Year: 1874

nevertheless furnished with paners Of an official
character indicating that they belonged to the Sc
cret Service Division of the Treasury Department
With these papers they might have been, had they
tried, very successful in levyinR blackmail. They
might have been more potent than Jayne's hand
cuffs. Mr.. Banfed acknowledged that these papers
were given TO enable the men to perform their
work" with greater ease. He was very sharply
questioned by Mr.. Beck rs to why these letters or
papers to Presbury and Greer were not included in
the papers sent to the House. No satisfactory an
swer gwen, aud the Solicitor appeared to very
bad advantage.


At this point, Mr.. Beck with much show of tenn
per, called his attention TO the fact that tho Com
mittee had four times called for all the papers
lating to the Sanborn business and yet it seems
that all have not been furnished; that something
appears TO have been held back. The letters to
PresbuIy and Greer were very important and why,
asked Mr. Beck were they not furnshedf Mr..
Banfeld said he had forgotten all about them that
the papers in the case were in several different
places aud they could not all be found without ex-
pcit directions. The nOn-production of these let
ters and the discovery of their existence created
profound impression on the Committee, and II IL
generally conceded by those who heard IL that the
case daily looks darker for Secretary Richardson
and the'Solicitor. Another point which made much
impression on the Committee was that either he or
the Secretary had issued orders preventing Col
lectors from receiving taxes in which were on
the books of Sanborn. In the expressive language
of member of the Committee i'll addressing Ban
field. "Your instructions prohibited Collectors from
performing the duties imposed on them by law"
All Mr. Banfield could say that it was an anom-
alous law and required anomalous treatment.


The most striking portion of the examination to-
day, however was when SanbOrn himself was called
He had sat through the trying examination of Ban
field with more or less compOsure. The Committee
had been in constant session since 10 o'clock and 1t
was then three Mr.. Sanborn stood at the end of
the table and his counsel Judge Woodbridge of
Vermont, eX-member of the House, was at his right.
Ii must be remembered that Sanborn asked to be
heard by the Committee, in order to protect his
character. He spoke with great deliberation two or
three sentences, and appeared in no sense the
smart, quick, and deserving detective that
he is. His actions and words were stupid
enough, from some cause or other. He said he had
prepared long statement, giving all the facts and
telling his whole connection with the contract, but
he said he had heard that there was a man present
who wanted TO trap him into some admissions to be
used in suits in Brooklyn, and he did not want to
make any admissions that would crminate himself
This was regarded on all sides the most pitiful
evasion that ever attempted. He said his conn
sci would not allow him to make his statement but
he was himself very anxious 10 do so. His counsel
said that if there was nobody present
but the members of the Committee, the
whole matter would be laid bare. Sanborn had pre-
viously said he had learned what everybody
already had known for weeks, that be had been in
dlcted, and it would not do for him to make his
statement. His counsel, in view of the course
events were likely to take after the testimony to-
day. wisely sought an adjournment. The Committee
generously complied with the request for they can
afford to wait day so, they are sure of their
case in the end. Sanborn, when he first took his
position said he did not help to get the law passed.
and did not know of its passage for two months, aud
he did not know any of the persons who
had got contracts of like nature. He was, AT
the time a special agent of the Treasury Depart
ment but by the advice of friends, resigned. be
had devoted great labor to the business he now
ln and his expenses had been enormous. He had
spent between $4,000 and $4,000 IN getting infor-
nation and making ready for business. He had ex-
pended this money before he realized a dollar in
return. The Committee meet again tomorrow, but
they have not yet decided whether they will CON
tnue with Sanborn or whether they will devote the
session to current business