New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-23
formally presented the President by secretary
Blaine in the afternoon.
THE SILVER POOL INQUIRY.
LITTLE DIRECT LIGHT on THE SUBJECT.
QUEER PERFORMANCES OF sfECoLAio'
SENATORS STEWART, TELLER AND VOL
cnNfNITTEE
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUSE.l

i~toncs
ments in silver bullion by or on account Vi any -
ator or Rcpresentatiye or officer OF the Government
save what they have read in the newspapers OF "i
they have heard in the shape OF gossip u VIM" va.
did not attach any importance senator ic"e, ~
wont s,rtber and explained to the committee that no
never speculaes in anything and Is ignorant VI -,
nodus operandi Of silver or stock speculation hor
he pccunarily interested in any silver mlhe',
one which has produced nytmng' anu -
will I'm his opinion, never be productive. oen''oi
Wolcott's investments I'm mining properly arc ao a.
prOductive but he could not plead lehorai'0 Vi -,
manner OF making speculative investments Vo'"' 49,
had been bitten more than once.' lie has no' -
concerned or interested in such specula'io"s VI ''
specuIations OF gambling sort" however sinee 's
election TO the Senate, ana III that se"'' o
STYLED "a reformed gambler -
II may be remarked that the name OF he'ther o
of these senators has been coupled, even w i""'
with any Of the alleged Transactions WHICH, '"o 49,,
mittee was appointed to investigate. Noie VI ~,
had any knowledge respecting the ownership Oh tie
tvelve or thirteen million dollars worth OF surP'"'
bullion, which is said to be held In expectation Vi u'
drapca I'm price All Of them seem To realize, now
oer that II will be necessary to remove every suspoon
respecting the integrity OF past as wei as Po.o
legislation before final action In regafu u 'no ~
will he either wise safe. IL Is presuHeu .n"' VI"
same opinion is held by other Senator'S eSpeca"s '
who. like Messrs stewart, Teller and Woicot'' aro
that all of them will seek early opportunity 10 con
rricate 10 the committee all the Information winch
they possess in regard TO the alleged speculative
transactions. That would be the proper course ior
them to pursue. .-
, disposition seems 10 be shown in some quarters
"a critcise what is held to be the glhsery MANNER
in which the investigation is conducted, especiahy
in fine examination OF witnesses who arc mcihper' vi
tho senate This criticism does not appear 10 DC
inst II ouCht 10 be remembered that at LEAST three
~ the four senators who have testified thus lar nave
asked to lie examined. and none OF ther 30 Tar a. -
known has been implicated in the alleged trthsactoS'
.von bv the voice of street rumOr. The committee
WAS therefore bound to assume that the testimony
thus far given was complete as the witnesses coiu
have made IT, even under the most searching cross
examination. .,.
II NAV have been asserted by somebody that
Mr. Vest omitted to narate the details OF converse"
ton relating to silver purchases or specuauon',
durng which conversation 1t may have Deeh aliesou
that another senator besides Mr. Cameron was present.
together with another person who has been puDhOS
mentioned a, one who knows something ABOUT
silver spccuations-bu there is good reason 70 DeeNc
that no snch assertion was made to any member Oh
the committee at least before Mr. Vest gave MS le''
monv. even If the assertion has been made, ana
K truc IL does rot necessarily imphcate el'er HIS
good faith or his testimony, for the fact OF Such con
vcrsotion might have escaped his recollection
less.
one feature of the testimony given by James ~
George one Of the witnesses examined today "a'
rather peculiar as well as interesting. lie tesuheu
that he had been solicited by silver specuator nained
Heidelberg TO place" number Of thOisahu-ouhce s'c'
lullion certificate, amoul Representatives and sen
gtor, from the SOUTH at the rate of go certificate
tb,t Heidelberg WAS not willing to allow him TO dis
nose Of the certificates except to senators and Rep
rcsentatyes and to them only win 'hc
understanding that the FreeCoina6e bill was 10 oe
droppcd. and the House bill, which subsequently De-
came law 10 be substituted for it. MI george re-
fused the conditions, on the ground, as he tesuhed'
,bot all the southern senators and Representatives,
we're free coinage men, and could not DC inuuceu ~
.ppport the House bill. That ended the Negotiations
between George and Icdebcrs and aueTwaru 'le I'c'
studiouslv avoided the former. This We" Oh INC mo"
ter Mr. George seemed 10 he extremely deS'Ious ~ -"
rre,s upon the committee: that Spectator licueee
preferred the House BILL which wonu ehaoio '.,r ~
sell hi, bullion at an advance Of from 70 10 'o VI
,.o,, -, Az cent, an ounce, and perhaps at par Ut
800 I / c.ot. an ounce 10 a bill which wOuu ue SURF
IA send lion TO par and keep 1t there lohs ei'o"e"
~ ,,o,t for him to sell il. According 10 "eoroc,
therefore Heidelberg did not crave the woie ea''N'
80 TO speak, but only molety thereon.
None Of the witnesses examined TO-DAY thFe" any
,,,;,, whatever upyn the alleged pool OF pools. IN
i,,,,re i,n seems 10 be- gaining strength that many
~ tho alleged purchases were made II maze III all
lv individual senators Representatives, OF oo'',
ON individual account and some uouot = - ,S
a, to whether the committcei uuvr i,t, ndiydnaI
transaction, Of any sort. IL - rather uIl.ut ~, 49,,
HnYryrr whether the nature of such TRANSACTION
difer, either TO morals or proPfieS from iiN0
transaction IN through a " pool <. A.. ,
senator stewart when lie appeared bciot' inc com
mitcc said he had talked frequently Win ptisTTn'
about the silver question, and IN the senate ana en-
where had opposed ies,aon i0F +, ,S paccnmlatcd in
New York ON the ground that II would have the ap,
pcaancc OF passing special act oil HomscII 10 f
those person, who had purchaser AlNV.. ~ ,.,o
qucny said that those VINO had zone mo W sp,t
ton take care Of them'elye, Wmni ne nrn
on wa4 permanent legislation Wh9ii "outu st"P 'PSr
laton by keeping the price steady ol course p oa
sons who had purchased silver Dllon Wouh ~ revnt
fitted by free coinage. but ffcc colase Nol,n Wv ia
tuurc ,pcculatiOns. He had made no reference III n.'
conversations TO any members oil 'ost'Nn aH IN
nothing with regard 70 persons VINO nau ,,t h
silver As 10 himself, senator stewart sti''u tnV Nv
had never bought or sold silver bullion eActpl year
might bo that he held title TO some ahandoned SILVER
mile but he woni sell all his nerG,t Tor $iU lis
had never been asked "a 80 INTO any sIN'r sl -
r. ~ IIill testified that he was lawyer ana Writer.
lie answered an advertisement @,t Spite i "rxt d,y
writer familiar with bmealllSm. Ihe l,cAt Jay u
man called on him and said he was satisleu hvrN VIZ
going be- difference between te Seat tH .,o ,h
bills and he wanted the question prousnV p1T v
people intelligcntly The mans name was iledcpcrS;
Mr. George who wa, present ,n 1n % UNI @ncs ,
Subsequently in company with Nh George, ne me,
and no writing needed. Heidelberg then rmarhed
Here IS something perhaps You can hlhr inoi,N
ont Of and pulled out or MS pOthctbooh Wlht no
said we're certificates for 900 ounces OF silver each
though witness did not examine them: ieucDefB
cate. ON a margin of 225 1000 ounces. and "
wonId be paid ono certificate for every four shares ~
soId Witness replied that h. might sell some Ia his
business friends. Heidelberg interrupted him with the
statement that he wanted the certificates sold 10
members Of Congress. Witness replied that the mem.
her, Of Congress he knew were 50 poor they could
not put up go margin uaughtcrl lie did not
want 10 20 into the thing. and turned ii OIL with
laugh Witness had not the slightest knowledge ot
single certificates being offered to members 81 Con
rress He had written a number Of bmetalliSt ar
tcle, and had written some essays on the subject
which he believed appeared In The Congressional
Record
Mr. Dinglcy-Do you mean u say that they were
del Vecd ~ speeches ~.
Witnc,s-I do not know what done with them
0aughter.)
Mr. Oatcs-What do You USUALLY get for speech1
Witnc,s-If you desire. will make terms with yOu
Mr. Oa.cs. Renewed liughter.)
James A. George. who said he ran a provision store
in this ety. testified to being present at conversations