The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-06-26
A SENATOR'S SON BUYS SUGAR.
The Senate Investigating Committee
Pulls Senator Ransom Over the Goals
Matt Says He Could not Live
Under Susnicion.


The Senate Investigating Committee
has about completed its examination
and whitewashing of Senator'S. OF
course nearly all of them denied buy
ing sugar stock, though a few admitted
that they had. On the 10Th Ransom,
of this State, was before the commit
tee. AS ourpeople are deeply interested
we will give his answers to the ques-
tions in full:
The testimony of Senator Ransom is
as follows:
Chairman Gray asked Mr.. Ransom
the questions as follows:
Has any member of your family or
any person in your employ, or any
clerk employed under the laws of the
United States in your service been in
terested in any transaction in sugar
stocks or certificates during the period
mentioned9
Mr.. RANsoM:-I want to make a
statement. On last Thursday night,
the 14th, this week, MI. Rowland, the
correspondent of the New York Press,
sent me his card and called to see me
at my rooms at the Metropolitan, with
a stenographer by the name of Robin
son. He asked me questions very like
those that you have put to me. Imean
the substance Of them. He then in
formed me that the New York Press
did not wish to do me or any other
Senator any injury without giving us
an opportunity to be heard, and he felt
it to be his duty to tell me that they
had in their possession, or he had, or
somebody had a brokers' scrip upon
which were recorded the purchases of
different gentlemen or different per
sons in buying stocks, and that upon
that scrip I had been a frequent pur-
chaser of sugar stock in this city dur
ing the sugar debate here. protested
to him as positively as a man was
capable of doing, that it was impossible
that that could be so; that I never
owned one certificate or piece Of GER
tlficate of sugar stock in my life; that
In fact since / had been in the Senate I
never traded in one dollars worth of
stock. I insisted upon his seeing the
broker. He told me upon my asking
him, that it was Silsby and Com
pany, who had a house near Seventh
street OF Pennsylvania avenue, and
that this thing was certainly there. 1
told him to telegraph to his paper at
once that there was not a word of truth
in it. He asked me if this could be the
work of some malicious enemy of mine.
1 told him I could hardly believe that,
but I could not account for it to save
me, how it vas possible.
I said: 81 would be glad if you could
see this broker again before you in
dulge in any publication of this sort,
and find out if this information is not
absolutely without foundation, as false
as it can be-" He said he would do that
and then said "well, General, this is a
very clear statement of yours. Do
you know any other person by the
name of Ransom in the cityY"
I told him I knew of but n person
in the city by the name of Ransom
now, and that was my son George, who
was my clerk. He asked me where he
was, and I said: He is in the parlor
now. I will step in and bring him
here" I was, perhaps, more cautious
than the occasion required, and I said
II would thank you to come with me
to the door here so that you can see
that no communication takes-place be-
tween me and my son." l went to the
parlor and beckoned my SOL to come
In. l did not speak to him or see him
between the parlor and my room, and
when he got in my room, 1 asked the
gentlemen to state their business to
him, and told my son whatever the
matter was to tell the truth about it.
He then stated that he had bought
some sugar stock on the 18th OF 18th of
April. He put up a margin of ten dol
lars, which he paid the broker on sugar
stock. He said that on the same day
he put up a margin of $25 on cotton.
He said he lost the money on the cot
ton and made $40 on the sugar. That
afterwards he repeated the bet on
sugar, not on cotton; and I think he
lost the second.
He then stated that he and Capt.
Barnes, a messenger here at the com
merce committee room, on two coca,
sions, bought SO worth sugar stock
apiece. They went in together, and I
asked this correspondent to examine
nv son fuiIv About two wooAs 900