The commission began its sittings in this city, at No. 10 Wall street. A large number of railway magnates intimately connected with the Pacific railroads were first examined, including Russell Sage and Sidney Dillon. They were examined particularly with a view to finding out exactly what had taken place when the Union Pacific railway was created. They seemed to know nothing about the matter. At every point the well-directed questions of the inquirers were adroitly turned aside. The witnesses did not know or could not remember. No light had yet been thrown upon the subject under examination. But the great witness of all was reserved for the last. This was Jay Gould. He knew it all, but the great question was, “Would he tell?” Nobody believed that he would tell voluntarily the facts relating to his connection with the government interest in the matter, but it was believed that a severe and searching cross-examination would compel him to divulge some of the facts. An immense amount of labor was gone through with in anticipation of the time when Jay Gould should take his seat in the witness chair. Men on the inside and familiar with the lines along which the inquiry should be directed devoted weeks to the study of figures and the procurement of papers upon which to base the questions which should be asked of Mr. Gould. Dozens of questions on the same subject were prepared. If he answered one question one way he was to be asked a certain question, and if he answered another way he was to be asked another question. In this way it was believed when Mr. Gould took his seat that the beginning of a long struggle was at hand. That was on May 17, 1887. Mr. Gould wore a plain pepper and salt suit and a shabby silk hat. The examiners, all ready to level their batteries of questions at him, were dumbfounded when the first questions were asked and Mr. Gould blandly stated his willingness and desire to afford all the information in his power. He seemed anxious to withhold no facts, to evade no questions, and to help the members of the commission in their work. There being some uncertainty as to the exact route of some of the roads in question, Mr. Gould even took out of his pocket a little map and kindly enlightened the members of the commission as to the various localities, and said: “I had anticipated that possibly you might want to know what had been my holdings of various securities relating to this transaction, and so I instructed my bookkeeper to draw off a statement, which I now submit to you.” He then produced a little memorandum covering about sixteen lines of writing, which covered all the facts and gave the cue to every feature of the transaction. Mr. Gould said he had kept books of all his transactions. Q. Where are the books? A. I have them. Q. Where? A. In my possession. Q. Are they at the service of the commission? A. If they desire them, with the greatest of pleasure.