The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-01-23

Of Representatives The Plot H.
vea8ed On the Floor Of she naouse -
the Tempted Acknowledgements
able Testimony.
The Associated Press dispatches Of
the morning OF the 10th give the follow
ing statements made by Swami and the
other members Of the Maine House Of
Representatives, whom the Republicans
attempted 70 bride, on the floor OF the
House on the 9th.
MIR. Swami said:
.The press Of the Republican party
makes charges against me, rejecting
upon my honor and integrity in relation
to matters connected with my position
as a member Of this House. i refer 10
the attempt to bride me by an agent Of
the Republican party. ! will briefly
state the main facts connected with
this affair. / came from my house TO
this city on Saturday, January 3 On
the Monday following rumors were
afoat that men had been offered money
TO absent themselves from the House Of
Representatives, SO that ne quorum
would be present on the first Wednes-
day Of January. Later in the evening
| Of January 5, a reliable person, who is
HOW ~ WtilutI Va LnAc AAuA-Ef ~ iAtA
me that Wallace X. White, of Winthrop,
had called upon him, and offered him
$1,000 in cash TO deliver up his certif-
cate and resign as a member OF
the House, which he had refused to
accept, and that said White informed
him that he wanted three more men
TO resign, and requested him to see me.
Upon this information / went at once to
the Augusta House and found the Hon.
4. III. Cove, Secretary of State, and told
him what l knew about the matter.
Cove and myself her went out and
found Scion Chase. In their presence
hastily drew and signed an affidavit
embodying my statement of bribery.
~ then went and requested the gen.
tleman who had been offered the ST.
600 TO see White i'm the morning and
inform him that | would resign for ST.
600. He saw White the next morning.
White sent back a request for me to
meet him at the Court House at 1880
a. m. went there az about that time
and met White, who took me upstairs
into a corner room He then showed
me a statement as follows:
AUGUSTA, January 9. 1850
Tothc Chairman Of the Democratic and Green
Aftcr mature delibcration / have concluded
tina; il is my duty, as a citizen, 20 obey tne
laws as they are construed and decided by the
supreme Judicial Court. cannot, tnereIcres
Republican Observation-Disclosures whom the
supreme Court has declared entitled thereto.
participate in the Organization OF the House,
being fairly and fully determined 70 obey the
mandate Of he Court To resist that mandate
md the great int rests Of the State.
He informed me that ! should have TO
write q statement like it and sign the
same; also, sign a resignation and de-
liver ND nv certificate to him. He said
thew should not want to use the resigna-
} ton. but wanted it to show that l act
ed in good faith, and that after the
House was organized l could take my
seat. and the Republicans would put me
upon important committees | informed
! him that l would sign the papers, and
: he said that he had to 60 and get the
!. money. He left the room and returned
: in about twenty minutes and said IT wa.
: All right. He then read TO me and ]
: copied in my own hand letters to tht
: Chairman of the Democratic and Green
I hack Committees. He also read tho
resignation, which l copied. / then put
Z said papers, without my signature, into
7 nv pocket. We then counted the none,
2 and found Il correct. / then signed thu
: paper and took the money. H.
q said he wanted some men, ant
= wanted to know if l knew Of any h
q could get. | told him l thought III
I could get Hartman, of kennebunk. ~
: told me 10 see him and come with HIN
at 1880. l then left and called Mt tn
y Augusta House to see If l could mt
q Hartman, but did not find him.
= then went direct to the State-House an
e found +. II. Cove, and made the follow
= Inc statement:
= II Thomas b. Swami in the presence OF n
y Hon. SCION Chase and the Hon. r. =. uos,
day been approached by ~ agent OF tne -
y publican party 10 resign a Representative, =
- NV nnd thus show TO the people the frau
y ana corruption Of the Republican party.
y expect 20 have another party also take mone
~ for the same purpose. THOMAS =. SWAMI
I, 81 went TO the Augusta House %
st found Hartman, told hin what ma
cs taken place. and he agreed 70 60 VII
=. me at i:3O and take the money and @
" pose the fraud. / went TO my dinn'
IA and then returned to the Angus
o. House. where I again found Harrima'
s. and not far from two o'clock we wei
en- toward the Court House. Before y
-. reached il l showed him White stan
-. inc on the porch. White went into u
;ss building and so did Hartman. As
re passed by the Court House White stu
- his head out Of the window Of the sar
rs corner room and motioned to me and
a answered his motion with . n
dv 81 nv head. / thGn went
the Granite National Bank. TAXI
mt the non which White had paid ]
%. and bought this draft on Boston. i
4 not claim this money. and y = subj