names of persons interested
and Littler asaented, and also mentioned
the names of congressman. Owenby said
he had no direct personal knowledge of any
congressional silver speculation. The
statement in Correspondent Stevens pub
lication that the largest pool was one of
senators and New York capitalists. and
that it was interested to the ex-
by witness principally on statements
made by Littler, who said the men were
frequenters of Chamberlain's. He had
stated to Stevens that impecunious con-
gressmen were permitted to 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 personal knowl-
edge. Witness went to Senator Cullom,
chase and In polite way stated that num-
Der of congressman were interested. Sen
ator Cullom stopped him at once; told him
to go no further; that he (Cullom) had
never speculated and never would allow
anyone to carry silver for him.
Inc statements made in the publication
by MI. Stevens were gone over carefully,
item by item, and witness in each case said
he had made substantially that statement.