The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-17
HOW $500 CHANGED HANDS.
. ,"l.ic!ess Man Attempts to Bride n
Petersburg Member.
lie Furnishes the Villain by Pocketing che
Money. bnt Returns il and is Happy.

Money, but Returns II lfau' Is ffApPSs
The special committee of the House OF
Delegates appointed to investigate charges
,h,ibayc been made as to the bribery ofmem'
!rys Of the Legislature during the railroad
vqrnnw raging met ut the office ofthe Super
ip,rna"nt OF Public Instruction. in the
Capitol. yesterday. DIR. Pannill, OF Orange.
presided. and all the members OF the com
miiee were present.
TESTIMONY OF a RAILROAD PRESIDENT.
Frcr J.. Ddnicl. President of the Rich
lnand, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail
roa8 COMPANY, sworn: Z. Do you know
ANYTHING OF any bribery charged against
urmarlS Of the Legislature! "a. / know
nothing in the world of it. l know OF
Lo:hin. pcfs5 nally. / have heard generally
IL rumUrS that money had been used.
These remarks were often made more locu-
II. Is N.au otherwise.
q. Ito you know of any money being
rendered: 4. do not.
9. Are YOU sure that these remarks were
'orllarly made? \. | think they were, rs
had no reason 70 suspect the parties.
=. Do Won know Of any consideration
being offered. or any promise to pay IN any
contingency: A. do not. -.
9. j there any fact within your knoWl-
edge that has not been reached by the ques.
lions asked: 4. think not. In all my
connection with railroad matters before the
LEGISLATURE | have never asked member
how he would vote, or offered to him any
inducements to vote for my interest.
AN ATTORNEY SWORN.
.f9ha Lyon of Petersburg. sworn
Bv Mr.. Thomas.-Do you know Of any
member Of the Legislature who has been
retained n counsel in any railroad interest
pending before the Legislature : and do
YOU know of any member who has received
uy bcen promised any pecuniary considera-
ton or other consideration to influence his
vote: \. TO the first branch Of the ques.
ton answer that l do not know Of any
mcmtcr Of either branch Of the General
Assembly who has been retained as the
counsel Of any railroad corporation char.
tered hv this or any other State TO be coun.
SCI for such company, either i'll the Genera
Assembly or in the courts or elsewhere. II
j. probable that some Of the lawyers in the
General Assembly may he counsel for rail
road companies, but the fact IS not within
nv knowledge.
i. Do YOU know the names Of any law
ycrr Of the General Assembly who have
probably been retained as counsel! A. i
iu not. | do not know, nor have ! any rea'
son 10 believe, that any member o! the Gen.
rrll Assembly hiss been retained oy spoken
t.. or sought To be employed, by any rail.
road company in eSSe or in contemplation,
or any railroad interest now or heretofore
undcr discussion or consideration OF the
General Assembly, or either branch thereof
certainly have no reason to believe that
any effort has been made to bias the leeiSla
Tive judgment Of any member of the Gene.
l:tl Assembly under color Of professional
employment. or otherwise improperly, lille
ally, or diShonorably. To. the second
h"anrh Of this question l answer as follows
No!
q. Why do YOU think it is probable that
some lawyers OF the General Assembly may
have been retained as counsel? State tht
facts. 4. The only facts are that some o.
the lawyers in the Legislature are men 0
Trains. industry, and learning, and likely
t"atJract retainers from railroad companle
i'll their ncghborhood. To- the secont
branch Of the first question put TO me
answer taiter hearing it read TO me now ;
second ilme), l do not.
row $500 CHANGED HANDS. .,...s
Mr.. Lyon here stated, that as he had beer
summoned before the committee he though
it due to himself and the ends OF justice tt
make the following statement: On Tuesda,
last, the 18th instant, as / was crossing TIT
rotlnua Of the capitol, MIR. Fayerman, TIT
delegate from Petersburg, who has been
within my knowledge, an earnest and con
>isteut advocate of the bill to amend TIT
charter and change the name Of the Alex
andria and Fredericksburg Railroad
Company, showed me handful o
United States Treasury notes, which b.
said amounted 10 the sum of $500, which h,
4 Il l.. Il = H., tNrI N
vote, but for his influence. He said, ut TIT
same time, that he intended to continue Il
vote as he had done previously, and that h'
intended to return The money to the person
from whom he got it.
GOOD ADVICE. .........
| advised MIR. Fayerman to rise IL
his place IN the House to question
Of privilege, send the money to the clerk
table, and tell from whom he got it
FROM all the circumstances, to which :
paid special attention, l was satisfied at thu
time, ard an now, that $500 was not offered
Mr. FaycInan ~ a bride to influence hi
Vote, but simply rs {! trick to entice some
body else into Offering him bride, which
know VAS not done; and | believe that ht
himsel! was IN innocent party, and that N
MAS used as Il tool. / don't know who saw
the transaction, but there we've number
OF persons in vision.
q. Did he state to you from whom he GO
the money: a. No, sir; he declined tt
do SO.
BY Mr.. Mahood Do you know whether
or not he retained the money? A. TAX,
i Tor granted he did. This occurrence tool
place, Us nearly as ! can remember, be
tween a quarter to 70 and O'Clock.
q. Did Mr.. +. approach you and show
YOU the money! a. Yes, sir; he called
me and showed me the money.
q. Was this conversation sufficiently lou(
to enable other persons TO hear~irs A. L
was in the ordinary tone Of voice. sas4s.s.
The committee then arose, to meet thi
evening at ~ O'clock. ~ 90
Afternoon. Session. 80 II: Z. : .