Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-06-11
STATE CRIMINALS.
THE BRIBED LEGISLATORS
A STARTLING REVELATION.

Recent developments fully demon.
strates the fact that the present Leg.
islature has been one of the corruptest
that has met at Harrisburg for long
time. A Committee was appointed on
the part of the House, to investigate
the corruptions practiced in attempt
ing to pass the Pittsburg riot act,
known as bill No 1903.
Mr.. Rhodes the other day rose to a
question OF privilege and presented to
the House the "report of the Riot in.
vestigation committee" which is as
follows:
TO the House Of Representatives Of tie
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania The
undersigned members OF your commit.
tee appointed under the following res.
olution passed by the House:
"Resolrsd, That a committee Of Eve be appoiu-
ted by the Speaker of the House for the purpose
Of investigating tho charges made by the member
from Union and any other improper Influences
brought to bear upon members in connection with
House bill No. 1903, and that said committee be
sand the same is hereby authorized to call for
persons and papers, and that the expenses con-
nected with said investga ton are hereby author
lied by the House Of Representatives."
Respectfully report as follows;
The committee selected Samuel B.
Collins as stenographer to take the
testimony, who together with his as
sistants, were sworn to the faithful
discharge OF their duty. The sessions
of the committee with one exception
were public, and all persons in any way
implicated were afforded the fullest
opportunity to testify in their own be-
half and to bring witnesses in proof Of
their innocence. The testimony taken,
the witnesses by whom given as well
as all the other evidence in the case
will be found in tho appendix to the
Legislative Record, which has been by
order Of the House printed for use Of
the members Lnd placed upon their
desks. Before entering upon any
analysis of the evidence and stating
the conclusions at which we have ar
rived thereon, we wish to define briefly
tire rules by which the committee have
been governed in conducting the inves-
tigation, and the general principles
which have guided us in arriving at
our conclusions upon the evidence. In
reference to the first point VIC wish to
state that while occasionally some ir-
relevant testimony has crept in such
as would not be allowed under strict
rules in the conduct Of trial in court
Of law, the amount of such evidence is
not considerable, but it is OF such O
character as to do no harm oriniustice to
any one. The committee have unani.
mously, persistently and carefully ex-
cluded all heresay evidence and have
although it has been the practice Of
legislative investigating committees
generally to take wider latitude
deemed IL best in their inquiries to be
controlled in the admission of evidence
by the rules governing courts Of law
In reference to the second point we
wish to say that when there is conflict
ing testimony, we have in reading o
decision been guided chiefly by consid
erations of interest in the witness tC
testify truthfully or falsely by the con
sistency and reasonableness of theii
testimony. By henumber OF witnesses
on one side and the other and corro
boratinp circumstances, in no case hai
;bero been any attempt made to i'm
peach the credulity of any witness
and we have given equal weight to tb,
. testimony of every witness, excepting
where in our opinion their persona
!, interests afforded strong motive I,
testify falsely, or their testimony wal
inconsistent or unreasonable or tn,
corroborating facts or number OF wit
nesses were against them. We wisl
to state further that in arriving at oul
decision upon the evidence we bav,
honestly and earnestly cndeavored Il
rid our minds of all passion and preju
dice and to decide each case upon th'
evidence, Judging each by the sam,
rule and making no distinctions be
tween individuals. In oil cases Of rea
sonable doubt, without giving any opin
ion upon conflicting evidence, we give
the benefit of the doubt to the persor
who is unfavorably implicated ; but il
oil cases where there is no reasonable
doubt, unpleasant as the duty is, espe
cially in the case Of our fellow members
we have not hesitated to do our duty
fearlessly and impartially by express
ing our opinion Of their guilt and thu
measure thereof, accompanying sucl
opinion in each case with a reference
to the evidence on which such opinloI
is based. While fully decided in tb'
opinion that a great evil should con
tinue to exist forever rather than any
innocent man should suffer, we ar'
...ll.. c.-.,, ,,, fnt onnutcftona hat N,