The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-09
The Bribery Investigation Mt Harrisburg.

FOllOWlng Is a condensed statement OF
the testimony taken by the investigating
Of the House, at the two
meetings held by it last week, touching
corrupt promises made to procure the
passage of the Pittsburg riot bill:
Representative RumbeTger, of Armstrong
upon being called declined to TESTIFY
on account of the confused state of his mind,
resulting from 1877 kilograms from his con-
in regard to tho vacant JudgeShlp
in his district He thought by tomorrow
night he could collect his thoughts. He there
fore departed.
RepresentativeG Graf. Of Armstrong county,
said he met c. B. Salter on a train for Phlla-
delphia They talked of the riot pill and
Salter asked for a private conversation on
the subject. Witness asked if there was any
corruption about the passage Of the bill and
was told that the usual price OF member
was $500, but that 81, 900 were given for a
speech As witness was an oil man he should
receive 81, 600, and he might offer an amend
ment to the bill eXempting oil from taxation.
He was taken by Salter to the secretary OF
the commonwealth Office and introduced to
Kemble and Quay, where the former assured
him that whatever arrangement was made
by Sater would be fulfilled. Mr.. Graf voted
against the bill all the time.
Representative White, Of Warren, had
been urged by Salter to vote for the bill, was
told that it would be TO his advantage to do
So and advised to see Kemble and Quay,
neither Of which things he did.
Representative SilverthOrne, the most i'm
pOTtant witness Of the evening, was next
called. About "a of April he was asked by
RumbeTger if he wished To make some money,
and if so, it could be made on the riot bill
He (RUmheTger) was to get 81, 800 and would
give witness half for his vote He said he
would consider it-cunsulted with Wolfe and
Short Of Erie, who advised him to play de
teCtiVC. Witness then told RumebrgeT that
he would vote for the bill on the conditions
named, and was taken to Kemble at the
Brady house. kemble told him that Rum
bergcr'S arrangement should be carried out
Rumberger subsequently told him that out
Of respect for him he would receive $3.50, al
though $500 was the usual price, and cnJoined
secrecy. The money was to he paid after the
bill had passed second reading. Witness
voted for Longs amendment, hoping to get
some of the money ut once and thus have in
duhitable evidence OF the corruption. The
money not being given he threatened to vote
against the bill but was assured by Rumher-
ger that il would be ali right Witness stated
that Kemble handed him note to deliver to
+. W. Davis, but retained it. The note Is as
follows
DEAR LIsH: Try and pair all our abscntees.
Slyerthorne Will have Short pair with klncaid
w. II. k
Representative Knittle. OF Columbia county,
testified that he was approached in the early
stages of the progress Of the riot bill by Re
preventative George Smith, OF Philadelphia
who called him from his seat and told him
that $500 was being paid for votes fOr the
riot bill, and afterward Smith said that 81, 900
was being paid, and that witness could get
the amount provided he voted for the bill on
its various readings Smith cnlOincd secrecy
on him and said he would take him to another
man, Representative +. W. Davis. who
would tell him all about it. Witness was to
have met Davis by appointment, but never
determined to act in accordance with the
proposed arrangement. His vote was not
for sale. He did not think there was any
Joke in the proposition. Witness said q
thought il meant business
Representative Harry Watson, of Mercer,
was next called He testified that gentle
man met him at the LOchiel hotel few weeks
ago and asked him to vote for the bill. Wit
ness Informed him that he was not favOTdbiy
disposed To it, but that he would listen care
fully to the discussion on it. The man told
him that there was money i'm the bill and
that ne might as We'll make something out 0f
II. Witness told him that he would have to
''cUunt him out. - The man replied that he
hoped he would think better Of fit-that mem
hcr~ were poorly paid. WitucS, was not Of
fered any money, but Inferred that the pro-
position was IE deep earnest. Mr. Wolfe
asked witness if the person did not ask him
whether he would like to be rooster, to
which Mr.. " atSOn replied in the affirmative.
The man who approached him was Repre-
sentative bctTotI, who ON W eGncSd&N after
noon and night had come to him and pleaded
that witness wouId not e,poSc him. a. he
was already IIufer q s.Ioud He sl,oI,,. Of the
DISGRACE if would entail ON his family aud
requested witness to answer no To aII tbn in
ttTroua+orias Witness told hin, that ba
yvouId not stuItify himself PrtrnfT eaiG ba
y.nIIId not hgyt. had tLr c,,r,-er.ati,, y,itE
him. but for the fact that he was a Mason
very hadIy almost shedding faars Vi+6es,
uniformly voted with the SpUonents Of thC
bill
Ecprrsrutatiy, CarpiI OF SusquebaDDa
testified that ne had been approached by 4
man who said that those who Supunrtod fb,
hin vouTd he remembered will, money II,
urged him to support the bill and said that
those who voted for il on second and third
reading warId C,t r,our,- The mar rnf..rraC
to was Jesse r. Crawford. If Blair r.unty
assistant ,IIp,riI,t,udeur If uubIic orntinds
Witness -.fii tItt Cr7tvf,,r,l first named sio0