Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1873 — The Credit Mobilier Investigation. [ARTICLE]

The Credit Mobilier Investigation.

Representative William D. Kelley crossexamined Oakes Ames on the 24th. The witness reiterated his testimony that he held, as the property of Mr. Kelley, ten shares of Credit-Mobilier stock. They became Kelley’s property in 186$, When he paid for them. The dividends the witness also held for Kelley. He also held for him 10 shares of Union Pacific stock, which came into his hands early in 1868. Altogether the witness held 40 or 60 snares of Union Pacific stock and some income bonds which belonged to Kelley. In the course of the cross examination Kelley asked Ames to hand over to .the Chairman the ten shares of Oredit-Mobilier stock and the dividends alleged to belong to him (Kelley). Witness produced the certificates and said Kelley could have the dividends soon. On receiving the stock and dividends Kelley would be Ames’ debtor to the amount of $750. Ames asserted, and Kelley denied, that the former had handed the latter a check marked “W. D. K.” Kelley did not deny having received the $329 in money, which he regarded ns a loan. N. G. Ordway, Sergeant-at-Arms of the House, produced the books, and under date of January .34,1868, pointed out an entry of $329 paid on a check marked “W. D. K.,’’ and signed “Oakes Ames.” He also produced the check, and testified he believed it was in the hand-writing of Ames. Moses Dillon and Thomas B. Preney, clerks in the office of the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House, were examined as to the ehecks and entries. The former, who is Cashier of the office, testified that he would have paid a check marked “W.- D. K.” Ot “8. C.’i—to Ames, if he had handed it in. Ames made a draft of SIO,OOO to bis private account In June, 1868. There was in the books a check for $532 eharged to Colfax, but nothing to the credit of his account, except mileage and salary. Witness saw no credit to the account of Colfax of a $1,200 check.

L. L. Crounse, correspondent of the New York Times, testified that he had quite a number of conversations with Ames on the subject of this investigation, at least five or six times; had a conversation with him abont the 7th day of January; thought it was after Colfax made his statement before the Committee. Witness’ recollection was that Ames had said Colfax was probably correct in his statement; nothing was said about $1,200. Ames denied that he had said Colfax’s statements were “probably correct,” Mr. Colfax cross-questioned Mr. Ames, and the latter re-iterated his statement that he had given the former a check for $1,200 payable to “S. C. or order.” Mr. Colfax emphatically asserted again that he had never received a dollar on any account frond the Credit-Mobiller; never saw the check, and didn’t know whether it was signed O. Ames or Oakes Ames, and couldn’t imagine why the check was made payable to “8. C.” In his examination on the 26th Oakes Ames was Interrogated as to John A. Logan’s connection with the Credit-Mobiller, and be replied that (in December, 1867, he thought) Mr. Logan had agreed to take ten shares of the stock; witness made up a statement showing the balance due Logan, and gave him a check therefor amounting to $829; Logan paid no money on the stock at the time of making the contract, but subsequently paid back to Ames the $829 with interest, and it was understood that the stock remained the property of Mr. Aineß, Logan making nothing by the transaction, Mr. Ames was questioned as to the case of Senator Patterson, of New Hampshire, and produced a receipt, with Mr. Patterson’s signature attached, dated Washington, June 22, 1868, and acknowledging the receipt of SI,BOO that day frem Ames on account of dividends of the Credit-Mobilier; witness also produced a second receipt signed by Mr. Patterson, dated May 6, 1871, acknowledging the reception by him from Oakes Ames of two hundred shares of Union Pacific Railroad stock, and $757.24 in cash on account of Credit-Mobilier stock, and giving statement of shares and money still due; a letter from Mr. Patterson to Mr. Ames, under date of January 4, 1873, was also banded in by witness and read, in which letter Mr. Patterson gives an alleged history of his connection with the Credit-Mobilier, and requests Mr. Ames to testify accordingly, and correct his original statement before the Committee. Mr. Ames was questioned as to the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad, and testified that he knew nothing of any member of Congress having received stock in the road as a gift; witness was a stockholder; he believed that Allison and Blaine had also purchased and paid for stock in the road; no member got stock without paying for it; there was nothing immoral or corrupt about the management of the road; it had no connection with the Union Pacific; John B. Alley corroborated the testimony of Ames in reference to the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad. Before the Poland Committee, on the 28tb, Speaker Blaine, after examining Mr. Stevenson as to his charge against the former concerning his connection with the Sioux City Road, made a statement to the effect that In January last, iu seltlingup some business with the Messrs. Cobum, he took a quantity of stock of this road, for which he paid about 60 cents In cash. This was the first of his ownership in the road. He holds the stock in his own name, and Congress, in his judgment, is no more called upon to investigate it than it would be to inquire into the weekly expenses of his household. He made the explanation without the slightest reluctance. The road could not possibly come before Congress for anything. Senator Logan made a statement going to show that he had agreed to purchase the stock, as alleged by Ames, and had received a balance of $329 as dividends on the same, with the understanding that-he would return It in a few days if he did not conclude to take the stock; he decided not to take the stock, or have anything more to do with it, and returned the $829 with interest; he didn’t recollact of any legislation in regardto the road Huring the negotiation between Ames and himself. 1 ~ H. C. Swain, Cashier ot the First National Bank of the District of Columbia, was sworn and produced the books of the bank containing the account of Schuyler Colfax. He stated that the books showed a deposit by Mr. Colfax, on June 22, 1868, of $1,968.63: July 7, $400; July 8, $150; July 13, $1,543.87. The witness also produced the following certificate of deposit, upon being requested to do so. Deposited with the First National Bank by Schuyler Colfax, June 53.1688; United States and bank n0te5........... $1,900 00Check 950 00 Check. 18 63 Check... .: 500 00 Total ....$1,968 68 To the question of Ames, witness replied that, of .course, he could not tell where the money came from. James Brooks apoeared before the Committee on the 39th, and desired a record made of the fact that nearly three months before he (Brooks) became a member or a Government Director it was a matter of notoriety in the highest Court of Pennsylvaniy that Neilson owned 150 shares in his own name; also that the Government Directors generally, if not always, were in accord with him (Brooks) as to their duties- He claimed that the fifty additional shares for Neilson were Issued by virtue oi his (Neilson’*) contract with Durant; he had no knowledge as to who paid the $5,000 loaned Neilson by Dillon, He was sure h« (witness) did not, but supposes tbat Neilson did. The check-hook showed no such check given. Ex Representative Robert 8. Hale, of New York, appeared before the Committee, and stated he was present as the friend and connsel of Vice-President Colfax; that he (Colfax) was engaged in making a thorough examination of all his papers and letters, and upon concluding inch examination he would appear before the Commit-

tee to testify In his own behalf, and he would also ask that some witnesses he examined. Colfax had requested tbe speaker to say that as to the $1,200 check deposited to his credit as appears by the books of the First Rational Bank, he would show that that was derived from another source. Mr. Swain was then recalled and examined by Hale. He testified that tbe same day that Colfax deposited the $1,200 be checked out SI,OOO ana purchased a draft on New-York, which he indorsed over to A. H. Connor, Indianapolis. The draft was subsequently paid in New York. A check for SI,BOO was produced before the Committee, given by Oakes Ames and made payable to J. W. Patterson or bearer, and dated January 22, 1868. stated that this sum was paid Mr. Patterson for'dividends on thirty shares of Credit-Mo-biller stock. Mr. Ames also produced a receipt for #329, signed by J. W. Patterson and dated February 14, 1868, which read* “being a dividend of eighty p. c. in bonds or stock of the Credit-Mobilier of America, held by him as Trustee on my aecount.” Mr. Ames stated further that Scofield, Dawes and Logan went out after ths dividend of sixty per cent. Witness said that Mr. Allison sent hla stock back, and said he would have nothing more to do with it, and he (Ames) suppoied the stock being returned to him by Allison was a real transaction, and not a nominal one. In regard to bis conversations with Mr. Garfield, Mr. Ames said he (Garfield) had wanted the witness to say as little as he could before tbat he (Garfield) might get off as easy as he could. Mr. Ames produced a memorandum upon which were the following figures: “#1,000;” “sl,009;” “$400.” Total; “$2,400;’’ and testified that the figures were made by Garfield. The first SI,OOO referred to the Union Pacific bonds; the second, to the Credit-Mobilier stock; and the S4OO, to something else, he could not remember what. These figures referred to what Mr. Garfield was entitled to. Mr. Ames further testified as to Mr. Keiley that he (Kelley) had called the transaction a loan, and said he wanted to pay it; tbat Kelley gave him a check, which he (Ames) tore in half and handed back to Kelley, and both appeared satisfied with the transaction. Witness testified: “I did not consider tbat he owed me anything, but 1 owed him and told him so; he did not deny it.”