The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-02
KEMBLE & CO.'S OPERATIONS.
TRYING TO GET Sf.OOO,OO0 FOR THE
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.
Representative siiverthorne Te.tifyinR that
he was offered $3.50 for hi. vote-Other
Testimony showing an Attempt mt BRIBERY.


HARRISBURG, Pa, May 1.-The first ses-
sion OF the House Committee appointed to in
vestgate the charges Of Mr.. Wolfe. a member
OF the Legislature. to the effect that corrupt
means were employed In tho attempted passage
OF tho Riot Claims bill. was held with closed
doors on Tuesday evening. The bill was known
as House bill 1903. and 1t purposed to appropri-
| ate 4.0O0.000 to reimburse the Pennsylvania
! Railroad Company for losses occasioned by tho
riots in the summer of 1877. The evidence thus
far produced tends to show that William H.
Kemblo, Of Addition, Division. and Silence "
notoriety, was IN active middleman between
| the corporation to be benefited and the mem
| bers ready 10 be approached.
| When the Committee met on Tuesday even
| ing. all OF the members were present. and n
| thronR Of spectators was in the room. A brief
| consultation OF the Committed was held. after
| which Representative Gatche Chairman OF the
| Committee. requested everybody to retire. in
| order that the Committee nigh, hold private
conference. After three quarters OF an hour.
tho doors were opened long enough for the an
nouncement to be made that the pession would
be secret. This course was determined upon by
the votes OF Committeeman Gatchcll. Rhoads.
and Doyle against the protest and vote of Wolfe.
William II. Kembe was called. His examina-
ton occupied an hour and half. He was
sharply questioned by Mr.. Wolfe. At the close
| OF his examination he hurried from the Com
mttee to his quarters in the Brady House.
| On the following day the question OF opening
the doors OF the committee room was raised in
the House by members who wished to have a
public examination. and after series OF stormy
scenes 1t was agreed that members should have
a public hearing II they desired IT, A throng
was present at the session OF the Committee in
the evening. G. l.. Magee a Pittsburgh Fire
| nj In,
| aRer. was questioned To the printed qucs
| tons he gave negative answer. In answer TO
| further questions he said that he had paid
| newspapers for publishing articles favoring tho
| bill. and had given @ Burton. member Of the
| House, q check Tor s11, To pay. ms he supposed.
| Tor publishing such notices. He thought he
| could produce the checks that he had given.
hhu the Oommttee gave MN tll next tuesday
| 70 ma them. Chnrles Is. safer. Secretary OF
| the Committee on Ways and Means. gave mega
tive answers to all OF the regulation questions.
! kemble In regard to the Riot Claims bill Mr..
| Rumberger. n member OF the House declined
| y be sworn. saying that II sworn lie must pre-
| Ter charges against member OF the Committee.
Mr. Wolfe advised him TO go on with his
charges: but Rumberger still declined TO be
sworn and said that he wns terribly upset.
| He was allowed u 60 with the understanding
Represenatve pr Gror N wa was '0HSrns sWSrn' ' Hc an
to the last. He testified That he net Saiter on
the train going 10 Philadelphia while the Riot
| Claims bill WAS pending, and after some con-
versaton in regard 10 the bill Salter said: I'm
| >.
testified that later he took some beer and walk
with Sater in Harrisburg, and Salter said that
| some people who would be benefited by the
passage OF the Riot Claims hill had raised n
tund. out o. which Kemble. Quay and others
would pay $500 for a vote in favor Of the bill.
and 81 900 for vote and speech. adding:
| We do not expect you to make q speech. but
qn at sS o r y9S Sa It. Gr An
then proposed To- Introduce Groff 10 Komble and
69s Sbo, ssd YSq mufin say SPyhns TO
| kemble and Quay took place in the office oi the
Secretary OF the Commonwealh. On the day Of
Gr9ns exam nation Salter met him. and being
| told that he summoned to testify said:
You needn't say anything about me-. as |
voted against the bil and testified that he en-,
tertalnGd these negotiations merely out Of curl
| Saner advised him to vote for the bill and told
him that ne would fnd It 10 his advantage to 20
over and see them in any event He voted
.Myron II. silyerthorne representative from
Erie. was called. and his story was told without
hesitation He testified that about the I'd Of
! April W. T. Rumberger. representative from
Armstrong. approached him with the question:
| Would you like 10 make some money 2"
That depends upon circumstances. was the
reply. There's chance TO make some" said
| Rumherger. " out Of the Riot bill. | am 20 have
500 for voiinEE and I'hSSiye you one-halt Of it
forthwith went down and consulted his col
league. Mr. Short Snort would not give advice.
| and II WAS agreed 10 consult Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe
heard the story. ana SAID to Sllverthorne:
You VIII be justified IN doing anything to
exp ssa sun NY n, @iyee Is TO ac
money. When silverthorne, and Rumberger
next met the latter said Vel, what have you
concluded to do a6ou, itf" silyerthorne said
that he had concluded to go with him. Then"
said Rumberger. they want to see you at
Headquarters. They walked 10 the Brady
House. and Rumberger Introduced Silver
thorne to kembie and went down stairs. leav-
ing them together. Slverthorne told Kemblo
do about the bill Well" said Kemble
III you support the bill. whaiever is ar:
| ranged DetWaen and Rnmborpar I
will see IT'S paid" Whom Silverthorne
went down Rumbereer said to him Z" bid
kemhle's hand? Well. had written $3.50 on on
y. The customary price is $500 That is what
spect for you I've increased the amount $3.50"
While giving his testimony Silverthorne said:
but Of course % Sd about wen g1 Se fG 'f fe
ported these things 70 Wolfe and Short they
the second reading. but the money was not
paid. He complained. and was told that Kemble
had gone home, He said that II he didn't get
again. Wolfe had told him TO get part Of the
money as evidence. Soon aiterward he told
Rumherger he would not vote for the bin again.
aud Rumberger then denied that he had ever
offered him money Silverthorne further tes-
titled thar. at his fret intervew with Kemble,
the latter gave him note 10 Elisha Davis. OF
| the House. He never delivered IL, and now pro-
| duced the original, as follows;
thoTne vii Try and pair pair kiaead with m Short % nK E''
Syerthorne asked Short to pair according TO
| tnlb arrangement, Dut snort wouldn't do II.
| . The Committee met Tonight in the House OF
Representatives, Joseph b. Knttle Repre-
sentative from Columbia County, testified that
in the early stage Of this bill he had been ap-
| preached by George i. Smith. n member from
Philadelphia, who said that all who voted for its
passage, would be paid, and that $500 were being
| offered for each vote. Subsequently the sum was
increased TO $1,000. and sill later promises
were made for larger amount not specified.
| promising that Col. Elisha Davis. a member
| from Philadelphia, would arrange il, As his
| vote was not in the market for sale. he never
| saw Mr.. Davis about it,
- Harry Watson. u member from Mercer
County, testified that Emile ]. Petrof mem
| Der from Philadelphia. who. in 1876 was ex-
PEELED from the House for corruption in con
| nection with the boom bill, told him that
money was being paid. He promised that
! II Watson would Join what lie called
| the Rooster Gang he could make money out
OF 4; Last night Petroir again saw Watson
and begged him not to report this conversation
10 tho ComInittee, but 10 answer No to all
questions Ia most humble manner and almost
crying he called upon him a Free Mason to
| protect him.
John Wesley Cargll member from susque-
| hanna County. testified that two different per-
sons had sought TO Introduce him 10 vii
liam II. Kemble. Jesse II. Crawford SUPER
lntendent OF Public Grounds. offered him