St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-23
HILL is A GENIUS.
He Can Write Speeches for the
Noblest Toga Wearer.

NOO1CSC lOSd " CdEOEs
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Stew
art was the first witness before the sill
yer pool investigating committee this
morning. He testified that he had never
bought or sold silver bullion, except
years ago, when he was mining and
sold his product. He had never been
asked to go into any silver speculation.
E. n. Hill testified that he was a
lawyer and writer. He answere ed an
advertisement last spring for ready
writer familiar with bj-metallism. The
next day man called on him and said
he was satisfied there was going to be a
difference between the senate and house
bills, and he wanted the question
brought before the people intelligently.
The mans name was Hedenberg;
and Mr.. George. who was present at the
ime. said he was wealthy real estate
man from Chicago. Subsequently, in
comp ny with Mr.. George, he met
Hedenberg again and was told the bill
was satisfactory and no writing was
needed. Hedenberg then remarked:
Here's something perhaps you can
make money out Of" and pulled out of
his pocket book in which he said were
certificates for 1000 ounces of silver
each, though witness did not examine
them. Hedenberg suggested that wit
ness could sell some of the certificates
on margin of $25 a 1.000 ounces, and
he would be paid one certificate for
every four shares sold. Witness replied
that he might sell some to his business
fri0 inf i'm
with the statement that he wanted
the certificates sold to members
of congress. Witness replied that
the members OF congress he knew
were so id poor they could not put up
$25 margin Qaughter). He did not want
to 20 into the thing. and turned it off
with laugh. Witness had not the
slightest knowledge of a single certifi-
cate being offered to members of coii-
gress. He had written number OF
bi-metaliist articles, and had written
some essays on the subject, which he
believed appeared in the Congressional
Record.
Mr.. Dingley-Do you mean that they were
delivered as speeches.?
Witness-I do not know what was done
with them.
Mr.. Oates-What do you usually get for
speech?
WltQeSS-lI you uGSlre, Will make Terms
with you, Mr.. Oates.
James A. George, who said he ran
provision store in this city, testified TO
being present at the conversations be-
tween Hill and Hedenburg. His general
statements of these conversations agreed
with Hili's. Hedenburg(he also testified)
had told him he (Hedenburg) had got a
pool organized, that held at that time
million ounces of silver. Hedenburg
wanted witness to see Southern members
in the interest of the house bill, and
said he did not want free coinage. Wit
ness replied that he was free coinage
man, and that if he knew of southern
man going the other way he would ex-
pose him and get him expelled from
congress. Hedenburg in reply to a sug-
gestion from witness that Hedenburg,
coming from ChicogO, ought to see Illi-
nois, replied that he would look after
them and wanted witness to see South
ern members. Senators Teller and
Wolcott, who had requested to be sum-
moned then appeared. Senator Teller
first took the stand.
He had never heard of any pool or
syndicate having any silver or propos-
ing to buy. sell or handle silver IN any
shape until he had read it in the news
papers and heard of Mr.. Conger's
| speech on the floor. He had never
heard of any pool, and had never sup
| posed there was any. He had never
| been approached. Of course he had
| heard there was speculation in silver
| certificates in New York, as there was
speculation in everything else, but he
| had never heard of it here, or of any
senator being engaged in it. Senator
| Teller added:
skT,1 in, ell
| ounce of silver in my life; never mined and
| never expect TO mine an ounce. Nobody
| ever suggested to me 10 60 into silver specu-
| lation.'
| CHICAGO, Jan. 22.-David T. Litter
| i'm an interview questioned the existence
| of silver pool. He said, however, that
| he was going to Washington to testify
before the Investigating committee. To
use his own words:
"rn rip some of those rascals up the back
| when go before that committee. I'll tell
! what know and it will be under OATH"
| He declined to say what points his
/ testimony would cover.
The senator said that he was mo
| speculator; knew absolutely nothing of
| the modus Operandi of speculation and
| did not understand the railroad system
| of puts and calls.
Senator Wolcott, the next witness,
said he had no knowledge of any silver
speculation, directly or Indirectly, either
before, pending or since the last legis-
lation. He knew absolutely nothing of
any one in official life being in any way
| interested in the purchase or sale of
| silver. He had never even heard it
mentioned in the cloak rooms. As to
himself, he had not since he had been
in the senate speculated in any way.
He wished he was as innocent as his
colleague about speculation and gam
bling of that kind; but unfortunately.
he had known something OF it, to his