The New York Herald Newspaper, February 9, 1879, Page 5

THOEN BEFORE THE COMTI ‘Some Very Hard Raps at the Con- gressional Inquisitors. COMPETENT TO GUARD HIS OWN HONOR, ; Uncle Sammy Swears He Knew Nothing About the Cipher Despatches. AND ALWAYS OPPOSED BRIBERY. ‘ ‘ Betore God and My Country 1 Believe’ the Votes of Florida and Louisiana Were “Bought.” WHERE PELTON ERRED. <1 Would Enter Into No Auetion for the Purehase of the Presidency.” ' TESTIMONY OF OTHER WITNESSES. _ The announcement that ex-Governor Tilden would appear before the cipher sub-committee yesterday and testify as to his connection with the cipher de- , Spatches must have exercised a potent magnetic spell upon the public, for it attracted to the Fifth Avenue Hotel a crush of curiosity seekers unparalleled since the days of the Beecher trial. The committee was to meet again at balf-past ten o'clock, but at half-past nine all the approaches to the committee room were clogged up with a swarm of officials, politicians and gentecl flancurs generally. The “jam” was so great that the committee themselves and the representa- tives of the press could hardly get in without leaving their coats behind them. Among those of the city and ex-city dignitaries whose imposing presence secured them the first admission were Corporation Counsel Whitney and ex-Mayor Wickham. Mr. Whit- aey, with kindly fqrethought, saw that ex-Governor Tilden could never push through this unruly and tlamorous throng of people who were wedged in the hall leading to the door of the committee room, and kept a careful watch to see that an open passage be kept clear for him—a solicitude which probably saved Mr. Tilden from having his hat knocked off or his coat torn. ri EX-GOVERNOR TILDEN APPEARS. At half-past eleven o’clock Mr. Tilden appeared in company with his brother, Henry A. Tilden, and ex- Secretary of State Bigelow. Mr. Tilden was dressed in black, and had an air of great solemnity on his face, which looked as imperturbable and sphinx- like as ever. Since his last public appearance he seemed to have aged considerably, and yesterday he looked quite ill and_ feeble. As he afterward explained he was suffering from a severe cold. It was, indeed, quite a painful specta- " ele to see the slow, halting, lame walk with which he passed the table and reached his scat. His figure was stiffly drawn up and seemed incapable of bending, as though: he were suffering from a paralytic contraction of the limbs. As he entered ‘every eye was curiously’ turned upon him. Not a@ muscle of his face relaxed with animation ‘or ‘ expression as he stiffly extended his hand to Mr. Reed, of Maine, who received the salutation with sonicthing like a profound bow. Then Mr. Tilden. gave his hand to Mr. Hiscock, the other republican ‘ qross-examiner, and after saluting the democratic members took off his elegant, silk-lined overcont, ~ @tiffly turned round and seated -himneif-at the table, ‘while sottling at the samo time a large handkerchief in his breast pocket. HOW MR. TILDEN TESTIFIED. Ex-Goyernor Tilden sat erect in his chair for over two hours and a half, and during the greater portion ot this time he gave his testimony in that. calm, quiet, imperturbable manner peculiar to him, and without hardly moving a muscle or changing the expression of his countenance. His voice, which was hoarse, started very feebly, almost inandibly. But as Mr. Tilden came to the corrupt negotiations alluded to in the cipher despatches his hoarse voice rose suddenly to a pitch of loudness, vehemence and dramatic intensity hardly ever obsorved in the ex-Governor during the most exciting periods of his life. During these portions of Mr. Tilden’s evidence there was a flush of deep feeling over his face, and the mental excitement had such mastery over him that his lips twitched, and one of his hands, said to be smitten with paralysis, trembled in a most painful manner. CALLING ON HEAVEN AND FARTH, And when Governor Tilden dramatically called on heaven and earth to witness the protestation of his innocence of all knowledge of the ciphers, bringing his clenched fist heavily down upon the table, there ‘was a sympathizing outburst of applause. There was only one relieving glimpse of humor during his entire examination, lasting over two hours and a half— pamely, when Mr. Reed, of Maine, questioned him about “corrupt attempts,” and the Gover- nor returned dryly, “Attempts to sell or to buy whic! at which there was some laughter. Upon the whole Mr. Tilden was treated with marked con. sideration by the republican cross-examiners when contrasted with their merciless treatment of Mr. Marble and Colonel Pelton. When the croas-exam- ination had been concluded Governor Tilden held uite a whispered conversation with Mr. His- cock. The moment Mr. Tilden withdrew, which he did in the same slow, halting, imperturbable manner in which he entered, the intérest of ‘the day seemed to have ended, and the audience thinned out within few minutes. At three o’clock in the afternoon the committce announced that they wonld hold an execu- tive session prior to their final adjournment, and then everybody seampered away. MR, TILDEN'S TESTIMONY. Governor Tilden (in a feeble, almost inaudible voice) spoke as follows in reply to the questions of the committec:—I have not had an opportunity to see the lithographic copies of the cipher telegrams (the publication of the translation of the cipher tele- sin the New York Tribune); I mean thone re- Siting to South Carolina to the 6th of October, 1878; those reiatin, to the State of Florida, pub- lished on 8th October—I read these . translations; do not recognize among then had” ever ween the of I & single one | in cipher or translation, or the contents of which had in any manner been made known to me; with refer- ence to those of them that relate to negotiations to induce the members of the canvassing boards of ‘Bouth Carolina and Florida to yive to the demo- Gratic electors their certificates lL swear poxitively I + Bever saw one of thore telegrams, either in cipher o} translation; the contents or me of any one , them was never commun! to me in any manner whatever. I never had any knowledge, no information and no suspicion of this cipher correspondence or of similar ‘ OF that any such had existed till it ‘was aunounced iu the ri , followed up by the publication of thy same a fi 8 Jater; no Offers, no negotiation on behalf a ang member of the Returning Board of South Carolina, of the Board of Canvasners of rida or any other State was ever ontertained by my authority or with my sanction; no negotiations with them, no Gealings with them, no dealings wigh any one of were ever authorized of sanctioned y me in any: manner whatsoever; the first Hogolistion. ever existed ‘between ‘any desnocrats e any democrats or any member of the Board of ‘Beate Cenvancere of South Carolina to obtain thetr certificate for the democratic electors hay on the 20th of Novem- ver, 1876; Lam not able to fix that date positively by my own recollection, but I fix it trom other circumstances; it was the day I first learned that Colonel Pelton was in Baltimore; I re- fix the date from the circumstances that have 4} during this inves- tigation; on the morning of November 9), 1876, Mrs. Colonel Pelton mentioned in my presence that her husband had gone to Philadelphia; it was a casual Tdid no# know he was going to leave the ‘and I did not know that he had left the city till mentioned it, and her mention of it was not such as to attract my attention particularly; 8 little later the same mot I was called on by the oy ph Bo) Ni ~ ge Mel mittee, Mr. Zdws 01 Soea ily be ho lane Soa bala NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1879—QUADRUPLE SHEET—WIin SUPPLEMENT. he toid me Mr. Pelton an offer on behalf of Prev nmaonard or claiming to mt the canvassers of South Carolina to give their certiticate to the democratic electors for a sum of money. MR, TILDEN EMPHATIC, I said (continued Mr. Tilden with one force) no such offer should be enter- ined and that no negotiation of that nature should be tolerated; that not a cent should be furnished for any such pi ; that Colonel Pelton should be im- mediately for to return to New York; I did not at tl know that Mr. Smith M. Weed had gone to South Carolina—that he was there or had been there at any time; I-had not seeu him after the election, and had no knowledge of his where- abouts at that sap oe bee oe with Mr. Cooper was very e whole matier was posed of within from five to ten minutes; I made no inquiry with regard to any details, and there waa no discussion between us; Mr. Cooper concurred with me entirely as to the. measures to be taken; although I took it for granted he would make every necessary comumnnien mon the subject I did not leave it at it; I obtained from him Col- one! Pelton’s address in. Baltimore and caused him be immediately pelographet) to in @ peremptory er to return to New York; my patch to ) Colone} Pelton was in ordinary hangnnes: had no cipher; Icould not read a cipher; and I could not translate into cipher; it never occurred to me that there was any reason for concealment; my belief is that the despatch to Colonel Pelton to return was sentin-my own name; I think I sent it or had it sent within ten minutes after Mr. Cooper left the house; ‘Colonel Pelton returned that’ night to New York; with reference to Florida, I never saw any one of the Florida telegrams, ‘either in cipher or in translation; the contents of no one of them, so far I know, was ever communicated to me; I do not ink the contents of any one of them relating: to the course of this controversy thus far was ever communicated to me, and in looking over them Iam not able to recall any one of them that I had ever seen before; I did not know, and was not informed, that there had been any offer from anybody representing, or claiming to represent, the Florida Board of Canvassers or any member of it to give that vote to the democratic electors till after the cer- tificate had been given and the votes of the electors deposited for transmission to Washington; my first information on the subject was subse- quent to that and after the 6th De- cember, 1876; some time after Mr. Manton Marble returned from the South; I don’t know when, but before I went to England, he called on me one day and mentioned to meas of a bygone affair that the State of Florida was offered, or rather the certificate, which would have yielded us the vote, but he said the offer had been declined; sometime later in tha summer, about the time Mr. Marble’s letter on the Electoral Commission appeared, I made a remark to Colonel Pel- ton about this offer from Florida, and answered in a single sentence that all offers had been declined; that was all the knowledge I had on the subject till the publication of the despatches; with reference to the State of Oregon I saw none of these telegraphic despatches; I now refer to the despatches contained in the Tribune, No. 44; I never saw one of them in cipher or translation; the substance of no one of them was ever communicated to me, with the exception of the despatch from Governor Grover, stating that he should give the certificate of the State to the democratic elector Cronin; the substance of that despatch was communicated to me by somebody; did not know that it came in ark till after it apyoared on the exam- ination of the Morton comunittee: in what form that communication was le to me I cannot now state, but I was made aware of the fact; several of these cipher tel ims appeared to have been ad- dressed to Colonel Pelton at No, 15 Gramercy Park, my residence; I asked one of my young men to look them over and tell me how many there were of them; I think he told me there were fifteen of the Florida despatches addressed to Colonel Pel- ton, chiefly sent by Mr. Manton Marble; as far as. I know and believe no one of these despatches was delivered at my house; Colonel Pelton’s habits und hours and mine are enti different; I was still Governor of the State o lew York, and had many executive duties to perform; I was burdened by daily receptions of people who came to me from all parts of the United States; I think from three to five hours a day was the least time I was compelled to devote to these duties; Colonel Pelton seldom came to the house till after I had been long in bed; he wax very busy at the committee rooms and I saw very little of him, but I think it any considerable number of telegrams had come to the house [should have found out the fact somehow; I do not believe any of these cipher. telegrams ever came to the house—at any rate, they never met my eye aud they never came within my knowledge. ‘THE VISITING STATESMEN. Only one word as to the gentlemen who were sent South to the disputed States to watch and guard the canvass on behaif ot the democratic party. That measure originated either .with Mr. Hewitt or General Grant. Within a day or two after the election I think General Grant wrote a letter which he prdnoeed such an genet Mr. © Hewitt either started it fore or embraced it immediately after; I did not select or send the gentlemen who went to these dis- puted States, and with few exceptions they were not sent consultation with me, Here Mr. Tilden’s voice became very feeble es I did not attempt to supervise their acts; I did not communicate with them; in no instance duping the whole. I, directly or it '» COM munice with any gentleman that was in the south on that business; I nev, ived any communications from them or any of them except one communication sent Py: Mr. Randall, Mr. Ottendoffer, Mr. Lamar and Mr. Watterson sug- gesting some kind of proposition to be made by me fo Mr. Hayes; I never answered that despatch, ex- cept rea to Mr. Ottendoffer; after he re- t to Now York he called upon me; I was very busy all the time; I took it’ for granted that these gentlemen understood their business and I did not undertake to direct them; the ideg that they were my personal agents in any sense has no fow ‘ion in fact; they were the representa- tives or delegates of the democratic party, chosen generally by its organization; no money, so ast knew, ever went to one of these States with any com- mission or authority or contemplation todo iy anyon which these gentlemen ought not to do, or to do any- thing but defend the interests of the democratic party—to watch and guard these interests against apprehended fraud; during the whole time from the ith of November, 1876—which was the day of the clection—to the 6th day of December in the same year, and whch was the day on which the electors met and deposited their votes, I maintained a uniform attitude; my purpose was that under no circumstances would I enter into competition to ob- tain the certifi of the canvassing boards in the disputed States, even tl to which I believed we were entitled, except by diseussion, argu- ment, reason, truth, justice. Here Governor Tilden’s voice rang with ence, There never was a time, @ mome not an instant in which I ever entertained an idea of seck- ing to obtain these certificates by any_ venal induee- ment, any promise of money or .of office to the men who lad them to give and dispose of; my purpose on that subject was perfectly distinct and invariabl that was generally assumed by all wy friends without ‘discussion; it may have been sometimes so expressed, but cer- tainly whenever the slightest occasion arose tor it to be dixcussed it was expressed; it was never deviated trom in word or act. Mi. TILDKN'S PERORATION. To the people who have, I believe, elected me Presi- dent of the United States, to the four and one-quarter millions of citizens who gave me their suffrages IT owed a duty and a service and every hon- orable sacrifice, but not a ender of one jot or tittle of my sense of right or my personal selt- respect, whatever the disappointment to those who voted for me, whatever the public conseqnences of suffering trom a subversion of, the electoral system, by which alone true self-govérnment can be carried on; by whatever casmstry @ different course might be advocated or defended, I was resolved that if there was to an anetion of the Chief Magis- tracy of my country I would not be among the bidders. nei T was determined in such of an event, or apprehefsi~n of such anevent, that I would meet such # d condition of public affuirs, not by sharing in it inany degree, not by acquiescence, not by toleration, but by’ au un- qualified, pepe ant appealing to the people to reassert, reestablish their great rights, the greatest of their rights, the right withont which all others were worthless—their right to elective selt- government. THE, CROSS EXAMINATION, General Hanon (to the republican members)— Gentlemen, you can ask Governor Tilden any ques- tions you please, Governor Tilden turned slowly round to face Messrs. Reed & Hiscock. Mr. Reed (quite respectfully)—Governor Tilden, who was your private secretary at the time of these transactions? A. George W. Smith. Q. F have among these telegrams in the Tribune, No. 40, addressed to George W. Smith, No, 15 Gram- ercy Park, thecipher which was used in incriminating despate! It relates to a suggestion in regard to Oregon, and was sent by Mr, Manton Marble to George W. Smith, No, 15 Gramercy Park. Did you ever see that despatch? A. (in @ low tone). I do not remember. * . Q. Have you any impression in regard to it, whether you did receive it or not? A. (with same tone.) I have NO recollection. Q. Or that any suggestion was made that Mr. O'Conor’s opinion should be applied tor? A. Ido not remem! Q. You have read these various despatches? A. I read them immediately on their publication. Q Do you recollect one despatch in this samo be t= from Louisiana inning, “Bigler to Russias,” which was translated “Bigler to Tilden;” do you recollect that? A. Ido not recollect it. Q. Do you remember another despatch which was also sent to George W. Pee. ene private secre. tary? Was that patch submitted to you? A. I should think it likely if Mr. Smith received the de- spatch it would have submitted to me, q. Have you no doubt that he did submit it to sy A. He was my private secretary; it would have been his duty to submit them ; I have no know!- edge of the existence of the cipher, ‘THE PRIVATE SECRETARY'S CIPHER, Q. It would seem then, Governor Tilden, that your private secretary had ‘this efpher; do you Know whether he had or not, of your own knowledge? A. T do not think he did. Q. How, then, were these translated, if he did not have the ciph A. He might not have been able to translate the somebody else to do it, Q. What do you know about this cipher? A. Ido not know anything about it, sir; Leould not put ~ message into cipher it I tried. it. Keo (apologesicaily)—-Oh, I don’t ask you, only ‘it is that your private secretary had this same ay | Mr. SUlden (stiffly)—He is here, aud can be sum: | moned by the committee; Ido not think be had the ! cipher at all. . When Colonel Pelton returned from Baltimore aid a have an interview with him? A. I suppose I dis . Will you be kind enough to state what that inter- vit wan i As conga secceaee, 2 ie Aate: Ihave no doubt 1 ex m0) . Q. Give the. best recotlection of the substance of that interview? A, Idon’t know that he said any, thing to me; anything that I said was a mere out- burst of impatience and displeasure; I think he made no reply. Q You know the position which Colonel Pelton oceupied. Do you know that he was Acting Secre- tary of the National Committee, and that these tele. grams were coming to him? A. I did not know that; | there were a great mauy coming to him, WHY NOT PUNISH PELTON? Q. Did you, after this Baltimore transaction came to your knowledge, make any effort or suggestion that he should be removed trom the position in which you knew he was? A, (still continuing in the same low tone). I do not think I did. Q. Why not? A. In the first place I did not know of-the Baltimore transaction t to this extont, that he had been receiving an offer there; I did not know that he had given it any encouragement, and T did not acqnire- any such’ knowledge until these despatches had bee | lp gear l T did not acquire any information on that subject in conversation with Mr. Cooper except in # general way; I thought the best way to deal with the thing was to stop it, and I. stopped it effectually; 1 did not imagiie it possible that any. such transaction conld be after- ‘ward retiewed; bexides, Colonel Pelton had no ower: he was scmetimes called acting secretary, ut he had command of no money and was not able to do any sniog without the concurrence of other men; I did not imagine he was tempted to do any- thing. Q. Didn't the fact that he had once attempted to do it give you any idea that he would be likely to try it again?” A, I did not suppose that he had any temptation; I simply supposed that he had received an offer. THE CONVERSATION WITH MR. COOPER. Q. Wili you be kind enough to give us the con- versation you had with Mr, Edward Cooper as near as youcan recollect it? A. The conversation with Mr. Cooper did not occupy more than five or ten minutes; he began the conversation; he communi- cated to me the tact that Colonel Pelton was in Balti- more—the fact that Colonel Pelton was receiving an offer of this nature, Q. Did he tell you the amount of the proposition? A. That he probably did. Q. Did he tell you be had received a telegram from Colonel Pelton asking for the money? A. Ido not know whether he told me that or not; the substance of the conversation was that Pelton was down there in Baltimore; the certificates of the canvassers of the State of South Carolina were offered tor sale, and he was down there to look into it. Q. Did he tell bys anything about Colonel Pelton’s having cautioned him not to tell you? A. No. Q. Anything of that sort mentioned? A. He did not mention that he and Colonel Pelton had met at all. Q. Where were you the night before? A. 1 do not remember; I did not know Colonel Pelton was going away. TO SELL OR TO BUY? Q. When did you next hear of corrupt attempts after this in any of the States? A. (with a faint smile). What do you mean by corrupt attempts? Do you mean attempts to sell or attempts to buy? (Loud laughcer.) Q. (drily). Both, Governor or either? A. (humor- ously). I'never heard of the attempt of these people to buy at all. (Langhter.) Q. (pressing hard), Do you mean to say that you never heard of any attempt to buy? Do you mean Imean to say that I i mean up to the time of the publication of these despatches ; I regard those attempts as attempts to sell rather than attempts to buy. (Laughter.) . When did you first hear of the corrupt attempts to sell subsequent to this Baltimore transaction? A. Icannot say; the atmosphere was full of rumors. Q. (sarcastically). When did you become conscious of the state of the atmosphere? A. There were ru- mors; I met, last summer, a gentlem in the cars— Q. Well, [don't mean that. When did you first hear of these criminal attempts, vither to buy or to sell, after the Baltimore experience? A. Do you mean in Florida or South Carolina? Q. First tell us of the Florida “performance” (Jocosely); I will use a neutral term? A. I cannot Temember wnen I first heard of it after the gentle men who had gone to Florida had returned; Mr. Marble told me at some time; { think it was later. - Q. (Triumphantly), Are you aware that Mr. Marble has testified t! he never told you of it ? (at fits query Mr. Tilden paused and looked Pr .) Mr. Stenger—He can’t be aware of that, Mr. Reed, because he did not so testify. MERELY MENTIONED THE CIRCUMSTANCES, Q. Did Mr. Marble tell you of the transmission of these despatches? A. He did not, Q. Did he make any allusion to their being mere “danger signals” which he transmitted? A. He did not; he simply anentioned the ireunainn a past transaction; he said that the Florids certificates were for sale; in the first place it wag @ thing past, the same as any other fact in history. Q. Why did he not give the details as to the par- ticulars of this South Carolina matter? A. I made no inquiry. Q. Why not? A. (curtly). did not think it was necessary. Q. Did you not feel any interest in it? A. The oniy interest I telt in it-wes in stopping it.- = "~ Q. Then you did not regard that os a ‘dan, signal’—this transmission ot propositions? A. You are speaking of South Carolina? SOME TELLING AYSWERS. Q. Yea, sir; it would not occur to you that the transmission of propoxitions for sale would be “dan- ger signals?” A. (dryly). I think that if men made a fgg to sell it is evident that they wanted to sell. / ‘This answer rather took Mr. Reed back, but he rallied to another of his sarcastic sallies. Q. And that the man who transmitted these propo- sitions to sell would be likely to bay? A. (after a pause of reflection). That would depend on the mo- tives of the man who transmitted it. Q. When did Colonel Pelton begin to reside at your house? A. About nine years ago, I think. Q. When did he cease residence there? A, About the Ist of July. Q. He kad been your military secretary while you | were Governor? A. He was. Q. And with your knowledge and consent was act- tin C4 secretary of the Democratic National Commit- tee? A. It was not with my consent; I know he called himgelt acting secretary; I came down from Albany the latter part of the third or foarth week in September; the canvass was going on and two-thirds or three-fourths conciuded while I was in Albany; [ came down here and found him acting as secretary. Q. Did you make any objection to his ucting as secretary? A. I did. Q. To whom? A. Several gentlemen of the com- mittee. Q. Can you name them? A. (After reflectiot Q. Any one of them? A. (In the same way) Q. Did you request him to resign? A, No; not request him to resign, but I was not pleased No. did with it; I manitested my regret at it. Q. What did he say? | A. [cannot tell you, Q. You did not to any extent insist upon his ceas- ing to act? A. I did not. MK. TILDEN AND SMITH WEED. Q. Do you know Mr. Smith Weed? A. Ido, Q. How long have you known him? A. Some years. Q. Has he been in confidential relations with you? A. No more so than prominent democrats, 'Q. But as much as some prominent democrata? A. (sententiously). As much as some and less than others. | Q. When did you first know that he in South Carolina? A. Not until after he came back. Q. Was it concealed from you? A. I guess not. Q. How did it happen that you did not know? A. | Because I did not undertake to keep run of the gen- tlemen who were down there, not a clove run; I knew the whereabouts of the visiting statesmen only as Llearned from the public journals, Q. And you say now that you knew nothing of | Mr. Sinith Weed’s presence imsonth-Gerotina until | ~_ his return? A. (With emphasis.) I say #0, posi- tively. Q. Was that conversation with him about the transmission of this proposition? A. I hada very briet conversation with him, in whieh I took him to task for mixing up in such transactions; Ido not | feel personally responsible for Mr. Weed. Q. At what time was the Oregon affair published? A. It was the result of the investigation of the sub ject by a committee of the Senate; I cannot tell abont the time; I think it was the winter of 1877. Q. Mr, Pelton remained in your house then from that time until July after the publication of the Oregon despatches? A. Yes. Q. Mr. Manton Marble oceupied confidential rela- tions with you, did he? A. He occupied relations which to a certain ex ent were confidential, Q. He stopped to bid you goodby before he started | for Florida; do you recollect that interview? A. I recollect seving him betore he went to Florida, | Q. What trauspired at that interview? A, Nothing | more than leave taking; T wave him no instructions | or suggestions as to what he should do; I supposed these yentlemen were selected by a committee of the democratic party to fulfil particular duties and were competent to do that; Idid not intend to supervise or to direct; I did not c any human being any in- structions or advice in that connection. “OPPICIOUS MEDDLING.” Q. Did Mr. Eaward Cooper when he told you of this South Carolina proposition inform you that he had given your nephew any encouragement that he would furnish the money? A. He diu not, Q. Did he make any suggestion of any kind which couveyed that idea in any way to your mind? A. H did not; ax I before stated the interview was briei; it opencd with a mere statement of facts, and [responded so quickly ‘was no chance for | ¥ discussion; | was irritated at the idea of Pelton's mixing himself up with any such transection (with special emphasis); if L had been a in any stich transaction Pelton woul last man in the United States that I would have com- Cs Q. You published a card, Governor Tilden, on or about October 14, relating to these despatches, did you not? A. Ldid. Q. In that card you made no allusion to theseapar- ticulars or your knowledge of the transactions which happened at Baltimore, did you? A. I did not. ti A here looked as though he had caught je Sammy” ina trap, and was bound to follow up this line ot inquiry, Which evidently seemed to him yery promising. Q. Way not? A. [had no occasion to. Q. Why did you not state an this card all of these particulars that you knew of this Baltimore transac- tion? A. Because it was not pertinent to what | was “oe h of letter 1 . In one paragraph of your letter you say:— hat no knowledge of the oxistenve of these tele- _Atams, except what hag been derived from or since | you any re rue. WAS THERE AN ATTEMPT TO MISLEAD THE PUBLIC ? Q. Did you not intend to convey the impression to the public that you knew nothing about the transaction until the publication of the Tribune despatches ? A. Idid not think it conveyed that at Q. Did you not say and did you not intend to con- vey to the public the impression that you knew noth- i about negotiations themselves? A. (firmly)— id not. . You at least concealed the fact that you had in- formation with regard to those transactions! A. Be good enough to read the next sentence in my card; you will observe that the two States of South Caro- ina and Florida are dealt with separately; no one of thes» telegrams, either in cipher or translated, Was ever shown or its contents made known tome. Q. You there confine your knowledge to the tele- grams, aud did not say that you kuew of the trans- action? A, Yes, sir. Q. Did it not’ strike you that it was calculated to convey to the public that you not only knew uoth- ing of the telegrams, but also nothing of the trans- action? A. No; I could not say what {knew about these telegrams; I knew nothing about them, -Q. Was not the question which you were replying to before the public, that you kuew nothing about these transactions? A. (' You will notice the difference between the reference to the two transactions; I cannot help it if people do not understand me; Icould not say that 1 knew nothing about any, negotiations {n.South Carolina, though I knew very little; Iknew nothing that was | in any of these telegrams; I knew no details of the negotiations, but knew that there had been an offer, and that the offer had been refused through my intervention; there had been nothing but to re- ceive au offer and to refuse it; in Florida I did not know that there had beenan offer, so that statement had to be different. Q. That is, you were avoiding a misstatement on account of certain facts which, at the time, you knew and the public did not? A. Certaiuly. Q. ({nsinuatingly) And so you made your denial in such ashape and form that it would avoid conflict when the facts became known? A. It was perfectly consistent with the truth, Q. Were you not conscious all the time that tho matter which you were explaining to the public was not the telegrams, after all, but the negotiations? A. I covered that in the next sentence. Q. (With a touch of mockery) Yes; but you do not cover it in this sentence, do you? A. Ido not do every thing in one sentence, CHARGING WANT OF FRANKNESS. Q. Now why did you not say frankly that you knew of the transaction so far as you did know it and thas you then stamped it out, imstead of saying what might convey to the public the impression that you not only kuew nothing about the telegrams but of the transaction itself? A, (Caimly and unnettled) I did not say anything of the kind; any man who will read it will understand the distinction; no man had a | right to infer that any offers had been made; there anight have been a hundre. male. Q. But there were not a hundred made; there was one transaction to which attention was directed. Why did you not mention that one trausaction it ‘ou inteniled to deal frankly with the public. Why d you not mention that one transaction ? A. Thad not seen any of these despatches: I did not know whether they were true or not; I was not going to speak about negotiations I knew nothing about. Q. But at that time you knew that Pelton had gone to Baltimore to engage in propositions of that kind ? ‘A. knew he had gone there to receive a proposition. 'Q. Why did you sot state that? A. It was not nec- coaary: it was notpertinent. Q. Was it not nécessary for the information of the community—wben you undertook to inform the community—that you should inform them about what you knew about this matter? How did it hap- n that you omitted this fact which you knew? A. canse thaf fact was not pertinent to anything in ‘the discusyion. IMPERTINENT FACTS. Q. Way it not pertinent to the information of the public 4s to your knowledge on this subject? A. ‘That wis not among the things I undertook to state. Q. You say that the transaction of the Board of Canyassers in Florida was mentioned to you as a past mpunied by the statement that the offer sted. By whom was that made? A. Mr. y did you not inform the public in your A. That was not necessary. Q card Q. Did the non-necessity of it arise from the fact that onthe faith of these despatches Mr. Marble was yery severely incriminated, and your statement that he had mentioned it to you would tend to con- firm the public opinion in that direction? A. Not in the least. Q It looks to me as if it had been studiously omitted? A. It wasnot; it was indifferent. Q. (With studied formality) You did not keep it out in furtherance of any design that.you haa in our mind ? A. The Baltimore transaction was very ifferent; I did not have the intention to keep it out; I had no intention of putting it in. Q! Did you not draw up this card so as to avoid mentioning that? A, I drew these sentences very earefully,so as to conform, to Q. Not Only to the éxact truth so fur as the public knew it, but to the exact truth so far as you knew it? A. Yes, sir. 'Q. Did you havo any interview with Mr. Weed be- fore going to South Carolina? A. I did not. Q. Did you remember having an interview with him at any bank? A. I had no conversation with him at any bank. Q. You recollect the bank that was named in con- nection with the Oregon affairs, Mr. Jordan’s bank— the bank that immediately advanced on Colonel Pelton’s or somebody else's suggestion $8,000 for (ieeringly) legitimate legal expenses in Oregon? A. I do not think I did. Q. (Pressing) Be frank with us. A. (Placidly) I am perfectly frank with you, sir; I have no recoilec- tion of ever seeing him there; Ido not remember meeting him at any particular time. Q. About what time was it that Mr. Marble com- municated his public letter to you? A, I cannot say. Q. Did Mr. Marble consult You with ‘regard to the publication of that very celebrated ee of rhetoric? ‘A. He probably talked with me on that subject. 'Q. Did he read you any of the sentences? A. I think very likely he did. «. The ‘publication was made with your assent ? A. ‘Neither my assent nor my disapproval. NOTHING HYPOCRITICAL. Q. Did you make any comments, atter your knowl- edge of the Baltimore transaction, that it was a lit- tle harsh sort of letter to write; no suggestion that there was anything hypocritical about it? A. No; there was not, so far as I knew. Here Mr. Reed relinquished the witness, and Mr. Hiscock took him up. Q. desire to ask a question. I understood tpat there was a tel to George W. Smith, dated November 27, Tallahassee; did you see it? A, No; I do not remember seeing it. : Q. Have you any doubt that you did see it? A. I do not know that such a telegram was ever addressed to him or ever received; I do not remember anything about it; I remember seeing it here in this pamphlet; 1 think if he received it he probably showed it to me. Q. Now, in that despatch occurs this phrase, ‘See my despatch to Spain.” If you saw that despatch would not that have attracted your attention? A. Perhaps it would, and perhaps it would not. Q. You felt interested as a Presidential candidate, and as the representative of your party in the result in Plorida? A, I did. Q. You were watching the proceedings in those States with great interest? A. Iwas watching the proceedings with a certain amount of in Q. (satirically). Was it not indifference? . Not absolute indifference; I did not occupy myself with what was no good, Q. Did you not keep yourself posted so far as to be advised of what was going on? A, Not very fully. ). Well, it a despatch was the phrase, “See my despatch to Spain,” the very e of that despatch would have attracted your ? A, It might have done so. is a despatch saying, “I decline to commit so indiscreet.” Now, sit, Nave collection of having seen that despatch? ever did. THY, CLOSENESS OF THE FLORIDA CONTEST u Florida the democrats claimed a majority? it ninety-three or ninety-five, including Baker undoubtedly. «. Did you know how that information was con- veyed li A. 1 did not; I found it in the news- papers. earlier information than newspapers? A. Ido not Ww that despatch Q. Did you receive an: that which appeared in th believe 1 did; I know | nev Q. You do not believe that any such despat that was ever sent to Gramercy Park? A. Ldo not. Q. And do you believe that any of your triends would have taken the liberty to intercept a despatch to you? A, It was not addressed to me; I under- stood that the despatches addressed to Colonel Pel- ton were, by & standing order, sent to the committee rooms. Q. You have no idea that Mr. George W. Smith would have taken the responsibility of failing to ex- hibit to you any deapatch which he received? A. No ; he was iny own personal secretary, or, rather, clerk; the first time Dever heard him call himself “private secretary” was in the Tweed case; he was in court, and, when asked what his business was, said he was my private secretary; he is a very good fellow. Q. Do Lunderstand you to. say that the first inti- mation that you had of the closeness of the contest in Florida was through the newspapers? A. Ido not remember what my first intimation was; 1 (link if you will look at the newspapers of the sari dace as the despatch you will find that they have the same ee q. Now, Mr. Tilden, I find this despatch sent:— “Keported here that Board have given us one vote,” Do you remember seeing that? A. Ido not, Q. Do you remember hearing any rumor of that kind? A, Ido not. Q. Do you remember of ever having heard it even suggested? A. No. QQ. There was this despatch, “No, 62."—‘'Reported here that have given us one vote; if so you will not need to use tance. Advise fully, ou never heard of any such despatch as that having been sent? A. I never did. Q. Who were in consultation with the gentlemen in South Carolina and Florida? A. I did not advise myself on the subject; I assumed the National Demo- cratic Committee and their subordinates were. Q. Does it not strike you as strange that all of these visiting statesmen held communication with New York by despatches addressed to Colonel Pelton, and to him only? A. I do not know that it is a fact. Q. Do you know that itis nota fact? A. Tdo not know that it is not a fact; Mr. Hewitt was chairman of the committee, and I understood the despatches were addressed to him. COLONEL PRLTON'S RELATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE. Q. Mr. Pelton—Colonel Pelton had been dependent wyon you to some extent? A. Yes, sit. Ww, you learned from Mr. Cooper, and could have learned from Colonel Pelton, that he had been to Baltimore for the purpose of consummating & plan to influence the action of the Canvassing Board of the State of South Carolina to secure the election vith prompt decision.) | { upou that being communicated to you, that you f | himself ? ought immediately to nud out in what relations | Colonel Pelton stood to the Democratic National ! Committee ? A. Your question assur more than is true; I did not learn that he had been there to con- summate an arrangement; I only heard he had gone there to receive an offer. Q. Well, sir, is there much difference between the way that | state it and the way that you stateit? A. (resolutely). Yes, sir. Q. Now, sir, understanding that Colonel Pelton had been indisereet enough to go to Baltimore to even yes into the proposition of a sale of a certifi- | cate of the electors of South Carolina, did you dot think you were called upon to ascertain his relations to the National uminittee aud how far he was com- | mitting that body or how far he was committing A. I thought the best way to deal with such a transaction was to stop it; not to do it myself | and to stop any one else from doing it; (caustically) Mr. Hiscock evidently is trying to probe and search | my moral standing. Mr. Hiscock—No; I am merely trying to find out his relations with you. Mr. Tilden—Your object is ¢o impute to me failure | to do a duty. Mr. Hiscock (courteouslyj—Possibly — “A SUBLIMATED STANDARD OF MORALS," Mr. Tilden—I answer your question this wi Proposed tu: set up a, siandard of duty as high asx I could and sev whethee the other gentlemen would adopt it) j Q. It seems to mé Ahat, the best way to answer question is to answer it as far as you can direcfly, and not to seek to answer it by assailing anybody else? A. I do not desire to assail anybody, but when a sublimated standard of morals is set up.I propose to anulyze it aud see whether the purty who sets it up would stand by it himself. Q You have said that i¢ you had entertained any idea ‘of iufluencing these boards venally by venal | cousideratious the last person in the world that you | would haye chosen for that mixsion would have been | Colonel Pelton, Now, [ ask you to bear that answer mm your =m and then, if you can, state why, after you learned of — his visit to Baltimore, you did not deem it proper, and perhaps your duty, to call the atten- | tion of Mr. Edward Cooper or of Mr. Hewitt—both of chem distinguished and very able men—to the fact that they must take charge of this matter, and Mr. Pelton must be left out of the correspondence, and that they must give it their personal attention, lest you and the democratic party should be embar- Fassed, perhaps scandalized, by the action of Col- onel Peiton? A. In the first’ place I supposed these gentlemen were giving their personal aeeetionl to all these matters; these gentlemen had the real power and Pelton did not; they were able to super- vise him. Mr. Cooper, in particular, had charge of the money, without which Pelton could not involve them to the extent of acent; inthe next place, Mr. Cooper was the gentleman from whom I derived the information sololy and exclusively about the Balti- more affair; in the third place, I regarded the Balti- more thing as very foolish and very wrong but still as a very inchoate transaction; now, the civil law does not recognize purposes until they em- body themselves in action; the Church distinguishes these purposes merely as simple faults; Pelton had | not, so far as I knew, done anything except receive a proposition from a’ set of republieans to sell their State; the proposition died of borning; it did not strike me as though there was any possibility of its succeeding or any similar transaction, without meaning to excuse Pelton in the least; at that time the atmosphere was full of rumors of the venality and frauds of these returning boards in the disputed States, and of their offers. (Here Mr. Tilden in an out- burst of pent up feeling brought down his fist upon the table). “QEFORE GOD AND MY COUNTRY.” Before God and my country I believe the votes and certificates of Florida and Louisiana were bought, and that the Presidency was controlled by their | purchase; Pelton seeing that state of things committed a fault, an error—committed a wrong; he adopted the idea it was justifiable to fight fire with ; he adopted that idea when he saw the Presi- y being taken away from the man who had been elected by the people according to the law, and, in fact, thought it was legitimate to defeat that crime by the means he took; he was entirely unjustifiable; I adopted an entirely different system; I scorned to defend my righteous title by such means as were employed to acquire a felonious possession; Pelton did not come up to that standard; he may be tried, convicted, con- demned; public opinion may punish him at the same time, even though that fault must be judged of according to the facts of the time and according to what was being done and was done; his act was in- choate; on the other side the act that was done was acomplete and consummated one to give up the possession of the Presidency of the United States to # man who was not elected, and the representatives, the champions of that condition of things, were the men whose consciences were troubled with the inchoate wrong I spoke of. ‘MR. HINCOCK DISGUSTED. Mr. Hiscock (disgusted)—Mr. Stenographer, you will read to me that part of his answer referring to returning boards hmying been bought. . ‘The stenographer here read over the last answer. Mr. Hiscock—Now then, Governor, you will state upon what information you base that belie’, and in giving your information you will please give the ame of the party communicating it to you? A. I have no private information on the subject; it is be- fore this committee. . Do you mean to 83 Set. there is any evidence the Returning Board was before this committee t bonght? A. I think so. Q. You will do me the kindness, sit, to point out the witness who testified to it, and the evidence to that effect? A. McLin testified that he held the casting vote of the State of Florida; he testified that he gave a false certificate, contrary to the evidence nd contrary to the law. Mr. Hiscock—I say you are mistaken. He has not sworn to anything of the kind. McLin swore to this :—That he was approached by Manton Marble for the purchase of the Board, and he swore that-at the time when he signed that certificate he did it con- scientiously, honestly and faithfully, and, believing that the facts of the case justified him in making that decision; be did swear that in the light of subsequent events and of certain facts which came to his knowledge he might not have acted as he did. There is not a cintilla of evidence in the Florida case from Mr. McLin that his action or conduct was in any way venal, but,on the contrary, that he acted most honestly and conscien- tiously. I am willing to appeal to my democratic colleagues on that question. Mr. Tilden—McLin said further that his mind was probably influenced by promises of office; he was immediately afterward appointed United States At- torney of New Mexico; Mr. Noyes, who was down there at the same time, was appointed Minister to Paris. Mr. Hiscock—Are you entirely clear that McLin swore that he was iniluenced by the hope of being appointed to office? A. I think he said so, CAN GUARD HIS OWN HONOR. Q. Will you swear that he said so? A. I swear that it is my recollection that he substantially said | 80; now, gentlemen, I beheve that I am competent | to be the custodian of my own honor; I do not think that my virtue is of so delicate a texture that it needs that I shoula practice brutality towards anybody else; I may be erring in judgment; but I think that in all my dealings with Pelton [have been able aud shall be able to do what is right to protect everybody from any wrong, 80 as I have any control; in this course of examination, the object of which is to erimi- te me, you intrude yourself into my domestic ily relations, and it is fair tocompare you with rown standard. Mr. Hiscock—You are entirely mistaken with re- to that, ‘This investigation has only one ob- 2 —_>-- pa publication in the Tribune ?* A. Well, that is } of Tilden electors there: and did it not occur to you, ! Mr. Tilden—Now, the danger of tolerat and that is for the purpose of enlightening the eand instructing them upon the facts which pired and upon all the motives. It has been ed to be more than an individnal matter con- cerning Governor Tilden, but a matter in which the public is supposed to be interested. j Q. (Returning to the charge.) L will ask what evi- | dence you have that tle votes of Fiorida were tor | sale fora yenal consideration? A. (Curtly.) I have | no personal information. 1 do not ask for personal explanation; you haye stated here your belief, appealing to high heaven, that these men were debauched and infin. enced ‘by republi Now, sir, I ask you to state your authority and the name of the gentleman w th: > communicated that is convicti y man who t that, in my judgment, a convict anybody before a common fury; the evidence was public. No PROOF. Q. Then you mean to say that you have made that serious charge against th urning boards upon what you saw in the papers upon public rumor? A. No, Ldon't; L make the charge npon evidence be- fore your committee and before other committees. Q. Teall your attention to another fact, that mit you by the question, as to the time about when ton visited Baltimore and in reference to which you | have frequently said the air was full of rumors, and | you have given your belief as a sort of quasi exense | for Colonel Pelton’s doing as he did—I ask you again to give me any evidence which you have that these boards were being corrupted by republicans ontside the rumors that you heard on the streets or articles which you saw in the newspapers? A. You will find that in the Field commaiitee, Q. Oh, Lihave limited you by my question to the time up'to' the final action of the boards, the 6th of December? A. [had no proof up to the 6th of De- comber. Q. Had you any evidence except what you saw in the newspapers? A. [had not personally. Q. Do you know anybody who had any at that time? A. The testimony before the Field commit- tee discloses the names. Q. ‘Then when Colonet Pelton went to Baltimore for the purpose of bearing a proposition on the part ot the Keturning Board of South Carolina to sell themselves and to give a certificate to the Tilden | electors of that State—up to that time you had no in- formation excepting rumors which you saw in. the newspapers that they were venally influenced by republicans? A, don't think I had. Q. Then, Governor Tilden, in your mind you must withdl as @ justification for Pelton’s conduct at that time your idea that he was ransoming these goods or fighting fire with fire? A. Ldid not say he was; Laaid he th ght he was, and it subsequently proved to be true; I do not say that I defended his position. “APOLOGY" OR “ALLEVIATION.” Mr. Hiseoe I understand in part your answer to be an apology for his position? A. No, sit; an alleviation. Mr. Hiscoe! The Chairm His word was alleviation. h ‘ock—Yes and my wot apology. airman (reprovingly)—The only difference is he is testifying and you are not. 1 apology. Mr. Hiseook——W I will allow it to go in anyway. The Chairm: 1 in the language of the witness, Teh 5 wrong on vither side is its tendency to grow. man does a thing because another man does it. By reac- tion and reaction abuses aud wrongs grow until they become #common practice. That was one of the reasons that, impelled me to put, my 1 foot upon its very approach or anything of that kin Q. Do you ‘understandewhat the word ‘forces’ meant in the phrase ‘Let the forces be in readiness” in one of the despatches? A. I don’t understand what it means. Q. Do you know, or have you ever heard, that about that time there was a considerable sum ot money raised by anybody connected with the Na- tional Democratic Co.nmittee? A. I have not, Q. Have you known, or have you learned since, that atany time after the election any considerable sum of money was raised by any member of the demo- cratic party here in the city of New York or else- where which might be used in these States for political purpose? A. I never had auy personal kuowledge of it; I cannot undertake to say; the com- mittee may have been in debt; I rather think it was pretty largely in debt; I think’ it was more or less in debt for a year, Mr. Reed next took up the cross-examination, ask- ing Governor Tilden concerning some of the Oregon despatches. Hedenied having seen the one relating to Mr. Charles O’Conor’s opinion. Q. Do you think these telegrams addressed to Colovel Pelton were délivered your house? A. I do not; I think if they had been received there it - would have come to my knowledge; Colonel Pelton's hours were very different from mine; he generally came in after I was abed, and went out lore I was up in the morning. Mr. Reed (jestingly)—Late to bed and early to rise. Were there not many messengers constantly arriving from. the Western Union ‘Telegraph office! A. Edo-not remember (drily): you can~-call the mes- sengers if you like and find out. General Hunton next asked Mr. Tilden the mean- ing of the word “forces” in the phrase before quoted, He did not know the meaning of the word in ques tion, but supposed it might mean friends, WHO BOUGHT THE VOTES? The chairman—You had information that led you | to believe and, it true, would convince you that at least one of these Boards offered itself for sale to the democratic side. It was not sold to the democratic side, and is not the conclusion legitimate and proper that, if it was not sold to one side it was to the other? (Laughter.) Mr. ‘Lilden (calmly)—That is a question of logic. Mr. Reed (humorously)—I object to that question, and ask the ruling of the Chair on it. General Hunton—You ask me, as Chairman, to rule out my question? Mr. Reed—I do. (Laughter.) General Hunton—The Governor has responded that that was a question of logic, and as we do not care to discuss questions of logic, both the question and the answer are ruled out. (Laughter.) Here Mr. Tilden’s examination was finished, and he left quietly, and with him the audience. ‘ANOTHER FLORIDA AGENT. The next witness, Mr. E. L. Parris, testified to being sent to Florida by Mr. Hewitt and provided with a cipher by Colonel Pelton. Q. Did you know of any proposition to influence the action of the Returning Board by money? A. None whatever; when I first arrived in Florida I met a Mr. Coyle, whom I had seen at Democratic Head- quarters, and introduced myself to him; Mr. Coyle told me that there was a man down there who repre- sented that he had been sent by Mr. Hewitt, and who said he could buy the Returning Board for $50,000 or $100,000; I told him I was satisfied that the man must be an impostor, as Mr. Hewitt would never per- mit any such transaction. General Hunton asked Mr. Parris as to his connec- tion with Mr. Marble, and the witness stated:—I only met Mr. Marble three or four times during my visit to Florida; I never had any conversation with Mr. Marble in relation to a proposition to bribe the Re- turning Board; infact I don’t think he ever consulted me or! consulted him; he never asked me to send any despatch in his behalf; if he had told me of any pisn to bribe ti Returning Board I should certainly ave recollected it. TROUBLE WITH THE CIPHERS, Q. What do you understand in despatch No. 52 by the words “Saturday received?” A. I cannot be accurate on that point, but I have a theory on the subject; all my communications in cipher were sent for the benefit of the democratic committee; I sometimes had considerable difficulty with the key: that despatch signed “Whip” I took two or three days to read; I knew very little of cither Mr. Weed or Mr. Sinith: a day or two after that I re- ceived another despatch, signed “Commentary,” which was entirely unintelligible; I telegraphed up to headquarters if any one had my cipher and, re- ceived answer, ‘‘No one has your cipher and we have received nothing from you; I presume that ‘‘Satur- day received” refers to that despatch, as you will see that “several despatches sent you house” follows next. The witness then read the following translation of adespateh sent to Morris K. King. New York city :— «Just left Barlow ; latter concedes State to Tilden and will so advise; have strong hopes of Board; repeat last telegram pecan words unintelligible, see ordinal, meter and ble.” He continued “Next morning after sending that it occurred to perhaps s Gencral I Barlow's remarks were confidential, and I telegraphed to Colonel n, ‘Regard ram this mo. as confidential.’ "’ ve Mr. Reed t cross-examined the witness. Q. You remember Woolley coming to you on any subject? A. No, sir. Q. You did not know anything about his propo- sals? A. No, sir; I took the precaution to put in the despatch ‘‘plan unknown.” You had suspicions of l.tent wickedness? A. I only took necessary precautions. Q. You possibly thought you were in bad com- pany? A. I wished to be on 4 straight record. Q. Did you read despatch 36 to Mr. Perry Smith? A. I did not; I nad difticulty in translating it and I did not know enough of either Mr. Smith or Weed to pay any attention to the matter. MAYOR COOPER NOT WANTED, Mr. Hunton then informed Mr. Reed that Mayor Cooper was present and ready to answer any ques- tions. After a short conversation with Mr. Hiscock, his Colleague, Mr. Reed replied that he did not think they would take up the time of the committee by asking Mgyor Cooper any further questions. The next witness was Mr. George W. Smith, thé Private Secretary of Governor Tilden. His evidence was as follows :— Q. How many telegrams were addressed to you at Mr. Tilden'’s house? A. Only one that I know of. Q. Which was it? A. This one which reads, “It has been suggested from here to Governor of Oregon to refrain from issuing certificate in favor of ineli- gible elector until advised thereon. Why not obtain bag ing him O'Conor’s opinion. See my despatch to Spain.” Q. Did you receive that despatch? A, I did not. Q. Do you know what became of it? A. Ido not; I know nothing about it except what I saw printed in the Tribune. 9. Do you know whether any of these despatches addressed to Gramercy Park were read by Governor Tilden? A. Ihave no knowledge on the subject. Q. Did you receive any despatch from Bigler? A, No, sir, Tdid not. Q. Did you receive such a despatch? A. No, sir; I never saw any despatch from Bigler to Tilden. SOMK DIPLOMATIC ANSWERS, Q. Who intercepted the despatches addressed to you? A. Ido not know. Q. Did you ever ask Colonel Pelton anything about it? A, Tdid not . Q. Did anybody have any authority to take de- spatches addressed to you? A. Nobody that [ know of. Q. How many despatches a day did they receive at Gramercy Park? A. [really could not say; that is rather a difficult question. Q. You ought to be able to give some idea of the number of despatches that came there? A. They — im number; sometimes more and sometimes ess. Q. What was done with them after they were read? A. They were generally destroyed. Q. Who opened them? A. Depends upon who was there at the time. . When they were addressed to Governor Tilden who opened them? A. Sometimes Governor Tilden and sometimes myself. Q. Don't you think it probable that the despatch addressed to you was intercepted? A. I don’t kuow anything about i Q. Di him frequent Governor Tild Solonel Pelton often? A. Yes, I saw it that time I was a member of 's family. Q. (8 ‘There was nothing that indicated a dis- turbance of their xocial relations. A. Nothing that saw. Q. Where did the telegraph wire that ran into the house connect? A. It © wl with the head. quarters at Liberty street and the Everett House. Q. When was that wire removed? A. I think it was stopped soon after the election. Q. Who operated upon it? A. Sometimes myselt and sometimes the servants in the house; all mes- sages sent by it were printed at the other end on @ tape. Q. You have seen certain despatches in relation to the Marquette affair? A. I have seen them, Q. No wicked person intercepted them? A. No, sir. Q. Did you receive them? A. No, sir; Iwas away at the time, but 1 saw them after my return. The witness was then discharged and the commit tee went into executive session. They then decided to adjourn and left for Washington last night. BURGLARS SURPRISED. The sounding of a burglar alarm Friday night gave warning to the office of the American District ‘Telegraph Company, at No. 107 Broadway, that the cigar factory of Heyman Brothers & Lowonstein, at Mott street and Chatham square, had been forcibly en- tered, Officer O'Donnell, of the American District Teles graph Company, at once proceeded to the premises, | He discovered that the elevator, which had been run up to the second floor, was lowered to the Mott street entrance of the building, and was freignted with goods, which the burglars were obliged to leave behind them in their flight. Entrance was effected through a liquor store on the first floor, which con- nects with the elevator. Superintendent Wallin tan 8 detective on the case, and one of the all urglars Was arrested last night. CONFESSED THEIR GUILT. ‘Thomas Carter and William Johnson, who were ar- rested by Sergeant Carrougher and Officer Dougherty, of the Second precinct, Brooklyn, for burglary, while n their way to this city confessed yesterday to hav. ing committed over a dozen Durclation since last New. Yeat'« Day. They also gave the police information where most ot the stolen property could be found,