I was quite sure, beyond the question of doubt, that many of the Grand Jurors who indicted Senator Mitchell had changed their minds and believed they had made a great mistake, and one for which they could never atone.
Never a day passed but what I would be accosted by one or more of these men, every one of whom was of the opinion that a great wrong had been done Senator Mitchell, and they were not backward in telling me that I would make a fine subject for a coat of tar and feathers unless I could substantiate every word of my statements before them. In other words, I must prove my case, for just as sure as Senator Mitchell is acquitted, just so sure shall I get all that is coming to me.
The conditions, as presented to me by my friends and the public at large, were assuming a very serious aspect. I knew that I had told the truth—the whole truth, in fact—but at the same time a feeling of unrest came over me, and I feared for the outcome of Mitchell's trial, as I was forced to believe, because of the tremendous influence which would be brought to bear, and of public opinion, which was almost unanimous in favor of the Senator, that he would not be convicted upon my testimony.
I had really no desire to cause Senator Mitchell's downfall, up to the time of his denouncing me after he learned of my conviction. Before that date, I entertained only the most kindly feelings towards the old gentleman; but he had spoken unadvisedly, most severely and with apparent intent to cause me additional worry and annoyance; and now, that I had turned against him in a spirit of retaliation, and had presented the evidence which I knew, of my own certain knowledge, to be true, but which, because of the condition of the public mind, was not sufficient to convict, I must, of necessity, fortify my position with additional proof, and that, too, of a most convincing" character, else I must retire from the scene in utter contempt of all mankind.
The one thought uppermost in my mind was, how am I to produce additional evidence? This question I had debated with myself over and over again. It rose up before me constantly like Banquo's ghost, and would not down. It must be done—but how? Finally a thought struck me—the Senator had accepted money from a friend of mine, the latter having called upon him at my suggestion, at which time arrangements were entered into between them whereby Senator Mitchell was to receive the sum of $25 for each and every patent expedited by him.
This man was Frederick A. Kribs, Pacific Coast representative and financial agent of C. A. Smith, the millionaire lumberman of Minneapolis, Minn.
As a matter of fact, I was familiar with Kribs' method of doing business, and was aware that in all transactions involving the use of money, he invariably made his payments by check drawn on a certain local banking house where he kept his deposits. It only remained for me to force Kribs into a position where he must testify as to his relations with Senator Mitchell, in which testimony he would be required to make mention of all moneys paid to the Senator for his services as indicated, and in substantiation of his statements relative to such payments, must produce the cancelled checks, which bore the indorsement of Senator Mitchell or his firm, which would become documentary evidence of the most convincing nature.
I then called to mind a certain deal I had with C. A. Smith, which was consummated through his agent Kribs, wherfeby Smith became possessed of title to 33 quarter sections of timber lands in Township 14 South, R. 3 and 4 East, in Linn county, Oregon, full details of which may be found in a preceding chapter.
At the time of transfer of these claims, it was then that I advised Kribs to tie up with Senator Mitchell in the matter of having the patents pulled out, which he agreed to do. Later, when I called upon Mr. Smith in Minneapolis for the purpose of effecting a settlement, the sum of $25 was deducted by Smith on each and every claim, and when I asked for an explanation, he stated that this amount had been paid to Senator Mitchell by his agent Kribs, in Portland, Ore., for his
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