The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-10-21
STATE OF WISCONSIN, ! .
DANE COUNTY. 90

resided there over twenty-one years
last past In the year 1871 I was Chair
man of the Board of Supervisors of said
town of Dane, and member Of the
Board of Supervisors of said county.
In November of said year I was in
attendance upon the session of said
Board in Madissn. On the first day Of
such session, and before its meeting,
VIM. r. Taylor. who was also a member
jof the County Board and chairman of
his town of Cottage Grove, approached
! me on the subject of favcring an appro-
priation by the County Board of $1,000,
to build bridge in his town of Cottage
Grove, in this manner: We met In the
streets of madison, when he handed naa
an envelope, sealed and said to me not
to open it until got to my rooms
and not TO have any one present when
did open it, and to be sure and
say nothing about it toany one. l took
the envelop and put it in my pocket,
never once suspecting It's contents after
wards, when in my room, [ opened the
envelop and found therein ten dollars
in currency. The purport Of the CONF
|munication inclosing the money was that
the said Taylor wanted meto vote for
the appropriation aforesaid for his town,
Cor money consideration. The plain
intent and meaning of the transaction
was that he wanted to buy me to do so.
/ was overwhelmed with establishment
THAT VIM. r. Taylor should rate me. In
the discharge of my official duties, as
man who could be bought in the market
to violate his duty aud honor. At this
time the Hon. w. H. Chandler, of Sun
Prairie, was chairman of the county board
of Dane county, and the same evening
after receiving tho attempted bride from
WIN. r.. Taylor in the manner aforesaid,
1T consulted with Mr.. Chandler about
the matter, and showed him the contents
lof the envelope received from Taylor
I made up may mind at once to return
the ten dollars so received from VIM. r.
Taylor, and did so by writing to him
a letter, of which the following is copy,
and inclosing therein the ten dollars re-
ceived from him, and handing the same
to him in person: nsa
MADISON, Nov. l6, 1871.
To Vim. r. IayZor:
f. Please find herein $40, which, to my
lsurprise and great grief, found in the
i abridged letter YOU handed to me the
other day. I cannot think that you have
ever seen anything in my coGduct that
would lead you to think that any dis z
honorable proposition could deter me
from acting upon all matters coming
before me in just and honest manner.
4 1t is the rule of my life to act in all
things from conscientious motives, in
private as we'll as public affnrs, and if
it is not the rule which you have adopted
during the past number of years that you
have held officials positions, you are not
the man that I, IN common with the pub
Ilic generally, have supposed You to be.
| Yours, &c,
Fl. H. BRERETON.
l handed to him this letter and con-
tents during session of the board. I.
In few minutes after, he called nae
| out of the meeting, and begged and plead
with me not to expose him, and repeated &
Iy thereafter he importuned me In the
same manner.
| In as much as there are SO many per-
sons familiar with this transaction, IN
Dane county and elsewhere, since its
first happening, ard my name has been
brought out in connection with 1t SO
many times, and as Twas ;nnocently one
of he prin sipal actors, now feel it my
duty. in Justice to myself and the public
70 state the facts. H. 81. BREREToN.
Subscribed and sworn 10 before me- 4
this 9Th day of October, A D. 1875.
a NJ. T. BAILEY, j. p,
~ Dane County, Wis.
The Wisconsin State journal, In speak
inc of II. Fl. Brereton and his affidavit
says:
II. Fl. Brereton, Esq, is an old resi-
dent of Dane county, and is an upright,
honest man. His word is good where
ever he is known. THERE'S no douot but
ho 8 ates the exact truth il the above
affidavit. Nor is there any doubt but
the $1,000 was handed him, In the hope
it would secure his vote for certain
bridge measure. Democratic papers have
not denied the truth Of this statements
and they dare not do it..
The charge seems to be fully establis-
he'd, and, until denied, must be believed.