The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-04
Report of the POmeroy Investigating
g Committee. 4,E a-
MAJORITY RRPoRT.

: WARRINGTON, March 3-The commit.
tee appointed to investigate the charge
oil bribery in the recent Senatorial elec,
tion in Kansas, preferred against Senator
: Pomeroy by A. NJ. York and B. F. Simp
son, made their report this afternoon
through the chairman, Senator Freliug-
, huysen. The report first calls attention
to the charges Of Simpson, and after
, quoting the testimony OF several witnesses
says: "a majority OF the committee arc
Of opinion that none Of the charges pre-
ferred by Simpson, consisting OF num-
Der of alleged specific acts Of bribery or
attempts 10 bribe, have been sustained"
The report next considers the specific and
single charge Of bribery preferred by a.
b. York, whose statement Is that Pome-
roy gave him on Monday, January 2Sth,
$1,000, and on Tuesday, January Goth,
$4,000, as a bribe to vote for him In joint
session on Wednesday. Pomeroys state.
ment Is that he gave York the money
at the time and tho amounts stated, not
as bribe, but to carry to Mr.. Page as q
loan from Pomeroy to aid in the purchase
OF thirty bonds of the United States OF
the denomination Of $1,000, Page having
$25, 900 in currency. The Committee say
the question for them to determine was,
not which of either Of these two state.
ments are plainly irreconsllable as Is in
all It's details true, but whether taking all
testimony together and weighing 1t, York
has sustained his charge. The Commit
tee then quote from testimony including
that Of York, to show that these are cir
cumstanCes that legltimately effect the
creditibility oil York in this transaction
and say it appears that York's plan was
kept secret until Wednesday, at the joint
Convention, when an exacled exposure
was sprung upon that body and money
wasS exhibited by York. lie made a
statement that members of Legislature
had Pomerey's money burning in their
pockets. OF which facts we not only
have no proof but it appears that York
had no such knowledge. 1t appears that
an effort was made by members TO aGjDurn |
and also to have recess for an hour or
two. That the truthof these allegations
made might be ascertained, and that
York resisted these efforts, for fear, he
says, that POmeroy might be able to
appoint his own successor this evening. |
II YOrk's statement and certainly i'll
PomerOy's statement be taken as true
York was the principal actor In an effort |
not only 10 belray and defeat Pomeroy,
but TO deprive the State Of Kansas Of It's |
free and deliberate choice Of Senator
These circumstances do not prove that |
Pomeroy did not bribe York, but they do
impair the ctedibility Of York as awiLnesS,
for when line Of deception hasbeen en-.
tered on no one can tell when it Is dropped
and the golden thread OF thruth adopted.
The truth which the committee sought
was as to what occurred in the room on
Monday and Tuesday, when POmeroy de.
livered the money 10 Yonk; they were
alone and contracted with each other.
They say there is, however, evidence re-
latiDg to York's purpose in going to
Pomeroy's roOm, which evidence they
review at length and say they are at u
loss to discover from whence York deriv.
en- his alleged assurance that he was to
be bribed that night and 10 be in large
sum from any fact consistent with his
statement lift be true as Page testifes,
that he had that afternoon told him that
Pomeroy would probably give him o
package Of money to bring to him, we
can more readily understand this conf.
denCe that he was 10 receive the
money; but that he had any such notice
York denies. II York was acting on the
information Page gave him, there Is no
evidence that he communicated 10 his
associates. The committee point out
what they deem another improbability in
York's statement, namely, that Pomeroy
on Monday night agreed to give him
$1,000 for his vote under the stipulation
that slight vote against him in the Sen.
ate on Tuesday when his vote might be
as desirable as on Wednesday, and that
he was at liberty even 10 reconsider his
conclusion as to voting for him on Wed.
nesdsy, and that on such understanding
he paid him on Monday $4,000, and on
Tuesday after he had that day voted
against him 5000 moro, and Pomeroy
did this while 1t appears in evidence be-
yond question that lie was either honor
ably relraIning from all corrupt influences
10 promote his election or that he
was carefully on his guard against being
entrapped In the use Of money, and while
1t appears that York was attending an
anti: Pomeroy caucus, acting as itssecreta.
ry, and known by Pomeroy to be opposed
to him. In considering the. statement Of
Pomeroy that he gave York the $1,000
toltake to Page to enable him to pur.
chase United States bonds to aid in estab.
fishing national bank, the committed
say POmeroy Is entitled 10 the extent that
other men are TO the presumpti on Of limo.
CenCe, a presumption which they say is
somewhat strengthened by the fact that
his aCcusers have failed to sustain their
other charges Of bribery against him in
the same election. Alter further review
Of the testimony, the committee say there
are several questions that arise in this
transaction which are not satisfactorily
explained, among which arc the following:
Why did not Pomeroy believer the 81 900
to Page himself when he called on Mon.
day He then had the money, Why did
moi Pomeroy give York the money he was
to take to Page in sealed package ?
Pomeroy may have desired, in view Of the
coming election, to conciliate York by
showing him that he was assisting his
friend Page, by showing him that
he was aiding him in establish
ing bank in his own town and
by reposing confidence In him, but even a
suggestion OF this improper motive Is not
satisfactory answer to those questions
There are also, some discrepancies be-
tween the statements OF Pomeroy and
Page, such as to whether it was in the
morning or afternoon Of Monday that
Page last called on Pomerey, perhaps |
they are not other than such as toshow ab. |
sence Of arrangement between them as
witnesses. The Committee, some Of
whom were absent on other duty from
time to time while the evidence was be-
ing taken, did not receive printed tesli-
mOny until the morning Of Saturday, the
1st inst, and have given the evidence
L. Z Ill