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Show Ki.tt noN no.NKV. ttillltini Jualiflr (hf pay uirut r Mout lor Klccllou l'iiriuiCK. Wasliinlcn. 10. In regard lo l!ie tii-.tnnony ol Whiuly and z-Allorney in uLr.i I tVi.lianis before tho ccm-n ccm-n i Hire on ei pond it li res in the department de-partment ul juaiice ycflterday, Williams Wil-liams in conversation to d y eaid: In 1S7-, the president came lo me, alter his return from a trip to New York, and said he had examined the work of Davenport in preparing a perfectly accurate list of voters in Now York, and lhat he was le- ply impressed with its importance; that it would be an cuYv'.u.u preventive of fraudulent voting; that the expense of making the list was great and lhat lie wished I would assist iJavenpnrt by paying out ot euch funds as could bo ii ied euch bums of money ;)i would insure tho completion of this important work. Accordingly I did pay Davenport, with lhe express tin dcrslanJmn that Hie money was to be used Inr no other purpoau than tiiat ot completing this regislratiuti, in all about f."j,0u0, running through peru-d of nearly five years from 1S71 to 1ST 5. I had aulhorii under the exialiny HtiUiesto pay iiiuik v lo prevent pre-vent tr.uids at elect :o:id, a nd the work ii one by Davenport has been a saving to the government of many lia.uaand dohars. Davenport can probably show where every dollar ot t!:e j'35,000 W;va expended. He has been summoned and will no doubt rx plain the m alter satisfactorily. There was uuHiing wrong in Ibis transaction, and lhe president will ucit hesitate to say that he directed the money to be paid to Davenport (or the purpose I have explained. The records of the department show-that show-that the payment to Davenport began under Attorney tienern.1 Ackcrnmn, my predecessor, who, like me, had full authority under existing laws to make such payments. |