The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-07-24
fl GREHT QUESTION,
Did the Bank of England Pay Con.
gress $500. 900 to Demonetize
Silver in 1878?
MIR. LUCKENBACH'S SWORN TES-
TIMONT.
Where is Congressman McCleary,
Who Lied Himself Into Con-
gress Last Fall.
JOHN SHERMAN ANSWERED.
READ AND CIRCULATE.
F'rom Our Nations Crisis, by Gov. Davis
H. Waite)

From Our Nations Crisis, by Gov. Davis
H. Waite)
On the affirmative we have the following
affidavit, made in May, 1892, by Frederick
A. Luckenbach, before the clerk of the su-
preme court of Colorado:
State of Colorado,
County of Arapahoe, SIS:
Frederick A. Luckenbach. being first
duly sworn, on oath deposes and says: I
am 62 years of age. 1 was born in Bucks
county, Pennsylvania. l removed to the
city of Philadelphia in 1S46, and resided
there till 1866, when removed to the city
of New York. In Philadelphia I was in
the furniture business; in New York I
branched into machinery and inventions,
and am the patentee of Luckenbachs
pneumatic pulverizer, which machines are
now in use generally in the eastern part
of the United States and Europe. / now
reside in Denver, having removed from
New York two years ago. l am well
known in New York. I have been a
member of the Produce Exchange and am
well acquainted with many members Of,
that body. l am well known by Mr..
Erastus Wyman.
In 1865 | visited London, England, for
the purpose of placing there Pennsylvania
oil properties, in which I was interested.
l took with me letters of introduction to
many gentlemen in London--among them
one to Mr.. Ernest Seyd, from Robert NJ
Foust, ex-treasurer Of Philadelphia.
became well acquainted with Mr.. Ernest
Seyd and with his brother, Richard Seyd,
who, understand is still living / visited
London thereafter every year, and with
each visit renewed my acquaintance with
Mr.. Seyd, upon each occasion became his
guest-at one or more times joining his
family at dinner or other meals.
In February, 1874, while on one Of these
visits, and while his guest for dinner, l,
among other things, alluded to rumors
afoat of parliamentary corruption and
expressed astonishment that such corrup-
ton should exist. In reply to this, he
told me that he could relate facts about
the corruption Of the American congress
that would place it far ahead of the Eng
llSh parliament in that line. So far, the
conversation was at the dinner table, be-
tween us. His brother Richard, and
others, were there also, but this was ta-
bic talk between Mr.. Ernest Seyd and my
self. After dinner ended, he invited mo
to another room, where he resumed the
conversation about legislative corruption.
He said: If you will pledge me your hon
or as gentleman not to divulge, what l
am now about to tell you, while / live,
will convince you that what l said about
the corruption of the American congress
is true" I gave him the promises and
he then continued: Il went to America
in the winter of 1923, authorized to Sc
cure if l could bill demonetizing silver.
1t was to the interest of those l represent
ed-the governors of the Bank of England
to have it done. | took with me f100,-
900 sterling, with instructions that il it
was not sufficient to accomplish the Oh
ject to draw for another 100000, or as
much more as was necessary" He told
me German bankers were also interested
in having it accomplished. He said he
was the financial adviser of tho
bank. He said: II saw the committee of
the house and senate and paid the money,
and stayed in America until 1 knew the
measure was safe. l asked him X he
to whom he paid the money-but this he
declined to do. He said: "Your people
will not now comprehend the far-reaching
extent of that measure, but they will in
after years. Whatever you may think
of corruption in the English parliament,
l assure you l would not have dared to
make such an attempt here as l did In
your country" l expressed my shame
to him for my countrymen in our legisla-
tive Bodies The conversation drifted
into other subjects, and after that, though
/ met him many times-the matter was
never again referred to.
(Signed)
FREDERICK A. LUCKENBACH.
Subscribed and sworn to before me at
Denver, this 9th day of May, A. D., 1892.
(Seal) JAMES A. MILLER.
Clerk Supreme Court, State Of Colo
rado.
What is there in opposition to this spe-
cial and complete statement?
/. The following letter from Ernest
Seyd's son, and Richard Seyd, his brother:
"Sir-Our attention having been direct
ed to statements that have been made in
the American press with regard to the ac-
tion of the late Ernest Seyd, in 1872, re-
specting the coinage act, then pending.
you viii oblige us much by giving an un-
'qualified' contradiction to these state
nents. Ernest Seyd was not in the Uni:
ted States at that date for the purpose of
bribing members of congress to vote for
the demonetization of silver, never hav-
ing been there since 1856. The state
ment is the more absurd as he was the first
to take up the cause of silver In England
against the prevailing doctrine here, and
remained consistent supporter of sill
yer, as his numerous works on the subject
will show. We remain, yours truly,
RICHARD SEYD."
ERNEST SEYD,
In addition to the above statements.
Mr.. Alfred T. Story, special correspond
ent of the New York Voice, the gold-bug
organ Of the prohibitionists, was sent by
the Voice to Europe to procure proof to
invalidate the above affidavit of Mr..
Luckenbach. In the Voice of May 80,
1895, Mr.. Story writes that he has seen
and talked with the Seyds-Ernest, the
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