The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-04-10
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
THE INVESTIGATION.
Report of the Putnam Committee
f-Convicted Slanderer Sentenced
The Calm and Dignifed Document.

COLUMBUS, O., April 3.
The committee appoihted to investi- |
gate the charges of bribery made by Mr..
Halstead against the members of the |
Senate, as well as certain insinuated /
charges of the Cincinnati Enquirer, made |
the following report this afternoon:
THE REPORT.
The select committee appointed to |
investigate certain charges of bribery |
against the members of this Senate, |
made by the Cincinnati Commercial and |
Cincinnati Enquirer, respectfully submit |
the report of the result of their investl- |
cation, with all the testimony taken by |
| them attached
As to the charges published by the |
Cincinnati Commercial, which charged |
| that the action of members of this body |
upon the bill known as the Little Lot
terry Bill was influenced by bribes and
other improper influences, after having |
given the matter the most careful con-
sideration and thorough Investigation,
report that they are unable to find any
foundation of truth whatever in the ac-
cusations made.
Your committee find, from the testi-
mony of NJ Halstead, that he is the re-
sponsible editor of the Commercial; that
he wrote the articles in question; that
he had no knowledge or information
least degree to establish the truth of any
of the grave charges therein made
against members of this body; that by
his own admissions, under oath, he made
these charges without possessing any
evidence of their truth, and during a
protracted examination, with ample op-
portunity upon the most direct inquiry
as to the source of any information he
might have, and upon repeated request
by your committee that he should lay
before them any information that would
tend to aid them in their investigation,
he entirely failed to furnish your COM
mittee with any fact or information
which would lead them to any proof of
any of the charges so recklesslv made
by him in his journal, but gave as his
reason for making the charges desire to
create a public sentiment which would
secure the passage of the bill in question.
Your committee feel that it does not
fall within their province to report their
views upon the rank injustice done the
: members of the Senate by the groundless
charges of NJ. Halstead, nor upon the
tendency of his conduct to degrade the
honorable and useful profession of jour
nalism in the estimation of a discrimi-
; mating public, and to destroy the proper
! influence of the press as a conservator
l of the public morality, and a guardian
of the public purse.
: Your committee also examined as wit
nesses William Smith, the lottery agent
: referred to by the Commercial as the per-
son who furnished the money to defeat
D said bill, all the persons named by the
|; Commercial as instruments of lottery
dealers in corrupting g Senators, as we'll as
: all persons whose names were suggested
, as witnesses by M. Halstead's friends
l. members of this body, or persons taking
;, an interest in the investigation. Bu
IL your committee have entirely failed tC
y discover, from all the testimony taker
e by them, any evidence that any member
IS Of this body has been guilty of any i'm
u propriety in his support of or opposition
L to said bill, or has been directly or indi
'e rectly influenced in his action thereon
! e by any bribe or improper motive.
Il In regard to the charges of the Cincin
natl Enquirer in regard to Senator Schi1
10 John A. Cockerill, the writer of saiC
!, charges, and responsible editor of saiC
L. paper, testified that he disclaimed an.
re intention to charge Mr.. Schiff with be
ing influenced in his action either b,
money or other improper motive, AM
that he had no belief that Mr.. Schif ha'
O. ever accepted any bFibe in this body, o
m that he is acquainted with any gamblin
;, games whatever.
Il The committee, therefore, entirely eX
y onerated Mr.. Schiff from the charge
IS made
e Mr. Cockerill was also examined re
I'd garding the charge in the Enquirer tina
. Senator Young had been influenced b
IN money or other improper motive b
y, Robert Clark & Co., to suppress a resolu
's tion for the purchase of Millers revision
go of the State statutes. Mr.. Miller, tn
i'll author of said revision, also, the chail
er men of the House and Senate Judiciar
ol- committees were examined upon tn
n. matter, and your committee. made a care
RS full investigation into the truth of sal
he charges, and report that they are unabl
0s- to find any foundation whatever for tn
charges. And your committee find fror
the testimony that the author of the a.
lie, ticle referred to had no knowledge c
ID, information of facts tending in the leas
er, degree to establish the truth of sal
IF, charge, and they cannot discover any e.
dence in the testimony of any of tn
Is, witnesses examined, which directly or il
1t directly tends to prove Senator Youn
guilty of said charge, and therefore ell
ry tirely exhonorate him from the gui
Lr. charged,
Of JOHN H. PUTNAM,
10. A. w. PATRICK,
nd JT UPDERGRAFF,
of B. r. BEAvIs,
hit j. S. GARDENER"
ACTION OF THE SENATE.
ho ho On motion, the committee was di
de charged from any further considerable
OF of the subject.
~ On motion of Mr.. Thompson,
1n Franklin, the report and accompanyin
testimony were ordered printed.
On motion of Mr.. Putnam, the repor
without the testimony, was ordere
printed in the Senate Journal.
AUTHORSHIP OF THE REPORT, ETC
Dl- 1t is generally understood that tn
O., report was written by the Senator frol
na Ross, and afterward revised and approve
NJ by the committee
ne Mr.. Putnam, in remarking upon tn
ed report, said that it was much milder
Io, language than the Senate would prob
OF bly, consider the circumstances demand
ne ed, but the committee had no desire t
'u- stigmatize with epithets conduct ths
9Fs sufficiently carries with its own stigm.
aw The general opinion in regard to tn
ey report is that its dignifed language {
ne condemnation and rebuke is the eseveres
,ey style the committee could have adopte
ne toward the foul slanderer who hG
.e- sought without a shadow of found
ne tion to cast disgrace upon the entiI