Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-02-22
An Old Acquaintance.

Nhcn rogucs iai ont honoat mon
do no, always get tbcir'ducs, hut the
exposure made Of each others iniqui-
ties by tho iuscal- engaged in tho
quarrel, usually opetutss 70 the iiab-
lie advantage by putting the people
on their guard against the snarcs and
devices of evil disposed persons. The
scoundrols who ''put up the job TO
swindle Daniel Witham out Of bis
scat in the Legislature, two years
ago, are just now having slight un-
pleasantness, aud some facts Of n
startling character are being brought
into light. This case is an old nc
quaintance of the readers of the Pa
triot 1t will be remembered that
Wm. Bum contested Inc scat Of Dan
iel Witham as Reprentalive from the
Eleventh District Of Philadelphia, in
the House Of Representatives, Of the
Legislature of 1869. That sweet
scented pink of professional virtue, }.
Alexander Simpson, Of Philadelphia,
was engaged by Bum TO manipulate
the case for him. One Charles Hart.
mack prepared" the evidence required
lby Mr.. Simpson. The witnesses in
Tie case were Mitchell, Slavin, Red
ding, Rowan, Elliot, Lamb and Fields.
These men testified that they had
gone from precinct to precinct AMI
repeated their votes for che Demo
cracy. They were known to belong
10 the worst class Of society in Phia-
delphia, yet their testimony was Ia
ken as truth by the committee before
which the case was tried, and on their
evidence alone Bum was awarded
the seat to which Witham had been
returned After the lapse Of woyears
comes the sequel to this shameful his
tory. Bum is meanwhile elected 10
the lucrative office of Register Of
Wills for the city of Philadelphia and
bis friend Hartnack, who had done
him such excellent service in organz-
ing the corps Of convenient witnesses
in the contested case, being in want
of tho needful, makes application 10
his successful patron for little help
in q matter of business. The unap-
preciative Bum coldly refuses TO
grant the modest request. Hartnack
is angered and prosecutes Bunn for
perjury in swearing to bill of costs
for witnesses 10 the contested case A
hearing is had before Alderman Dew
lit, and Hartnack produces warrant
to the Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives directing the payment
of S94l 81 to W. NJ. Bum as witness
fees and mileage in the contested case
of Bum Us. Witham. The warrant
is endorsed by W. NJ. Bunn and made
payable TO the order of j. Alexander
Simpson. Hartnack then testifes,
we copy from Forneys Press);
81 took an active part in the Bunn-
Witham contest, and subpenaed all
the witnesses. They were seven in
number. Three more were to be called
in case the eligibility of Mr.. Bum was
questioned on account of his not hav-
ing lived O year in the district, as re.
quired by law lie had not lived
there that long. The necessity for
them not being required, they wore
not subpenaed. The seven witnesses
called were Slavan, Lamb, Rowan,
Elliot, Redding, Mitchell and Fields.
They were in Harrisburg from one
to three days. There was about
twenty dollars coming to each for wit
ness fees and mileage-a total Of one
told me after the passage Of the bill
Tor s94l that he had had 1t
destroyed. 1t was itemized, and that
was the reason. / knew all about
this at the time it occurred, and gave
no information TO any one, and did
not complain. knew had Two
years by law TO commence proceed
inss. commenced the action be-
cause the election of Bum was q
fraud. | was concerned in it and l
was aware when | summoned the wit
nesses that they were going to swear
false. was Bunn's friend politically
till Sunday after the election. bnnn
told me he swore to the full amount
of the bill-S941-bcfore the Auditor
and the Attorney-General l also
charge him with embezzlement. He
didn't embezzle any of my money
He agreed before he was nominated.
for the Legislature that VIC should di-
vide whatever he made-salary, ETC.
equally. But this is not the ombez-
Element complained of 1t is in bis
charging for fifty witnesses when
there were but seven He received
and appropriated the money belonging
10 these witnesses-Hcnry W. Mitch
ell, John Rowan, George Elliot, Micha-
cl Slayin, Daniel Redding and thirty
five or forty other persons" :"
John Rowan also testiies that ho
was witness in the Bum Wilham
contest, that he. received S25 for
his services; that he was asked ''if
he got a job of work, would he swear
that he voted the Democratic tick-
ct - and that he said "yes."
Here is revelation that ought to
bring the blush of shame TO the cheek
OF every Republican member of the
Legislature who had any lot or part
in The fraud by which Bum was foist-
cd into the seat from which Witham
was wrongfully ousted. That we are
not having repetition Of this swindlc
in the present Legislature, is owing
partly to the 6rmness and foresight of
the Democratic majority in the Sem
ate, and partly 20 the fact, that the
labors of the high toned lawyer and
pure-minded patriot, ]. Alexander
Simpson, are transferred TO different
field. His wonderful talents are now
employed in an attempt TO count into
seat in Congress the defeated and
disgraced author Of the Chorpcnning
swindle, and this time his lieutenant
in the witness business is not Hart.
mack, but uartnack's pal, @. w Wood
of Philadelphia.-HarrisLurg Patriot,
A BEAUTIFUL THouonT We know
not the author of The following, but
, il is one OF the most beautiful produc.
tions we ever read :--'Nature will bc
reported All things are engaged in
/ Al L. l..