The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-02-13
The Caldwell Case.

The Caldwell Case.
tn. uur,uit after black and revenge, call
-, the Caldwell investigation now going on at
u..h;uctou. is almost completed Having been
.,.-. w, ar. now convinced of what we bad pre-
-;,,sty b.lievesl-ti,at il is one Of the greatest
fraads of the day. and that the reading public do
,..t get true reports of the proceedings
Tn illustrate how the news is sent ont: The re-
,orter for the associated press is Young man
who was formerly clerk to Sidney Clarke, while
he occupied a seat in Congress. At the close OF
each days proceedings he submits his report to
Clarke. who revises it, placing the testimony
.uainst Caldwell in the strongest light, and sup
or.,siny or throwing discredit upon the testimony
favorable to the Senator. The various newspa-
per correspondents occupy a row OF rooms IN the
Ebl,itt House, and compare notes before sending
their reports-each correspondent usually report
ing for two or three papers. Sometime since,
these correspondents, having abused their privi-
l,ges in the Senate, and violated its rules, were
prohibited from attending upon certain proceed
ings. Caldwell voted for this measure, and there
by incurred their snruity; and they omit no op-
portunity to misrepreseRt and iuture him. When
we mention that d. ID. Gone, dead-beat former
ly well known in Kansas is bright light among
these correspondents, and that K j. Hinton is
another it will readily be seen what dependence
can be placed upon their reports. These are the
fellows who are producing the general howl
throughout the press Of the country for the ex-
r,usion of Caldwell, and forestalling pnblic opin-
ion against him.
Sidney Clarke occupies prominent seat at the
table, and opens out by insulting the witnesses,
or by endeavoring to bluff and bully them. All
this goes into the reports, and into the despatch-
o.; hnt when witness convicts Clarke himself
of being the real briber. which is very frequently
the case, he sets mp whine that he is not being
investigated, and objects to the testimony being
admitted.
We cannot say wat the report of the Commit
tee may be; but say, that if they report
against Caldwell, it will be wholly upon hearsay,
or second or third-hand reports. There has not
been sirgle proof Of his having bribed MEN,
Der of the Legislature. He admits that he agreed
to, and did, pay certain expenses of Gov. Carney,
if he wonld withdraw from the track; but as
Carney was not a member of the Legislature,
such payment not bribery to secure his elec-
ton Numerous witnesses that certain
members told them they offered or could
get stated amounts for their votes. Other wit
hesses sworc that somebody told them that some
body else saia that so and had received money
for their votes. But in every instance, when the
persons reported to have been bribed have
been examined, they have positively denied any
such transaction. But the press reporters accuse
these witnesses Of lying. while those whe relate
hearsay evidence are held up as models of truth
and honor. Not a single witness has been found
to swear that he offered bribe, took one; yet
Sidney Clarke, and ID. II. Anthony, and Wm
sprigss, and Others, have all sworn that there
was bribery, because they heard somebody say
that somebody else told them so.
The accusations against the Doniphan Comfy
Delegation, and that imaginary - 900, will serve
as a fair illustration. 7. J. Anderson who is
said to have handled the money, swears Posirive-
ly that he does not know what became Of it.. He
is the original witness, yet j. X Anthony Is
brought in to swear that Anderson told him Sol.
Miller got it; and then Anthony and Clarke tele-
rraphed this over the Country danining evil
dence. We were informed that Dan. Adams was
coming to swear that he saw take the money,
hut he did not come. But this is not all. Will
liam Spriggs swears just as positively, that
Frank Drenning rereived the 81 900, and divided
it among the delegation; and since Anthonys re-
turn home, he has been heard to curse Gov. Car
ney, because he would not swear that he gave us
the &. 900. Isn't that reliable testimony: just
see how il would read, sworn to and as il
would have stood had Carney and Dan. Adams
sworn to the stories that these fellows got up
Frank Dreaming received the $1,000, and divided
il around; Tom. Anderson gave it to Sol. Miller
and he divided it; Dan. Adams saw Sol. Millel
take it from table in room; and Gov. Carney
gave it to Sol. Miller! That is just what theil
evidence and their outsi,lc talk amount to-ani
their outside talk is fully reliable their evi
1ence.
We repeat, we do not know what the action o
the Committee will he, or how far they will re
gard hearsay aud guess testimony. But Their
ia not the least reliance to he placed upon tn
various rumors about what the report will be, o
how the Committee divided upon the subject
That Committee is composed of some Of the ables
men in the Senate; aud it is poor complimen
to them to even suppose they would make nj
their verdict before the evidence was in, an'
freely confide that vcrlict to Tom, Dick and
Harry, To publish to the world Neither is i
probable that they will be influenced in their &C
item by the newspaper clamor being raised
throughout the country, at the Instance Of spite
full correspondents.