Year: 1876

hioi HiiiS auu Coutluutu Tue tAufhiud-
ton of James Mulligan. Witness said
he wanted to make statement before
continuing his examination. He said
that when he arrived here a note came
down from Blaine requesting witness
and Fisher to call at his house. Wit
ness declined to go but Fisher went.
After witness testified yesterday
Blaine called upon witness aud asked
him about some letters which were
in his possession, and wanted witness
to give them up to him, but witness
declined to do SO. Witness said Blaine
almost got down on his knees and
plead for the letters, saying they would
ruin him for life. and when witness
further declined Blaine asked him to
think of his wife and six children. He
besought witness and almost contem-
plated suicide. Witness then allowed
Blaine to take them, nnder a pledge
that he would return them. He looked
them over and did return them. This
was in the presence of Fisher and
Atkins. Witness then retired to his
room and Blaine followed him and
wanted to look at the letters again.
Witcess allowed Blaine to take them
and Blaine refused to return them
and still retains them. No one was
present at this time. but Blaine and
witness. There were about Is letters.
While this statement was being made
Blame sat at table opposite witness
and exhibited considerable mirth at his
statement, laughing outright at the
remark about suicide, and when wit
ness closed. Blaine rose at once and
asked to be sworn and be allowed to
makea counter statement. The chair
man objected to it at the time, but
assured Blaine that be should have an
opportunity. Witness was asked if
he knew the contents of the letters and
what their contents were as far as they
related to the Pacific bonds. Blaine
objected to witness giving the contents
of the letters until he had made a
counter statement. Frye said he
thought it proper for Blaine to be
heard. Witness said these letters were
private letters of Blaine to Fisher;
they were kept in Fishers safe; witness
had no business with them, but had got
possession of them and brought them
whatever to the Union Pacific bonds
that were represented as going to Col.
Scott. Hunton thought the commit
tee, in the absence of the letters them
selves, had the right to inquire about
the contents. If the letters bore upon
the matter at issue, they had right to
know their contents. Blaine said on
the ground of fair play he thought he
should be allowed to make statement
in relation to what transpired last
night. because of this personal state
ment made by the witness; he thought
he could simplify the business of the
committee by making his statement
before they proceeded to examine the
witness. The statement made by the
witness was now being telegraphed all
over the country and would appear in
the afternoon parers, and when they
got through with the examination it
would be too late for his explanation
to reach the press. The committee
decided that the witness should be ex-
amined first, and he was asked about
the contents of the letters and said
one of them contained an allusion to
the bonds and Blaine's losses in the
transaction and that Blaine said in
one of them that he did not retain the
money in his possession 4S hours
witness further explained that Fisher
knew he had these letters and allowed
him to have them; he also said that
when they were alone last night Blaine
talked politics to him, and asked him
how he would like consulship, etc.
At the conclusion of Mulligan's exam-
ination Blaine took the stand and with
the utmost emphasis denied under
oath all of Mulligan's statement that
he, Blaine, had offered him any con-
sulship or that he had told Mulligan
that the publication of the letters or of
Mulligan's testimony would ruin him.
All this sort of thing, Blaine said, was
pure fancy. He denied that he OBJ
tanned the letters under pledge to
return them; he calleds on Atkins,
Fisher and MuIligan at their hotel and
talked with allo them for some time,
together. He had known Mulligan
for 25 years; he had been private Sec
retary for two of Blaine's brothers-in-
law, and in that capacity he had OBJ
tanned many private matters not In
anyway connected with this case, but


concerning other persons, and many


dating back long before Blaine came


to Congress. In examining the letters


Blaine found that only one of them


had anything whatever to do with this
case, and this he returned to Mulligan,


but kept the others for the reason that


he was exasperated by Mulligan's an


nouncing his determination to publish


them II anybody impugned his char


acter or testimony in any respect.


Blaine then, In presence OF Fisher and


Atkins, told MuIligan that as these


letters had no bearing upon the case
I