The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-01
SILVER POOL sKIRMIsHING.
A New York Banks Contribution to
the Versatile Owenbv.


New York. appeared before the silver pool
investigation committee this morning and
certified that he had paid Mr.. Owenby $3.50
for information with regard to the progress
of silver legislation last session, but that
Mr.. Owenby had not furnished any earlier
information than was published in the
newspapers. The information was desired
not for speculative purposes, but
for the purpose of enabling the
bank to keep track of affairs.
Mr.. Owenby profeSsed to be able TO see the
minutes of the clerk of the committee in
charge Of the silver bill, but did not assert
that he could further legislation.
A REAL ESTATE DEALERS INTEREST.
John w. Heidelberg. Chicago real
estate dealer whose name has been con-
nected with speculation in silver, testified
that when he was in Washington about a
for ready writer familiar with
bi-metalIism. For several years
the witness had secured the introduction of
financial bills intended to carry ont his
views, and as the subject was under consid-
GRAFTON he wanted some one to write arti-
cles in the Washington papers advocating
the use by the government of joint legal
tender Unfortunately. rather tnan either
gold or silver. A man named Hill responded
wanted, but the witness, as soon as he saw
him, was satisfied that Mr.. Hill would
not suit him. He did not wish to offend
t. 9 man and probably said that he would
defer his decision. 2
THE WITNESS MAKES A DENIAL.
The witness was then examined at length
with regard to the statements made by
Messrs. Hill and George in their testimony.
He did not, he said, say to either Messrs
Hill or George: Here is something you can
make more money out of than by writing"
and never suggested in anyway to either Of
them that they sell silver certificates to
members of congress or anybody else.
All the witness purchases and sales
of silver were made through Henry ~.ews
& Co., and he did not know from whom he
bought or to whom he sold. He never sold
to any congressman or government officer,
and had no knowledge of any such persons
being engaged in such silver speculation
in any form. He had never
conversed with any senator, repre-.
sentative or government official with
the purpose of showing them how profitable
it would be TO purchase silver. He
had talked with numbers Of congressman
on the general subject of silver, but never
with any view of inducing them to pur-
chase. he had shown silver certificates to
Congressman Dorsey, Payson and Taylor,
all of whom he knew pretty well, as the
certificates were a new form of money
about which there was naturally some curl
osity. He had also shown them in the capt.
toll TO Mr.. George, who wanted to
see them, but he had never suggested
purchase or sale of them to any of these
gentlemen. The witness said that it was
his intention to go into the purchase of
silver on large SCALE For this reason he
sought information wherever he thought it
81 ~ S.I T.. L.. ...EI IL =.
cation as to the existence of a silver pool
Mr.. Heidelberg called upon s. V. White &
Co., of New York, and stating his object
put direct questions whether they had any
knowledge of a silver pool, and whether
they had bought silver for anyscongress-
man.
CONSIDERED IT A POINTER.
The reply was that they had purchased
silver upon order of their Washington
correspondent. but they did not know for
whom. Mr.. Heidelberg then asked to be
put in communication with White & Co.'S
Washington agent. White & Co. expressed
surprise at Mr.. Hedenberg's inquiry, and
desired to drop the correspondence. THAT"
said Mr., Heidelberg, twas the strongest evil
dence of the existence of the pool which l
could obtaip.n
In this connection MIR. Heidelberg ex-
planned his conversation at the capitol with
Messrs. Hill and George. These two men
professed to be able to give him informa-
ton as to the course of legislation. Mrs
George, especially, represented that he was
a southern man who knew many of
the northern republicans and asserted that
he could get early information. OF course,
that was what the witness wanted, but he
did not follow it up, as he was not inn
pressed favorably with the men, and did
not believe they were reliable channels of
information. Neither of them profsssed
to be able to influence congressman, but
simply to get information Mr. Heden-
berg said that he had no knowl-
edge whatever of any senator, repre-
sentative or other government
officers being engaged in silver speculation;
that he bad never suggested to any of them
to go into such speculation, and that none
of them had ever suggested it to him. His
work was wholly educational.
PERKINS EXPLAINS.
Congressman Perkins of Kansas said he
had seen an intimation that he might have
some information or knowledge pertaining
to silver pools, and direct charge that he
suggested to the speaker the appointment of
Mr.. Peel as a member of the investigating
committee. He wished to say that
he knew nothing whatever of any
pool or combination either to speculate
in silver or to influence legislation. He had
never bought silver, or seen any silver GER
tifcates, and no one had ever approached
him or said a word to him on the subject.
He knew nothing either directly or indi-
rectly with regard to any senator or repre-
sentative or any other person being
engaged in silver speculation, ex-
cept that Senator Cameron, after
Senator Vest testified, had said to him that
the statements made were true. He also de-
MED ever having suggested or spoken TO the
speaker with regard to the appointment of
Mr.. Peel as a member of the committee.
The committee to-day received a message
from special deputy sent after Mr.. Owen
by, stating that he had taken Mr.. Owenby
into custody and would have him here
Monday. As it will be necessary to first
bring Mr.. Owenby before the bar Of the
House. the committee adjourned until
o'clock Monday afternoon.