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"S ^^•^^)&- :>#■*■ '■^"'l^ '.-3» P3a4.ni \}J ^. O/'-'V SYNOPSIS OF CX)iSTIiA( 1^ Ma(U^ between .Mutual rnioii Telej^rapli ('oinnuny, and .lolui (i. Moon- and Tliouias ('. Pnnly, coniposing tirni of .lolin (J. Mixiif A: Co., 14th April. 1H81. . f ontiai-tius to I'oii.sti'iict lin»'8 to t-oiiiKM't prcHt-nt line bet wri-n I5ost^^iHl of avi'iajjc of four win-s, fxtia HI! frulvani/«'(l, twenty 1)»t cent, to be nnniber (i, ivmaindrr ninnl)ei' M; wires to 1>e e.i|ual (o tlios»« useil by \Vest»'iii inul Anieriean I'niou (..'o/s, work to be c(>ni))leteil in twenty-eiitlit niontliH-. lexal iiroieedings or other tlelayHHOt to lie eoniputeil. however. Diirinf^ liioj^re.s.s of work Company lias riiiht to make elianges wliich shall not m aggre- {jate im reasi; eost of work to contractors, or if increa.sed, compensation to be allowed con- 'iiact<»rs subject to arbitration. Total lenutb of line to be lit, 000 miles, riuht of way to be procured by contractors at their i>wn <^x|)enst', a.s well as all other rxKhts and franchises ne<'essary to the business. All such rights to inuio to the comi»iUiy and be legally transferred to them. Contraclois have power to organize a coiporation to fnliil the coiitiaxt, but the con- tractors are liable for everything, and the companj- is not to be nndi-istood as having any contract relations with such Lorpoiation so formed, and the rights of su\si) or city, to Ijc approved by the c(inij»any, iind to lit them up wilh instiuiuints of tlie bestkin' ■'■ • Bonds and stWit t«i><; i»l^t'pit)vifl y III propcj that otficim that COIlipil • ami ,t. to be uierii.ai» or other in aRK»f- ,weil «on- iHCtors «t ne»». A^^ t the c«iu- aviim' '•»>■ iitioii sliiiU jiprovetl hy Atii'Uf* t" ^'® L'iihe« what- i,m- ; alst> to Uiall pay {«»'■ I,ue, but not iix Iter CfUt. 1(1 iirouutlinf? it hiU-mlL''*'*. ^; it hiivnihss. n s (it »i>iiii>i>"y' Miii iinimally, to be aiceytctl , until «"i«i ^y t(,i s aa woik a*' ct. by each patty ; t^nal. ,nn"iuy ^>' ''"^'" The Mutual Union Telegraph Company AND ITS CIIAIMJKS A«1AIN.ST ERASTUS WIMAN. -♦-♦-* TO FKIKND.S IN CANADA:— A rA.Mili'LKT liiijs Itet'ii widely circiiliited in Caimda by the Mutual Union IVlcijriiph Company, toiitaininj; charoes airaiuvst me re<;arding which, Ht the Holicitation of some of my friends, I have concluded to make a public statement. These charges, hrietly set forth, are. that I bribed an employ^ in the olllee of the contractors for the Miitnal Union Telegraph Company, J. G. Moore &. Co., N(nv York, and induced him to procure f(U' nui, and for my friends in the Western Union Telegraph Company, a copy of the con- tract for the construction of the Mutinil Union Telegraph lines; that I originated this methotl of procuritig the pai)er, and that, by subseciueut denials and misrepresentations — it is directly stated — I am " steeped in guilt and covered with confusion." The bitteriH'Ss of this at*^ack has, far more than anything else, con- firmed my suspicions that the affairs of that Company could not stand an expos6, antl few of those who read this statement will, in my judguient, (lifter from me on that point. It is not, however, with a view of holding up that Company, or any person connected with it, to condemnation, that I publish this reply. Canada, my nativ<' place, has been flooded with the pamphlets which contain these cliarges against me, and which purport to give in minute detail a statement of uiy c(unluct and motives extending over a considerable period of time. As the authors ai\d publishers of these ehargea have gone into these (fiestions, it will probably be conceded that I have in self-defence the right to give to the public my version of them, and to leave it to them to decide w ho is " steeped in guilt " or who ought to be " covered with confusion.'' This I shall do by giving in historical order the cauvses which operated upon my mind, and influenced the action upon which my assailants have animadverted. Having beconu' somewhat largely interested in existing telegraph \ property in Canah enterprises with ch)He attention, anil it was most natnral that I should seek to understand thorouj^lily tlie Mutual I'r.ion Company's enterprise, which was hein^ exttMided to Canada — where so many of my friends r«'!side — under the j^uise of the Canada Mutual Tele^^raph Company. In pursuance of this object, I early became a shareholder in the Mutual Union Company, tlu! certificate of stock hearinj^ date .Inne, If^Hl. Thence- forward I assumed that I had a rij:;ht t»» know what was j;(»in^ on in the Company, and acted ac(!ordingly. If the scheme were sound, knowledj^e of its details by me would not compromise it. Every man, I take it, is entitled to inquire whether the person to whom the custttdy of his property is cou- ttded, is trustworthy or otherwise. WHY sijsricioNs were extertained. IiKjniry into the antecedents and previous operations of nu)st of the parties <;onnected with the Mutual I'nion Telegraph Company, soon pro- duced the conclusion in my mind, that a close, investigation wouhl yield revelations of a charact"r suthciently startling to een previously entertained. The jealous manner in which this contract hail been guarded, was one reason for sup- posing its proxHsions to be of a very extraordinary character; for, notwith- standing the fact that numerous inciuiries had been made by shareholders and bondholders, and others interested, no ons outside of the ofllicers anaiiy- i Mutual Theiict'- [»n in the \vlt',Mte ;ind expose. As to my right as a stockhtdder to know what disposition was being made td' the moneys of the Company, I liad no doubt, nor will the reader have any doubt after perusing tlie accompanying extracts from h-gal deeisit)ns on the point: Iv'KJFITS OF A SIIAK'EHOI.DKK. '' And sliall he. wlio is a trustee and guardian of the evidence of the fihareliolders" rights, lock it up from them, and in a matter, too, wliere his own interest is in ([lU'stion ? " — F^mud Eli.k\i»()1{(»L'(JM. /»'/«(/ vx. I'nmr, A M. 4- kS., i(i;<. In the New Vork case of I't'oplr rx. Mtitl, liKAKDSLKY, Jimiur. decided that "a dire;tor or a corporation has, as such, a right to look into the books for any' matter tliat concerned himself, though it was in a dispute with others." Kinr/ vs. Ernleruitfi, .j'r., 'i Sir., \'4'2.\. C'fU.K, Jmlur : "It cannot be denied that it is the right of every one to see that Ids property is well managed, and to liave access to the proper sources of knowledge in this respect. * * * It must be granted that every partner has the right t<» iiis|)ect the books of tiie partnership, and the mere fact of incorporation <'annot destroy that right, unless it is taken away ity smne ])rovision of the charter, or sonte law or by-law of the cor- poration." Corlxbiiru I'H. ('iiitiii Itank, 1)5 l.a. Ati., '-iW. Loud Kkxyon : " Where the dispute is between ditferent .shareh(dder8, then an inspection of the )>a])ers behniging to the cttrporation raaj' be granted, because citrh imitii haa a riffhl !<. ncr tliem.'^ Maii<>i\ •|e., (•«. dravcs, S Term /.'., r>!»-^. Bearing in mind the law's delays, am; how easily a contest over a bill of discovery could be prolonged till the contract was completed; or if granted, how such a bill could be defeated by the substituticui of a l»ogus contract for the genuine one ; being a stockholder in the Mutual Union Company, in view of all the facts and circumstances (d" tlie case, and tiie legal rights to which I knew I was entitled, and knowing that the demand had been fretjuently made for an exhibition of the contract, both pnbli(dy and pri- vately, without .avail, there seemed to be no res(Mirce left but to seek in- fornuition front outside sources. Conscious that l>ehind all the information I had received something lurked that needed ex}>osure, and that this some- thing would place an etlectual barrier to the promotion of an enterprise inimical to those with which I had become associated in Canada, I venture to ask, under the circumstances, whether I was not justified in accepting the unexpected otter which was made by an outsider to procure, ia some way not stated, for a paltry sum, the copy of a document likely to be so extremely useful, and to which, as a stockhslder in the company, I was fully entitled. For it seemed to me that I had as good a right to know the 6 itiaiiTs or A sn.un:nnjj)i:ii. * contents of tl'.nt (.-oiitract iis Mr. KvaiiM, tin; I'rrsidei'.t, or Mr. I'eok, the iSecretarj'. THK NATlIKi: OF THE rONTKAl T. The genniiienrss of the rontract wliich was volniitecnMl to me lias never been denied, anear on the secfuid page of this pamphlet. Briefly, it provides for the payment of 14 millions of i, or j)artuers, and friends, involving an enonnons snm of money, and that this contract was given to parties rcho had no previons experience in the coustniclion of telegraph lines, who were men of very moderate means, possessing no fueilities whatever for the undertaking, and having no knowledge of its requirements. Further, that the profits of the transaction were of such magnitude as could only be accounted for by the almost necessary conclusion that Iht' parlies gelling the contract, and the parties giving it, were in some way jointly interested in its enormous gains. There are only four parties to this contract. It is signed, on behalf of the company, by John O. Evans, President, and Chas. F. Peck, Secretary. On behalf of the contractors it is signed, by John G. Moore & Co., :vhich firm is made up of John G. Moore & Thos. C. Purdy. Note how closely allied these four are in other matters, as subsequent information is developed. MR. JOHN O. EVANS, PRESIDENT. As it was information on the antecedents and surroundings of the men concerned in the Mutual Union Telegraph enterprise that aroused my sus- picions, it is necessary, in order to justify my action to the public, to give them the information by which I was influenced. The first and foremost of these men is Mr. John O. Evans, of Washington, D. C, the President and MI!. Jnn\ (). A'/'.J.VN. I'liE^IDI'lS'l. I'eck, the lias nover nnstanceH \. a correct iitrat'tors, I oltviated mrport to ly an ad- painpblet. r the con- wireH. It 1 ccMihl be nillions of above the out of the perty hire- ;o an equal ^e, in order tised upon ve millions hat extent e numerous point out. ijlivcn of the ml fiietids, n to parties ■s, irho were uihrlaking, ■ofifs of the y the ahfioHt ies giving it, n behalf of Secretary. Co., 'vhich low closely rmation is of the men sed my sua- lic, to give d fore moat esident and I one. of the originators of theenterpri.se. In Washin;;ton he Iuim aecinired lar^je wealth, and occnpieH a ])(»Hition of very (toiisidcrable ini]M)rfani'e. owninjj line real enhite, ai? p.-iges of il(»sely printed mat- ter. The extent, character, and peculiarity of these frauds, it would take colunnis to describe, but an id(!a of them is bri<'tly set forth in the following paragrajdis from the memorialists of the petitioners, the report of the com- mittee, iind from .speeches of the counsel concerned: "A system of improvements <'overing more than a hundred miles of streets, extending almost to ev<'ry street and avenue in Wv cities of Wash- ington and Georgetown, as well as to roads in the, county, were undertaken at a single stroke, without i)reliminary organization of engineering work, and could not well be otln-rwise than ])ernicious. # * * The Hoanl of Works have, by gross and culpable negligence, allowed tht^ citizens to be cheated and defrauded out of large sums of money by false, fraudulent and excessive measnremenls anrudent, planning and thoughtful nuMi. All the elements of the offence charged are in evidence, the plot, the motive and the i)rize secured. ' Who flnrts tlic heifor rtoart and bleeding fre^ill, And 8e»»3 faHt by a bntclic.r with an axe, But win Husiiect 'twas lie that niad(! the .slanj?hter1 Who finds the partridge in the puttock'H nest But ma}' iuiauino how the bird was dead. Although the kite soar with unblooded bcaki' " (Senate Kepis', Affuirs hist. Vol., '7.3 7J, V. 1, p. 45.; These extracts and ({notations are not my hiuguage, but are taken from a iis. m lu the coursf* of this Conj^rcHHional iiivesti;^iitif)ii it was r, and iiniong tin; papeiH orcnrn thiM entry of a h»an — " Ilallett Ki]l>oiirn and .I(dui O. Evans, Jan. 5i, 187*2, on $7r),0()0 Hccond mortgage Itoud.s Maryland .Mining A' Mannfacturing Com- pany — $r)0,()(l()," This anionnt so advanced was totally lost. In relation to the funds of this institution, the counst^l said: "'I'liis money should have been ((msidcred saen-d. It represented the small earnings of the slave so recently set fre«', earned in the riee lidd and upon the (•(»tton and sugar plantations, under the tierce ravs of the s»Mui- tropieal sun * * * and while the poor freednnm toils and sweats to sup- port his fiiniily and himself, these Christ ijin gentlemen are leading lives of luxurious ease. I hope this ecunmittee will jtrononiu'e su(d» a judgment upon all ccuineetcd with this wickedness as will nuike them ' A llxort fJKuri' for the time of H<;orii To iHMiit liiH slow, iiiiiiiovliiK tinker Ht.'" ( Senate Kept X., Aifair.'i IHst. Vol. '7:!TI, I'. 1, p. 53. J MESSRS. JOH\ G. MOORE & CO., CONTRACTORS. Throufjhout the volumes alluded to, the n.-uue of Mr. .John (t. Moore, the chief of the contractors lor the Mutual I'nion Telegraph Conijiany, occasionally ai)pear8. Moore appears to have been the lumber merchant who supplied the lumber for the celebrated pavements which were laid down so very liberally in the capital city. In all this Mr. Moore and Mr. Evans seem to have been both interested; so that, as far back as eight or ten years ago, it will be seen that the connection between the two gentle- men was of the most intiniate character, some even alleging that Mr. Moore is little else than an employd of Evans. In addition to their connection in Washington, Evans and Moon; were, it is said, jointly inter- ested in contrac'^s with the Government, ami beyond these, again, in other outside enterprises. For instance, Mr. Evans, throiigh his inlluerce with the Treasury Department at Washington, secured for a New York pub- lishing company — in which a large numlter of ])rominent Canadians were interested — the contract for the printing of the internal rev<'.nue stamps, ■which probably saved the fortunes of that concern, inasmuch as, in the year previous to securing that contract, it had sunk ^40,(K)(>. Just as soon as the change in its condition lu'ought about by Mr. Evans was apparent, Mr. J. G. Moore became the treasurer of the company, and continued so for two or three years, and is still a large shareholder therein. It looked, in this instance (as, indeed, of that of the Muttial Union), as if Mr. Evans sowed the seed, and Mr. Moore reaped the harvest for their joint benetit. It will repay a slight divergence to draw attention to the fact that Mr. Richard White, of the Montreal Gazette^ is a director in the New York pub- lishing company so ni.uch benelited by the influence of Mr. Evans; and the connection thus established — so highly creditable to all concerned — may account for the ardent advocacy in that journal of the Mutual Union enter- prise, and the savage attacks it has made upon me personally, as repre- senting other telegraphic interests. The lofty moral tone and the intensely patriotic position assiimed, become this journal very well, under the cir-r M/':ssi!s. .mux a. MinmK .r ro.. (usTii Acmns. cirniiiiNfancpRi Tlif interest of the (lazrllc proitrit-tois wirli i lie Miitiml IJnioti iti'oinoterH had an illiiHtration in rhi^ cir< lunstanee that Mr. Robert White, an attavhe «»r tlio paper, ami a son of Mr. Thomas White. M. P.. journeyed last winter all the way to WinMipi';;. Manitoba, to (jet poMscssion of the. (treat North-\Vestei-n Cotnpany's eharter. lie was aci-omjianied Ity "CJeneral *' (ieorjje M. Williams, of I/ifayette, Indiana. hereaft»'r refcrrei to. These fjenth'men actually offered a honns of |0.(I(HI dollars. «»ver and aliove tlie par valne of the stock, in onler to control the stock of the Company, hnt withont Hnc«*ess. Failin;^ to "jet this contnd. the next hest thin;; was to altnse tho«e who had ;;ot it, and cond«Mnn in the most nnmeasnred terms the practice of traOickin;; in charters. Ilnftoretnrnto the infor:nation as to the relationship exist in^j hetwecn Mr. .1. (). Hv.'ins and Messrs. J. (J. Moore »V Co. It may he stated that the "C(t." in this firm is Mr. Thos. (!. Pnrdy. He, it is asccrtaiiKMl, occnpirsthe ]>osition of President of the National Dred^iny; Company, nnder which s^yle it performs nnmerons contracts for the I'nited States (iovernment in varions parts resenting the Mutual Cnicm Co. in that city, are other parties, such, for instance, as (Jol. .T. Ledyard Hodges, with an oflire in the Evans PiiiMing. He was a pay- master in the army, and was 'short" in his accounts the trilling sum of 500.00(1 dollars. A year's term in State prison gave him leisure to rellect upon the mutability of human alfairs, but he was released from this durance on a pardon proctired, it is said, by the intluence of Evans, who.se cashier and conlidential adviser the ri-dcnnit paymaster immediately became. TWO "CANADIAN'" CORPOliA TORS. In two farther ligures Canadians have a special interest, as both are Promoters, Corporators, and Directors in the (Janada enterprise of the Mutual Company under the name of the " Canada Mutual T«degraph Company," reeently incorporated at Ottawa, with a very restricterodigal payment. It is un(h'rstood he was to pay back the entire cash they had si)ent, with per cent, interest, and also one million dolUivH in addition, one-half in bonds and one-half in stock of a, new company to he expanded from the mitdest dimeiixions of six hnttdred thousand dollars to the maf/nitade of fifteen millions, consisting of ten millions of stock and five millions of bonds. Advertising the bonds lil)erally, and "buttering" them with an e(iual iimount of grai nitons si'fk, in a short time Ballon got subscriptions to the extent of four and a half millions, to be paid at the rate of 10 per cent, a mouth, the last payment maturing Feb- ruary I5th next. Not a single dollar of cash was p.aid for the purchase of the old line for two mouths, but actually out of the proceeds of the first and second instalments of these bonds, it is sair),0()0 to himself and con federates, being i)urchase money for the original line! What piece of financial jugglery, perpetrated at the exi)ense of a confiding public, excels this ? Meantime the new ami expanded Mutual Union Company made the contract with J, (J. Moore & t'o, (as set forth on page 2), to construct the entire lines of the Company. This contract is peculiar, l)eeause of the ne- cessity to circumvent the law forbidding the Issue of stock without consi- deration ; tlTe Company agreeing to hand over, on the completion of the lines (constructed solely by bondludders' nnuiey), the whole 14 millions of its issues to Moore & Co., evidently considering that these lines might then be valued at a sufficient sum to justify the issue of 10 millions of stock. It will be seen that the stock yiehls no money whatever. The onhj monei/ in the whole transaction is that derived from the proceeds of the honds, subscribed hjl an innocent public. With this money, and this money alone, the con- struction of the Mutual Union lines has gone forward. Bear in mind that John G. Moore & (^o. are to get every dollar, and then iuujgine if it is possible that Ballon, a director, Evans, the Presitlent, and Peck, the Secretary, are not interested in the contract. What motive would THE lysiDK uisnuiY of the mltcal ryioy. 13 'H between )nl to pay r appear to ; it was a ise for pri- r the use of blie way of rom Wash- r about 500 ■st iutbiiua- uoters that York law, ISril, when plaee, that tmive vision Ills orijjinal aj^reenient ^vas to pay st, and also stock of a nix hundred ten millions berally, and a sbort time lions, to be uring Feb- purchaso of he first and to himself What piece ing public, made the Instruct the e of the ne- Ihont cousi- of the lines llions of its trht then be stock. It |//// iiioncji in snhxcrihed (, the con- ir in mind [•n inuigine and Peck, Itivo would these gentlemen have to perform such a herculean task as the proniotion of a 15 million dollar telegraph line extending over such a wide area of countiy unless they participated in the profit ? H»)W is it possible for them to share therein, unless they participate in the profits of the contract, inasmuch as the irliolr proceei is the experience of all pnjvious opposition telegraphic enterprises ; for never in their history have any of them paid expenses, not to speak of profits. Thus three great entt'rprises have nuirked the career of Mr. George William Ballon. *' San Pedro of the Waters," a gold mine with not a drop of water within miles of it. "Delpbos,"' about which there is nothing nar- row or conservative except the gauge and the dividends, and the '' Mutual " Union Telegra]>h Company, which seems mitliml in every sense of the word. "Delphos," "Mutual" and "'San Pedro" havi- been grouped together by a Boston broker, and named respectively as follows — "Faith, Hope, and Charity — these three, but the greatest of these is San Pedro! " Involving, as they do, issues of stock and bonds to the extent of u.j millions of dollars, one would think that Mr. Ballon would need, more than mos^< men, a seat at the Boston Stock Fxchange; but somehow that most ardently sought for position has never Iteen reached. In the language of the couplet regarding l)r Fell — " the reason is, 1 cannot tell." THE MUTUAL UNION IN CANADA. The operations of these promoters in Canada were so peculiar as to contirui the suspicions formed of them in the United States, that they evi- dently had no intention of engaging permanently in the teh'graph business, their motive seeming to be either to make money out of a construction contract, or else by so dem«»ralizing the business as to compel existing lines to buy them out. In thi> matter of salaries, for instance, there see iied to be a most reckless disregard of investors' money. Thus, iu Camula (through the instrumentality of one of the proprietors of the Montreal (iuzvlU), |ilO,000 in cash was paid as a Itonus. and an agreement of .|o,0()0 per annum for five years was made, in order to secure for tlw Canadian Mutual the services of a very worthy gentleman, who had previously been passing rich at !i!i2,r)00 per year, i>aid with dithcnlty by one of the existing companies. This rate of payment, aggregating .^:{.'),000 for five years, iniplied an advance of |ii),0l)0 per annum in the ytmng gimtlenmn's iiuome, anil made his rennuieration equal to that of a Cabinet Minister! In view of the unprom- ising condition which teh'graph property had reached in Canada, owing to competition, these arraugenu'uts seem to be of a rather lavish kind for a new competitor to undertake. It is easy, however, to be lil»eral with other people's money, especially if it is derived froui the proceeds of bonds for the erection of lines iu the United States, the innocent holders of which are unaware of 14 THE MUTUAL UMOX f\ CANADA. i. ii^ ■r If li) the strange diversion of their fnnds for the benefit of a ( "anadiau corporation, haviuj; a separate exi8t«'nce, and in which they have no interest whatever. The intention to sell ont the lines, subject to above engaj^eiuents, when it paid theui to do so, has been very well shown by an attempt to get a clause inserted in their Canadian charter of a kind nio.it unusual for a com- pany incorporated under the general law, and procurable only by special parliamentary enactment. The power sought in this clause was simply to enable them to dispose of their lines and franchises when they thouglit tit. This was at length most reluctuntly granted by the (Joverumcnt, and then only when restricted with the condition that it could be made available only with the consent of the Governor in Council, 'i'liat tins condition would have been a fatal barrier to the rcn-ent consolidation of existing companies iu Canada no one can doubt, and, iu order to g(^t around it, and obiaiu per- mission to tratlic in their chiirter, the Canadian Mutual Inion Ttdegraph Company already give notice of applicati()n to Parliament for a special act. CONCLUSION. How far my Canadian friends can atibrd lo enil),nk in such enterprises, promoted by such persons, with capital ohtaiucd by such peculiar methods, they must tL( inselves (h-termine. IJut th it legitimate telegraphic undertakings, permitting htmcst service to the public and the maintenance and extensi()n of facilities were likely to be injured by the competitiiui thus threatened, there is no reason to doubt, had no ex]»osiire taken place. The telegraph property in Canada of which I was the custodian, represented an actual expenditure of three niilliiuis of dnllais. Tiiis large auu)unt was divided anuuig nearly one thoiisauil sluiiiholders, implying an average hold- iii«- of only aiioiit !ii!:5,(H)(l each, and by a ;;;ieater nunilier of widows, children, trust estates, an.i fauiiTu^s dependent iliereui»(in than appeared on almost anv other sttuk list in Canada, fhis pro[>eiry, as a divi(lend-])aying power, had just been rescued Irom great peiil, luought about by couipetition, even on fair business principles. That it was innnodiately again to be threatened bv what promised most illegitimate warfare by men of the stamp above described, was surely sullicient motive for watciifulucss and ])r(Hupt action, when susiticions as to their intentions so early aroused were found to be so well founded. It, thend'ore, was in view of tiie inforniatii<>»i'>t«''«<>f.f ''O >rntu,(l[ nioii Tileirraph ;, .1 ...!.( ,1 ,.!.i, M.. < <)ni|)iiuy, and of Uie le atioiis wliieli existcil Reiijamiii -M. i'lmnb, wlio was iMesiileiit of a,.i.(i. Moure ti: Co., wliidi. fioui Mi. IMnniU'ti luaiuifat tuiiii^ foiiii>aiiy at lil Na.s.-aii Street, loiifi k siileiireiu Wa.sliiiifjfioii. lie was thouirlit New Voik, and who was in no way eoniieeted i ;om|.v the Mutual 1 uion I i h-yraph Com- ., . ui- ■ ,. . . ,1 • , .1 1 , 1 pany under the sty e of the Caiiiu a .Mutual lliata«idaviti,stoherelieth, the conversation alicffed to havt! taken place on that occasion. I dci'iu it Inif fair to stale that tlu' conversation, as reported in the alhdavit, is distorted, and im pressions couveyi'd t'i,tirely dilteri-nt fnun what acliially t()ok place. In saidallidavit Plumb states: " ' 1 slated to Mr, W'lman that I knew the general othcei's of said Comiiany, and also a clerk III the emi»loy of .Joliii U. Moore it Com- pany, contractors tor the construct ion of the lines of Utf Mutual Inion lelefiraidi Com- iKiny, who mi.u'hl lielp him ^et information if he would consent to do so. He asked if thi.s when he says F made direct o\ crtures for the corruption of an employe in the office of .f. ii. Moore it t"o.. I apiiend herewith a letter from him, which bear.s date xuhsci/iccnf to tho date of that interview, w hidi plainly shows that, instead of the proposition tir.-temanatiiif? from me, that intoriuation should besot in au impii'iier manner, the inoijo-ntl caiiw from him, ami tliis lett, IS.SI. KliASTl'S WIMAX -DK.VU Sli; : Do not fall to see me to-morrow, r liave struck oil, and sinoiited a plant tiiat w ill bear fruit, and immediately, shall lie with a party to-night, and must .see you to-morrow. We can cap- ture tlic ii'hole f(»t. ^■ , A- Company, and wmild also pay me 'avj if|»>f't. the copy was olitained. It was to be obtained, and he said he coiihl not give it to lue, but would lia\e it read, and that it Would cost il-Vi to get the informa- tion. Hubsc«itiently it was understood that it should be read to a phonoarapher, who could then give me the benclitof hie interpretatioii "I distinctly recall the couver.iatlon of I that intcrvh^w , and 1 positively assnt that the statemtaits as above qiioti'd are incoi This is the length and brejidth of my idteiid- iiig.tliat on the (dler of i'liimb to procure me a rect. I '^"I'y "* thiscontract I agreed to pay him flSO, .No such propo.'iitions w.ne ni;<\le,on tlinoc. kV^l'l.*"''^ ljn(^wigg wjieyce he d»'rived the in ciiHion referred to. No ^in-h-detailvi «<•'•»,* 'IV" •fofnmtt(Ui„ aud* w»thout intending to make The nrlnci|ial object cl the interview was to ; «'<"» that hlKf Been previou.sly conveyed to obtain from the .saUl li'.i Na.ssau street, to procure a coi)y of a certain conti'act whi<'h was desiribeif to uu-. IMuinb nu.-t me with the stateiiu-nt that he had not ^ot the cou- tract there, but that it was then beinj^ c(»iiied by a steno-^raplier at work on J'carl .Street, the nearest pai't of which lonj^ street is .sev- eral squares from the ottice of J. (j. Mooi'c it Co., located on the corner of Cedar and Ka.ssau Wtieets. He said that the copy would be sent to you in thecoui'seot tlu- eveninj^, and tliat nly service's to take a stenojrraphic coi»y thereof would not be re(|Uired. From Honiethiniir that transpired 1 was niaile aware of the fact that the st«;no^rai)iu'r who was taking' the cojiy of tlie document on I^earl Street would soon be out of «'inploynu'nt. A day or two ju'evious I hail had a "reciiu'st to furnish a shorthand writer for a larfjfc insur- ance tirm in this city, and it .struck me that we nu^ht serve our friends by jjrocurinfi tliem an assistant, and at the sanu' time do the party unemployed a frottd turn. On my return U> the tdlice I matle thi.s siisj^estittu to you, and brouirht you a messa;^e Irom Mv' Plumb, re(iuestin;j a call during the afternoon, when, as 1 understood it, the <'opy of the contriict then beinfi' made by the party on Pearl Street would be fi;iveu to y»)U. Throughout tln> whole circumstances of the interview, and the events transpiring in re- gard to the mattir, with which 1 was neciss- ■sarily very familiar, I am positive that no in- timation was evtM' made that liie party pro- ciirinjf the copy of the contract was iii any "way employed or connected with either the Mutual Union Compan^v or J. G. Moore Ji, Co. On the contrary, a arly of opinion that it was a eonsjiiracy from the start en.yfineered by Plumb and his friends, into which you were invi.'ifrled, the facts bc- iiif? caretuliy obscured as to any tamperiil;; Avith the emplojes of either the Mutual Union Company or tin; contractors. " Truly yours, "H. M. MORROW." When I called upon Mr. Piunib siibae- queijtly to the interview abo\ e detailed, he represented to me the fact that the i)huno- grapher who was nuiktag a copy of the con- tract, and who was employed on Pearl Street, a mile or ao away from J. G. ^loore & Co.'a olUce, was likely to be soou unemph)yed, aud knowing of tho applio itiou which had been made for a .short-haud writer by our insur- ance friends -desliWu of serving them and at the same time placing Plumb under some obligation to me, 1 wrote the letter to Fear- ing, which Plumb prints in his affidavit, with(»iit any knowledge whatever that I was thus placing in the hands of a con- spirator a weapon that «!oulil be used against me. On this occasion Plumb told me that the contract could not be got until late in the evening, and upon my iulorming him that I ha