Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-09-10
THE BRIBERY SUITS.
JUDGE PEARSON AFTER KEMBLE's CROWD
SOME POINTS or LAW CONCERNING
BRIBERY.

BRIBERY.
As the trial of Kemble, Salter, Leis-
hiring, Crawford and others, accused
of attempted bribery in connection
with the bill to reimburse persons who
lost property by the Pittsburgh riot,
approaches. the interest increases.
There was large crowd in the Har-
risburg Court House, Monday, last
week, to hear Judge Pcarson's charge
on the riot bribery subject. The
Judge appeared very earnest, and con-
WINGED all within hearing of his voice
that he was in hearty sympathy with
the movement to punish bribery in the
Legislature.
The Judge said: Bribery is highly
injurious to society, dangerous to pub
lie morals and to the general admins
tration of the government Of the coun-
try. / speak Of it, gentlemen, as
crime which strikes almost at the
foundation of society, because if, in
stead of having fair, honest, proper
legislation, according to the best dis
cretion and judgment of the legislators,
we are to have them bought over TO
vote for measures or vote against
measures which the public requires,
or which are injurious to the public,
either the one or the other, then, L
say, it is dangerous TO society at large,
and we should most carefully guard
against anything Of that kind. 1t is
not only the person soliciting, but the
person agreeing to receive or actually
receiving, that ought to be held up to
public scorn and contempt by being
indicted in the Criminal Court.
The Judge then quoted the con-
stitutional provisions against bribery
and the law in pursuance thereof and
said any open address, persuasion or
coaxing would not come within the
act, but the moment any Office, money,
article of value or promise Of advan-
tages is offered it brings the act
within the statute. In order, then, to
make out the offense charged here,
you have only to inquire, was there
an offer or endeavor to influence any
members Of the Legislature by Offering
or promising them money, promising
them anything Of value, promising
them any Office or advantage of any
kind. Was that done If so, it
would be an attempt to solicit them to
do what is illegal. and is an attempt
to bribc, or unlawful solicitation.
All that is necessary to be proved Is
that the accused solicited members of
the Legislature to vote in a particular
way under promise of procuring money
for them, or Offering to give them
money, telling them where money
could be procured, or that they could
have money by doing SO and SO.
Bribery, added the Judge, has long
been prohibited in Pennsylvania, and
yet, to the scandal of the State
hope it is false, / hope it is only
scandal-it has been urged and said
hundreds Of times that such and such
a bill was procured by bribery. 1t
demeans- our State, it brings Us into
contempt with other countries, brings
us into contempt with our sister States,
causes Us to be belittled abroad, TO be
belittlcd at home, and Injuries the leg
islatiye body with the community.
The very suspicion that they take
bribes is an injury to them, an injury
to society in general, because they are
led to distrust the laws that such a
Legislature passes, and to disregard
them entirely. Therefore, it is high
oiiense against society, and one that
should be most carefully guarded
against by Courts and jurics, pun
ished inacxibly and without any hcsi-
tation.
Judge Pearson also instructed the
grand jury to proceed against members
in whose cases no indictments have
been framed, but whom the evidence
submitted to the jury implicates in
corrupt solicitation Of members OF
the Legislature Of accepting or agree.
ing TO accept bribes In this way
neither the person charged in the III
dictmeDts nor the members of the
Legislature themselves can escape pun
ishinent. You cannot act upon news
paper reports. You have no right u
act upon resolutions Of the Legislature.
You act upon the evidence produced
before you, and that alone, and if that
makes out case Of either bribery or
receiving bribe against the person
who is charged, make presentment
Of them to the District Attorney 80
that the whole matter may be prop
crly and fully investigated in Court,
that VIC may get at the bottom Of
these things.
Sometimes committees Of the Leg
islaturc examine such subjects They
have not the same power as the Courts
have in compelling the attendance and
testimony Of witnesses. They are not
very anxious TO find out what has
been done. Sometimes they are not
very willing to expose whether they
have been guilty Of receiving brides ;
they don't want 10 tell anything that
takes place, but we want to find out
everything about it, We want to get
at the truth Of the matter, and get TO
the bottom Of it, and see who il guilty
and who il not guilty, or whether ii
is mere general slander. II the
Commonwealth produce witnesses TO
show the truth Of the allegations made
in the indictments find true bills with
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