Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-25
MlscfllANI.
OLD STOREY IN COURT.
The NOistly virtuous "Timcs" MI an
In q COrner--Nc Has 20 Answer
sosae Hard QucssIons in the south
PArk InveatigatiOa.
Chicago Post, 18th,


fn n Corner--ac Has 10 Answer
sosac Hard QucstIons in the south
Park investigators.
Chicago Post, 18th.
Storey of the Times, was put on The
stand before the South Park invcsti-
CATION this morning, at the Grand
Pacific, and showed a highly RULED
temper. He was very indignant that
his affairs should be inquired into,
but told that he did own i4O feet Of
South Park boulevard property. The
politicians grinAed at his i'll tenn
per and the lawyers putthc questions
| just the same. >
Storyc's hair has lost much OF the old
curl and lies fiat back on his head,
but his eye was as lively as of DID,
The politicians made room for him
and prepared to listen intcntly. Mr..
Mason. the xaminer-in-chief of the
lawyers. read questions to him, en-
bodying the information called for
by the act, such as "Do you know Mr.
Storey, about newspaper blackmail
for the Park Act?" "No sir" he re-
piled. "Do you know of money paid
to agents of newspapers to favor the
Park Act?" s.No SIR" "Did you
have any contracts to buy or any OPP
tions in Hyde Park lots ~ Storey hes
itated. He had evidently come to
"give sass" and was looking for a
good place to begin. "What is an
option p he asked. cit is a privilege"
softly replied Mr.. Mason, "of taking
certain piece of land, within GER
tain time, at fixed price," mo-"
said Storey, which was an answer to
the question previously put. "Do
you KNOW" went on Mason, ''of any
considerations paid to newspapers,
daily or weekly, for influence in get
ting the Park act passed." Mr.. Sto-
rey had his eye fixed on the.chairman,
but he turned to Mason and said, "Oh,
ask specific questions; or do you ask
specifically and generally? 2" I don't
know anything about Park acts"
"What was your own connection with
that Park act ?" 81 decline to an
swer," repeated the Times editor,
CHAT IS MY BUSINESS,
very decidedly my business not" he
interpolated, "that there is anything
which may not be published, but you
have no right to ask such a question !;
you might as we'll ask me If l did
not have an option to buy printing
press for my Office" "Thcn you de-
cline to answer any questions about
the connection of your paper with the
Park Act?' 81 decline to answer
concerning my private affairs, but if
You want to ask me anything abont
legislative commissions, I'll answer
YOU" 'I'll ask" said young Mason,
looking straight at the Times editor,
eff there was not a conveyance of
Park lot property to you by Jennings
and wife ?" eff there was You will
find it on the records" t'But the rec
ords have been destroyed, and this
transfer was made before the fire,
was there such a conveyance p
eyes" "What was the considera-
ton 7" eighteen thousand dollars. =
"Was it paid in cash r" at was, but
l want no more questions and I'll an
wer no more" Mr.. Storey's air had
become martial by this time, and his
nostrils opened and shut. Mason
submitted to the legislative gray
boards that he had asked no questions
unwarranted by the commission 49,
"No Legislature under heaven can
make me answer questions" contin-
ucd Storey, "but will state gratuit-
Ously that have no property that l
did not pay for. This is new fea-
ture in legislative inquiries, indeed"
said he, "to come inquiring into the
private affairs of private gentleman.
/ resent it; repel an effort to drag a
mans private affairs into publicity,
AS to that property, ! obtained it by
legitimate means" "That is all we
want to know" said Mr.. Mason, the
greatest stiffness prevailing, and the
politicians behind Storey snickering
SIT Is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS"
went on Storey: cit is none of your
business" Gen. Rowett asked him
if, considering the charge that lots of
money had been paid the newspapers
for their influence, he did not think
it was proper subject for inquiry,
and il he would not answer questions
put in that inquiry. Mr.. Storey said
that he would answer the questions
If he chose. The General continued
that they must make the inquiries
anyhow. Storey went on that he was
not to be subjected to investigation
on all the gossip and the rumors
about the South Park business. "Mr.
Medili, of the Tribune, was summon
ed" said one of the legislators "you
have not been singled out" The
mention of Medill's name made a
palpable impression on Storey. "Yes,"
he fired up, 81 knew he was, and he
answered questions gratuitously."-
eve didn't understand that you are
guilty." soothingly said one of the in
vestigators, "but we must ask you
questions. Your presumptions are
that the newspapers have been bribed
and" cit was testified here this
morning." interrupted the other,
"that Times reporter attempted to
levy blackmail at Springfield" eff |
had known it, answered Storey, TAX
ing on new turn of hnmor, she
should have been
NO MORE A REPORTER OF MINE"
"What we want to make out" II
don't care what yon want to make
out" broke in Storey. "What we wish
to inquire" 81 decline to answer
any more not that l have anything
to conceal, but You have no right to
question" Mason came to the scratch,
"Mr. Storey, have you received any
money, bonds, certificates, checks,
lots. lands, or other articles or things
of value, directly or indirectly, for
the services of your paper?" Storey
became downright ugly. "That is an
insulting question:" said he. Mason
replied sharply that it was the Ian
guage of the instructions. Storey
turned to the legislators and told
them that they were partly response
BILE for those instructions. Gen. Row
EFT nodded atfirmatively. Storey con-
tinued, "That is an insulting question
besides, have answered it already"
| ssThen that is your answer asked
Mason, "that you have answered it
already. Is that how we are to take
it?"
STAKE 1T AS YOU PLEASE,
returned Storey. 81 don't care what
you desire, or how you take it," lie
glared around. every well, replied
Mason, "that is your answer" "Do
you want to ask him any questions
Mr.. Kales?" inquired Rowett. "Oh
no, no, dear no." said the Park law
yer, and he fell to bobbing like q
Chinese tea mandarin. Storey re.
tired and Immediately left the room